x+307 pp.

The study of social movements is one of the most lively and interesting areas of soci-ology. Since the 1960s, social movements have been a rich vein for empirical research and theoretical analysis. Social movements provide a framework for under-standing the dynamics of various social issues, including civil rights, feminism, envi-ronmentalism and the peace movement. Like many of the movements it studies, social movement theory is fractured, highly charged and argumentative. It is div-ided by competing concepts, paradigms and priorities. These divisions are often reinforced by the influences of certain ‘founding fathers’. This essay explores some of the current debates in social movement theory, drawing upon three recently published texts. Although these books engage with the theme of social movements, their varied style, content and approach represent very different points along the continuum of social movement analyses. In Escaping the Global Village, Hourigan analyses campaigns for indigenous minority languag