Politics and Social Change Commons^™

Resurrecting Smelser: Collective Power, Generalized Belief, And Hegemonic Spaces, Mikaila M. L. Arthur

Faculty Publications

When people mobilize for collective action, it is because they want something. These wants are known as grievances, and in order for them to emerge, collectivities must break free of hegemonic power to see their true interests. This paper takes a new look at Smelser's The Logic of Collective Action and finds that by incorporating a robust understanding of power, Smelser's framework can provide an understanding of grievance emergence.