Types and Functions of Community and Regional Social Movement Organizations with Grassroot Social Movement Organizations: A look at Emergent Citizens Groups in Disaster

Date
1983-02
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Disaster Research Center
Abstract
Description
In this paper we explore the relationship between one type of grassroot social movement organization (SMO), emergent citizen groups in disaster (ECG) with other more community or regionally based SMO’s. A basic tenet of the resource mobilization approach (e.g. McCarthy and Zald, 1973, 1977) is that SMO’s cannot come into existence and maintain their existence without certain material and non-material resources. Grievances are not thought of as being an important variable in the social movement process. Walsh (1981) notes that studies from the resource mobilization approach generally have focused on national or regional SMO’s (e.g., see Oberschall, 1973; Zald and McCarthy, 1979). Gambrell (1980) and Walsh (1981) contend that a bias exists against the studying of local SMO’s. We attempt to look at the local and community/regional levels of SMO’s and the relationship between them in regards to resource distribution. We hope to ascertain how local SMO’s, such as ECG’s, receive resources.
Keywords
citizens groups, community
Citation