The importance of social movements' networks in development communication: Lessons from the Zapatista Movement in Chiapas, Mexico

This dissertation proposes an analytical framework to examine social movements' networks from the perspective of development communication theory combined with relevant concepts from new social movements' literature. The research places the discussion of social movements' networks and their impact in economic and social development in the context of Latin America. In particular, it draws upon the experiences of the Zapatista Movement in Chiapas, Mexico, to illustrate the way in which the actors that formed the Zapatista solidarity network are collaborating and working together with the movement's members to improve the lives of the indigenous communities in the region. The SRF analytical framework explores social movements' networks from three different, although deeply interrelated, analytical dimensions: the structure of the networks, the resources that flow within the network and the impact they have in development, and the factors at the local, national, and international levels that influence what these networks can accomplish in their pursuit of social change. This framework is put into perspective using the experiences of the Zapatista Movement in Chiapas, Mexico. Understanding the impact of social movements' networks in development from these three analytical dimensions is imperative for furthering our knowledge about the role of communication in the process of social change in Latin America today.