Social Movements as Cross-disciplinary Theoretical Catalyst in a Psychosocial Theory of Sexuality.

• In Event: 380 - Section on Sociology of Sexualities Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 04. Movement and Politics

Abstract

Social movement studies can reveal details of complex social contexts when collective actions are studied systematically, and they can provide important contributions in social theories development. Social movement studies trace collective action at individual, community and institutional levels of analysis, providing insights into social relations and social change processes. In other disciplines that claim to take social contexts into account, it is not obvious why studies of social movements might offer relevant theoretical insights. This paper addresses this issue by demonstrating how agency, power, and change described in social movement studies can make meaningful contributions across disciplines. Due to the specific disciplinary interests of psychology as a discipline, psychosocial theories are often understated and under-theorized. Social movement studies are described here as an entry point for incorporating power, agency and social change in tangible ways to expand a psychosocial theory of human sexuality that focuses on experience, meaning and identity (Horley & Clarke, in press). By including social movement studies in this psychosocial theory of sexuality, an understanding of the individual as an agent of social change and shaped by social context provides insights into conceptualizing sexuality as a fluid and changing experience.

Authors

• Jan Clarke, Algoma University

• James Horley, University of Alberta