Journal article
Positive feedback in collective mobilization: the American strike wave of 1886
- Abstract:
- Waves of collective mobilization, when participation increases rapidly and expectations shift dramatically, pose an important puzzle for social science. Such waves, I argue, can only be explained by an endogenous process of "positive feedback." This article identifies two distinct mechanisms - interdependence and inspiration - that generate positive feedback in collective mobilization. It also provides a detailed analysis of one episode: the wave of strikes that swept American cities in May 1886. Although historians and sociologists have suggested various precipitants, these do not account for the magnitude of the upsurge. Focusing on events in Chicago during the months before May, the article provides quantitative and qualitative evidence for positive feedback.
- Publication status:
- Published
- Peer review status:
- Peer reviewed
Actions
Access Document
- Files:
-
-
(Preview, Accepted manuscript, pdf, 1.3MB, Terms of use)
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- Publisher copy:
- 10.1023/a:1023905019461
Authors
- Publisher:
- Springer Nature
- Journal:
- Theory and Society More from this journal
- Volume:
- 32
- Issue:
- 2
- Pages:
- 217-254
- Publication date:
- 2003-04-01
- DOI:
- EISSN:
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1573-7853
- ISSN:
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0304-2421
- Language:
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English
- Keywords:
- Pubs id:
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280638
- UUID:
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uuid_e8ea32fb-1a84-47e5-966e-d4f9f443c75e
- Local pid:
-
pubs:280638
- Deposit date:
-
2025-11-10
Terms of use
- Copyright holder:
- Kluwer Academic Publishers
- Copyright date:
- 2003
- Rights statement:
- © 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers.
- Notes:
- This is the accepted manuscript version of the article. The final version is available online from Springer Nature at https://dx.doi.org/10.1023/a:1023905019461
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