i	Sociology 432: Social Movements

One of the strengths of this series is that it depicts the ups and downs of the civil rights movement -- it was not one continuous successful movement towards desegregation. Some efforts succeeded, others failed. One of our main concerns is understanding what causes success and failure.

1. Why was the movement in the movement in Birmingham, Alabama more successful than the movement in Albany, Georgia?
2. What is the evidence of the movement "learning" from past experiences? evidence of learning by the police in the South?
3. Who were potential allies of the movement and how did they come to play a role?
4. What role did the media play?
5. What role did the various parts (local, national) of the state play in the success and failure of the movement?
6. What was the function of mass meetings and how did they fulfill that function?
7. What were the internal divisions within the movement and how important were they in explaining success and failure?