Social movement theorizing has been invigorated in recent years by the contentious politics approach to studying political protest activity. In 2002, a conference sponsored by the Collective Behavior and Social Movements Section of the American Sociological Association was held at the University of Notre Dame to consider this development in the field. But the conference organizers also wanted to consider more broadly social movement research and theorizing. This means moving beyond a state-centered view of contentious politics and toward a more open definition of what phenonmena areis fruitfully examined by social movement theories, and in turn, what empirical situations can inform theory.

This volume is the fruit of that conference. It includes four sections that (1) defines social movement challenges to authorities as going beyond state targets, (2) expands our understandings of what constitutes repression of social movement activity, (3) examines movement challenges to cultural authorities and processes, and (4) illustrates the broader notions of authority challenge in three case studies of corporate systems.

With this volume, Research in Social Movements, Conflict and Change celebrates its 25th anniversary and a history of publishing important, leading edge research and theorizing in the areas of protest, social conflict, and political change.