Leiden University Student Repository

Patterson, Ryan (2019)

A 'New' New Social Movement: A Theoretical Assessment of the Yellow Vests Movement

Bachelor thesis | International Studies (BA)

This thesis aimed to apply new social movement (NSM) theory on the ongoing yellow vests movement in France. These set of theories claim that collective action from the 1960’s onwards represents a radical shift away from materialist-driven, class-based social movements of decades prior. NSM theory states that modern collective action focuses more on cultural and societal issues, highlights the decline in importance of class, particularly the working-class, as well as the considerable distance from existing political systems. However, the highly-charged and seemingly material-based yellow vests movement, with its muddled and messy message of systematic change represents a noticeable shift away from this theoretical paradigm. Thus, this thesis concluded that NSM theory is becoming increasingly inadequate in explaining this type of collective action.

Social movements

Protest

Yellow vests movement

Identity

France

Author

Patterson, Ryan

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Europe

Supervisors

Augusteijn, Joost

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en