Book chapter
English

Social Movements

ContributorsGiugni, Marco
Published inPatrick Emmenegger, Flavia Fossati, Silja Häusermann, Yannis Papadopoulos, Pascal Sciarini, and Adrian Vatter (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Swiss Politics, p. 355-371
PublisherOxford : Oxford University Press
Publication date2023
First online date2023-12-14
Abstract

This chapter discusses the state of research on social movements in Switzerland. Following a common approach in the field, social movements are defined as informal networks of actors with a collective identity, mobilizing around conflicting issues through different forms of protest. The chapter first characterizes the context in which movements in Switzerland operate, describing the structure of political opportunities for the mobilization of social movements in Switzerland. It then discusses the mobilization of a number of movements and movement families, namely traditional movements, new social movements, radical-right movements, global justice movements, and anti-austerity movements. The conclusion summarizes the key aspects discussed in the chapter, also with the aim of dismantling certain stereotypes according to which the Swiss are not very inclined to take to the streets. The chapter shows that, while social movement research in Switzerland was characterized in the early 1990s as a marginal field of research in an underdeveloped social science community, this is no longer true today, as a growing body of works has focused on social movements in Switzerland during the last thirty years.

Citation (ISO format)
GIUGNI, Marco. Social Movements. In: The Oxford Handbook of Swiss Politics. Patrick Emmenegger, Flavia Fossati, Silja Häusermann, Yannis Papadopoulos, Pascal Sciarini, and Adrian Vatter (Ed.). Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2023. p. 355–371. doi: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780192871787.001.0001
Main files (1)
Book chapter (Published version) - Oxford Academic (https://academic.oup.com/),
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Identifiers
ISBN9780191968013
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