Traditional Social Movement Elements In "Occupy Wall Street Movement"

Since Sept.17th,2011,"Occupy Wall Street" bearing the banner "we are the99%" has rapidly developed across America. This paper aims at exploring the deep economic and psychological emotional reason for the outbreak of this movement through sociological method, as well as the mobilization method of this movement. In order to make the research clear, the thesis will answer several questions:1) Can Occupy Wall Street Movement be accounted as a new social movement, in what aspects?2) Does Occupy Wall Street Movement consist of elements of traditional social movement elements?To probe into the research questions, the study uses both primary and secondary sources. The primary sources mainly involve occupy movement’s official news center website, declaration of its assembly in New York, fliers delivered on the spot, answers getting from asking views of passers-by and interviews conducted towards occupiers and observing how the media report over the movement (conducted by advisor of this thesis),data of social arid economic background. Secondary sources including comments and reviews from the academia, reports from the°media, data of social and economic background, academic bocks, thesis, reviews which concerns new and old social movement theories both in print and digital form China national library and BFSU university library. Videos broadcasted directly from OWS movement itself or by social media and self-media as well as media reports are also incorporated to get more authentic views and understanding over the whole mobilization process.A qualitative research approach was used, while some quantitative data has been collected from studies over Occupy Wall Street Movement. Methods including archival and web research, indirect interviews, video documentation and sociological research have been adopted for this research. The archival and web research includes data collection from foreign published academic books, documents, publications like periodicals, articles released by quality newspapers, web coverage related to Occupy Wall Street Movement or traditional social movement theories’ analysis over the Occupy Wall Street Movement.Based on the analysis, Occupy Wall Street doesn’t develop along clear class boundary and ideologically aims at "equality" and "justice." It takes the form of non-hierarchical organization form like "diverse leadership"、"General Assembly" and "Mic-check", while relying upon TV, Internet (Facebook, Twitter, micro-blog), self-media like intellectual cell phone as significant propaganda channels.However, Occupy Wall Street still consists of element of traditional social movement. It does not break through Marx’s classic social movement theory in terms its concern over economic underpinnings. Its mobilization model still relies upon elements of social resources mobilization theory, like the construction of collective identity, the forming collective grievance, resources (like funds, facilities) and mobilization form and so on. The masses’ collective grievance over the running of financial institutions motivates this movement. Its action strategy traditional social movement form of non-violent protest.In conclusion, as a new social movement, Occupy Wall Street still bears the features of traditional movement. It relies upon both the traditional and new elements for its mobilization. Its newness mainly embodies in its ideological orientation of pursuing justice and equality, its propaganda tool using the internet, and its non-hierarchical organization form. However, elements of traditional social movements still play important role in this movement like the construction of collective identity, resources mobilization and its action strategy adopting non-violent disobedient way of protesting and occupying.