How social movements survive periods of political inactivity through abeyance structures
In short: Researchers examining women's rights activism between 1945 and the 1960s found that social movements do not simply disappear during political downturns. By analyzing historical data, the study suggests that movement continuity is maintained through specific organizational and ideological structures that bridge the gap between periods of intense activism.
The study challenges the traditional belief that the American women's movement died after 1920 and was only reborn in the 1960s. Instead, the author identifies 'abeyance structures'—characterized by shared culture, commitment, and centralization—that allow groups to persist in nonreceptive political climates.
This theoretical framework relies on a historical case study of women's rights activism, meaning the findings are specific to this historical context and may not apply to all types of social movements.
Why it matters: Social movements don't just vanish; they use specialized organizational structures to survive periods of political repression.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Taylor (1989). Social Movement Continuity: The Women's Movement in Abeyance. American Sociological Review.
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