When Parties and Movements Clash: Exploring the Boundaries of Social Movement and Political Party Separation

• In Event: 474 - Section on Collective Behavior and Social Movements Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 18. The Tea Party

Abstract

Social movement literature has not made a systematic accounting of the relationships between social movements and political parties. When these relationships have been considered, movements are often seen as being co-opted by political parties who often have a much larger pool of resources from which to draw. However, challenges to this paradigm can be found in the relationship between the Republican party and right-wing social movements. This study highlights the contentious clash between right-wing social movements and the Republican Party in the state of Texas beginning in the early 1990's. What is particularly remarkable about this period is that right-wing movements not only avoided being co-opted by the larger party structure, but managed to encode their agendas into official party platforms and policy, and elect allies, both within the party structure and to public positions, despite the strong resistance of party elite. This historical case study complicates our understanding of movement, party relationships, and challenges the concept of party/movement separation.

Author

• John D Kincaid, Cal State Stanislaus