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Tactical Innovation and the Pace of Insurgency
Abstract
The pace of black insurgency between 1955 and 1970 is analyzed as a function of an ongoing process of tactical interaction between movement forces and southern segregationists. Given a political system vulnerable to challenge and strong internal organization the main challenge confronting insurgents is a preeminently tactical one. Lacking institutionalized power, challengers must devise protest techniques that offset their powerlessness. This is referred to as a process of tactical innovation. Such innovations, however, only temporarily afford challengers increased bargaining leverage. In chess-like fashion, movement opponents can be expected, through effective tactical adaptation, to neutralize the new tactic, thereby reinstituting the power disparity between themselves and the challenger. This perspective is applied to the development of the black movement over the period, 1955-1970. Evidence derived from content-coding all relevant story synopses contained in The New York Times Index for these years is presented showing a strong correspondence between the introduction of new protest techniques and peaks in movement activity. Conversely, lulls in black insurgency reflect the successful efforts of movement opponents to devise effective tactical counters to these innovations.
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“There is evidence that the Sudanese security apparatus began to adapt its repressive response in light of dissidents' usage of parallel protests, in-line with ideas conceptualized by McAdam (1983).”
From Coordinated Dis-Coordination (2024) · cites this paper as McAdam (1983)
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Items 601–700 of 712
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Hart, R. J. (2013) · Sociology · doi:10.1177/0038038513500097 · Cited by 18
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Grupo de investigación "NOR Ikerketa Taldea" - Universidad del País Vasco / Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, U. –. I. D. E., del Amo, I., Letamendia, A., & González, J. D. (2014) · doi:10.4185/rlcs-2014-1013en
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“Recruitment influencing by grievances as well as interpretative process that connect structural strain to collective identity (McAdam, 1983).”
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“Therefore, although disruptive repertoires may be relatively effective in some political contexts (McAdam 1983; Gamson 1989; Piven and Cloward 2012; Tarrow 2022), their deployment may subject challengers to repression (Larson 2013) and can also undermine support for their claims (Wang and Piazza…”
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Tarrow, S. (2021) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781009028905.012
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“My findings suggest that models by McAdam (1983), that relates repertoire changes to organizational readiness, and by McCammon (2003), that emphasizes organizational characteristics, such as heterogeneity, decentralization and internal conflicts, are complimentary.”
BackgroundInfluentialThe Influence of Terrorist Hotbeds on the Global Transformation of Terrorist Tactics
Bothe, A. (2019) · doi:10.18452/19800
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Gui, X.-W. (2017) · Rural China · doi:10.1163/22136746-01401010
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Cardoso, A. (2016) · RepositóriUM (Universidade do Minho) · doi:10.13140/rg.2.1.2031.9606
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Franklin, S. M. (2013) · Social Identities · doi:10.1080/13504630.2013.840574
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Davis, G., McAdam, D., Scott, W., & Zald, M. (2005) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511791000.002
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Losrios, O.-D., & Bridget, D. (2016) · doi:10.31274/etd-180810-5614
“And McCracken (1989) contends that when an endorser does only represent one brand, this is when the match-up congruence and meaning transfer becomes significant.”
BackgroundGergin, N. (2010) · doi:10.25772/kkmf-r387
“With regards to theoretical framework, according to Funes (1998, p.507) these citizen groups adopted the McAdam (1983) process of cognitive liberation process.”
BackgroundMethodTRANSNATIONAL ACTIVISM AND INTERNATIONALIZATION
Tarrow, S. (2005) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511791055.013
Social Movements and Organization Theory: Political and Mobilization Context
Davis, G., McAdam, D., Scott, W., & Zald, M. (2005) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511791000.005
Self-citationTarrow, S. (2005) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511791055.006
Tarrow, S. (2005) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511791055.014
BUILDING TRANSNATIONAL COALITIONS
Tarrow, S. (2005) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511791055.011 · Cited by 2
Tarrow, S. (2005) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511791055.001
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Tarrow, S. (2005) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511791055.012
Tarrow, S. (2005) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511791055.015
Metadata
- Authors
- McAdam, D.
- Corresponding author
- McAdam, Doug
- Venue
- American Sociological Review
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1983-12
- Volume
- 48
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 735
- ISSN
- 0003-1224 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2067656744
- Cited by
- 1,016
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 41 · 2023: 39 · 2022: 52 · 2021: 53 · 2020: 61 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 38 · 2017: 43 · 2016: 37 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 42 · 2012: 27
- FWCI
- 17.85
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Sociological Review (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Race, History, and American Society
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social Movements and Cultural Identity
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Political Conflict and Governance
- Keywords
- Black Power, tactical innovation, segregationism, civil rights movement, bargaining power, racial politics
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