SP3195 Social Movements Mid-Term Assignment 2026: Concept Map and Analytical Commentary | University of Galway

SP3195 Social Movements Mid-Term Assignment 2026: Concept Map and Analytical Commentary, University of Galway

This SP3195 mid-term asks sociology students to compare how three set readings define a social movement, show the overlaps and tensions in a concept map, and then use those defining characteristics to judge whether one recent Irish example of collective action is a social movement or a different form of collective action. Theories of mobilisation such as political process, resource mobilisation and framing theory are deliberately outside the scope of this task.

“Although social movements are difficult to define given the range of phenomena associated with them, it is possible to draw out some features” (Millward and Takhar, 2019: 3).

Step 1: Read the Assigned Texts

The concept map must be informed by these readings only:

• Snow, D. (2022) ‘Social movements’ in Snow et al. (eds) The Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Social and Political Movements. John Wiley and Sons Ltd.
• Snow, D.A., Soule, S.A., Kriesi, H. and McCammon, H.J. (eds) (2018) ‘Mapping and Opening up the Terrain’ in The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Social Movements. John Wiley & Sons, Chapter 1, pp. 1-16.
• Diani, M. (1992) ‘The Concept of Social Movement’. The Sociological Review, 40(1), pp. 1-25.

The two Snow readings let students compare how the concept has been discussed across publications and over time, so pay attention to continuity and to differences in emphasis. Guiding question: what characteristics would need to be present for a group, campaign, network or collective action to count as a social movement according to each author?

Step 2: Create the Concept Map

• Identify the defining characteristics of social movements highlighted in the readings.
• Show areas of overlap, difference or tension between the authors in a visual format (Word table, PowerPoint, Canva or hand-drawn and scanned; credit any digital tool used).
• Clearly identify the source of each point, with page numbers where text is taken directly from a reading.
• This step should be completed during the learning consolidation week.

Step 3: Write the Analytical Commentary (800 words)

1. Give a written narrative of your concept map: how the authors define and conceptualise social movements, the key similarities and differences between the readings, and the characteristics that distinguish social movements from other collective action, organisations, campaigns or political participation.
2. Choose one example below and assess whether it should be understood as a social movement or another form of collective action, referring back to the assigned readings for the defining characteristics (media accounts can be used for background on the event).

Examples to Choose From

• The Dublin Riots (November 2023): after the stabbing of a young child, a large crowd gathered in central Dublin, with property damage, vehicles burnt and clashes with gardaí.
• The Debenhams Workers’ Occupation (2020-2021): after the chain went into liquidation and staff were told by email they had lost their jobs, workers blockaded the stores for 406 days to stop stock being removed and to fight for fair redundancy packages.
• Irish Hauliers’ and Farmers’ Fuel Cost Protests (2026): farmers, agricultural contractors and hauliers organised convoys, road blockades and urban demonstrations against rising fuel costs and called for government intervention.

Submission

Upload one document containing the conceptual map and the analytical commentary to the Canvas assessment folder. The reference list must give full citations for every in-text citation.

Marking Rubric

Bands run from 70-79% (excellent, sophisticated synthesis and a well-supported judgement) down to under 30% (fail).