The Micro Potential for Social Change: Emotion, Consciousness, and Social Movement Formation

Abstract

When considering social change, two realities must be reconciled: social structure is usually reproduced and social change does occasionally happen. A useful theory of social change must be able to explain both actualities. Although central to understanding social movements, this quandary has received little direct attention in the social movements literature. In this paper I attempt to fill this gap and build a theory of consciousness raising and movement participation, in this case feminist resistance. I reveal a new perspective on social movements that avoids many of the problems associated with resource mobilization, new social movements, and cultural approaches to understanding social movements.In the first half of the paper I explain social inertia, in particular the maintenance of women's subordinate positioning. Randall Collins's interaction ritual theory suggests an emotional motivation for action that offers a base for explaining the resilience of power structures as well as the potential for social change. I combine Collins's interaction ritual theory, work in the sociology of emotions, and Wiley's model of the self to suggest how resistance from a subordinate position is possible. I delineate how the emotional dynamics of subordinate positioning operate to limit women's options in face-to-face interactions in such a way that the status quo is usually reproduced. This theory-building is supported by interviews with women about feminism and feminist activism. In the second half of the paper I build on the first half to explain the emotional dynamics that would likely produce critical consciousness and encourage resistance. At the end, I point toward empirical applications by suggesting social conditions that can provide the emotional dynamics necessary for generating efforts to bring about social change from disadvantaged positions.

(Engaging or Avoiding) Change Through Reflexive Practices

“…However, because of the contextual overlap with reinforcing relationships, alcohol was also a social lubricant associated with bringing people together into a safe and comfortable place, building camaraderie, and enabling resistanceoften through further implicit overlaps with ridiculing. This connects with Summers-Effler's (2002) insight that individual agency can be associated with emotions that break with the conventions of the social context. Indeed, the in-group humor helped to unify the "oppressed" (Graham et al, 1992), while also allowing for some dissolving through relieving stress (Yovetich et al, 1990).…”

“…Goss et al (2011, p. 214) provide a useful first level of insight, arguing that "emotional energy, conceived as a long-term "emotional tone" (ranging from an "up" tone of excitement and happiness to a "down" tone of depression and sadness), can be regarded as synonymous with motivation…". They also highlight Summers-Effler's (2002) insight that individual agency can be associated with emotions that break with the conventions of the social context, and whether these emotions are expressed or suppressed. Thus, there is a combination effect between positive or negative emotions and the perceived freedom to express them, in the context of reflexive practice.…”

Negative Emotional Energy: A Theory of the “Dark-Side” of Interaction Ritual Chains

“…Additionally, Collins [19] suggests that the forward panics that often result in violent atrocities are fueled by emotional energy, but it is not clear if this is the emotional energy of group solidarity, the emotional energy of hate, or both. Theorists articulating IRT [12][13][14] also discuss the dynamics of negative emotions (like anxiety, shame, and guilt), but do not go so far as to connect them to a concept of valenced emotional energy. In fact, even though Turner [39] uses the term "negative emotional energy" in his summaries of IRT, he does not clearly and conceptually distinguish it from Collins's more general notion.…”

Power as Practice: A Micro-sociological Analysis of the Dynamics of Emancipatory Entrepreneurship

“…To offer a conception of constraint that meshes with the processual aspirations of entrepreneuringas-emancipation, we draw on the microsociology of Collins (1990Collins ( , 2004 and Summers-Effler (2002). The latter's problematic is essentially the same as that of the entrepreneuring-asemancipation perspective: the disruption of the status quo.…”

“…As such, this approach has the potential simultaneously to stimulate developments in the field of entrepreneurship itself and to make the latter more immediately relevant to the wider field of organization studies. To extend this debate we utilize the construct of 'power rituals' (Collins 2004;Summers-Effler 2002) to establish a 'practice-based' understanding of power that focuses on what actors concretely do, think and feel . Power rituals emphasize the dynamic nature of social interactions, specifically the fluctuating balance between order-givers and order-takers.…”