Conceptual Framework for Analyzing Social Movements

Running head: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYZING SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
Conceptual Framework for Analyzing Social Movements
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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYZING SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
1
A conceptual framework refers to the process of synthesizing relevant literature and
subsequently developing an informed strategy to explain a given phenomenon. To be more
specific, a conceptual framework provides a researchers with pertinent ideas to correlate the
different variables of the research and connect them together to develop the structure if the
investigation. Conceptual framework emerges out of the broader perspective of the research, i.e.
the theoretical framework. The latter is constructed by the empirically tested theories extracted
from the literature review. Hence, in order to develop a conceptual framework for a particular
research topic, one must identify the theoretical framework relevant to the issue (Kumar, 2019).
The purpose of the present essay is to develop a conceptual framework for analyzing
social movements. To this end, the research has to define and theorize the concept of social
movement first. Then, analyzing the systematic approach to social movements, a conceptual
framework can be developed.
According to Deric Shannon, social movements are “organizational structures and
strategies that may empower oppressed populations to mount effective challenges and resist the
more powerful and advantaged elites" (as cited by Staggenborg, 2015). In this sense, social
movements always contain a class conflict, mobilizing the mass to achieve a social or political
goal. In this regard, resource mobilization theory is one of the most relevant theoretical
framework to analyze social movements. The theory emphasizes the importance of resources in
the context of social movements. Media, labor, economy, legitimacy, knowledge, as well as
support from the power-holding elites—all constitute the necessary resources for such
movements (John & Mayer, 2017). Moreover, this form of social theory is highly effective in