The study of social movements and contentious politics is concerned with the collective actions of the actors, who challenge political and social systems through informal channels outside of formal political institutions, namely elections, executives, legislatures, parties, bureaucracies, international organizations, etc. Social movements have played an important role bringing about the most significant changes of modern times, such as democratization, social and racial equality, decolonization and national independence, and social justice. This course will introduce students to the essential theoretical approaches, methods, and concepts of social movement studies as well as its evolution since its first emergence as a distinct field of study. 

At the end of this course, the student will learn:

• Basic concepts of social movement studies
• Main theories, perspectives and developments in social movements research
• The prominent examples of social movemts in the past or at present