Sociology of Social Movements: theoretical approaches, problematics and research agendas

There are exposed elements of the heterogeneous theoretical approximations to the collective actions that have been grouped about the term social movements. First, one presents the "Theory of the mobilization of resources", which takes up office to social movements as forms of action by means of which the individuals excluded from the power organize the resources necessary fur to be mobilized in pursuit of shared demands. Secondly, the "Theory of political opportunities", according to which they are the conditions of the political scene those that influence decisively the emergence and development of a social movement. Thirdly, one presents the theory of the "New social movements" that interprets them as collective conducts in fight against the dominant power composed by three fundamental elements: a) The beginning of identity, - the actor is defined for yes same, being conscious of his organization and practice combines-, b) the beginning of opposition, referred to the capacity of the movement of naming an adversary who arises in the conflict, c) the beginning of totality, understood as the capacity of the movement for transcender to the historical system. Finally, they present approaches that analyze the social movements from a social dual theory, according to which simultaneously that act on the cultural area, the procedure and the institutions, affect in the economic and political structures.