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Suzanne Staggenborg, Review of “Grassroots Environmentalism”, Social Forces, Volume 100, Issue 2, December 2021, Page e6, https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soab058
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Extract
Social movement scholars have long called for more analysis of the internal dynamics and decision-making of social movement organizations (SMOs). In Grassroots Environmentalism, Suzanne Staggenborg rises to this challenge delivering a detailed, behind-the-scenes look at the grassroots environmental movement in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Through an ambitious seven years of fieldwork and examination of five local groups, she paints a compelling portrait of both the triumphs and challenges of collective action. The book contributes to theoretical debates on the consequences of organizational choices and dynamics, capacity limitations of grassroots organizations, and movement persistence.
Staggenborg assesses the impacts of organizational choices by comparing groups with differing structures (e.g., number and types of meetings, decision-making procedures, and leadership roles) and cultures (e.g., relationships among participants, rituals, and emotions). The Allegheny Group of the Sierra Club, for example, persisted the longest due to its formal executive committee structure and connection to a national organization. In contrast, the Shadbush Environmental Justice Collective’s tight-knit, participatory democratic culture generated a high degree of commitment but made it difficult to attract new members. The book presents an insider look at movement group meetings, offering valuable observations such its recognition of the sheer degree of time strategic discussions take. Overly ambitious agendas and long group discussions often result in too much talk and too little action. Organizations struggled to balance theoretical discussions about long-term strategic planning with practical ones focused on short-term logistics of upcoming actions. Staggenborg concludes that there is no perfect organizational model, instead illuminating strengths and weaknesses of each style.
