Abstract
The purpose of this paper is threefold: to shed empirical light on the nature and dynamics of the antiabortion movement, to extend or refine the theory of status movements or symbolic crusades, and to thereby contribute to our understanding of the genre of movements that seek disinterested reform. Three propositions central to the status politics/symbolic crusade thesis are examined: first, that “disinterested” reform movements or moral crusades are the outgrowth of conflict between the divergent lifestyles of antithetical cultural groups; second, that participants in such movements are status discontents seeking to defend the prestige of their lifestyle; and third, that the orientation and activity of such movements are primarily symbolic rather than instrumental. Data are derived from telephone interviews with leaders of the antiabortion movement, from participant observation, and from a variety of documents and secondary sources. The findings provide only partial support for the status politics/symbolic crusade thesis. It is concluded that disinterested reform movements, such as the antiabortion movement, can be best understood not so much as attempts to recoup lost prestige or status but as collective action aimed at controlling the nature and production of culture.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bell, D. (Ed.)The radical right. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1964.
Berger, P.The sacred canopy. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1967.
Blake, J. Abortion and public opinion.Science, 1971,171, 540–549.
Blake, J. Elective abortion and our reluctant citizenry: Research on Public Opinion in the United States. In J. Osofsky & H. Osofsky (Eds.),The abortion experience: Psychological and medical impact. New York: Harper & Row, 1973, 447–467.
Blake, J. The Supreme Court's abortion decisions and public opinion in the United States.Population and Development Review, 1977,3 (1 & 2, 45–62.
Brandmeyer, G., & Denisoff R. S. Status politics: An appraisal of the application of a concept.Pacific Sociological Review, 1969,12, 5–11.
Braungart, R. G. Status politics and student politics: An analysis of left- and rightwing student activists.Youth and Society, 1971,3, 195–209.
Chi, P. S. K. Population redistribution and changes in housing tenure status in the United States.HUD Annual Housing Survey Studies, No. 4, July 1979.
Clayton, R., & Tolone, W. Religiosity and attitudes toward induced abortion: An elaboration of the relationship.Sociological Analysis, 1978,34, 26–39.
Clelland, D. A., & Guess, L. L. The politics of lifestyle concern: A review of the literature on status politics. Paper presented at the annual meetings of the Southern Sociological Society, 1975.
Culliton, B. J. Abortion and manslaughter: A Boston doctor goes on trial.Science, January 31, 1975a, 334–335.
Culliton, B. J. Edelin trial: Jury not persuaded by scientists for the defense.Science, March 7, 1975b, 814–816.
De Boer, C. The polls: Abortion.Public Opinion Quarterly, 1977,41, 553–564.
Gallup Opinion Index. American Institute of Public Opinion, 1976,Report Number 130. Princeton, New Jersey: Gallup.
Gamson, W. A.The strategy of social protest. Homewood, Illinois: Dorsey Press, 1975.
Goodman, P. L.Urban residential mobility: Places, people, and policy. Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute, 1979.
Granberg, D. Pro-Life or reflection of conservative ideology? An analysis of opposition to legalized abortion.Sociology and Social Research, 1978,62, 414–429.
Gusfield, J.Symbolic crusade: Status politics and the American temperance movement. Urbana Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 1963.
Hansen, S. B. State implementation of Supreme Court decisions: Abortion rates since Row v. Wade.Journal of Politics, 1980,42, 373–395.
Hayler, B. Abortion.Signs, 1979,5, 307–323.
Hofstadter, R. The pseudo—conservative revolt. In D. Bell (Ed.),The radical right. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1964a, 75–95.
Hofstadter, R. Pseudo-Conservatism revisited: A postscript. In D. Bell (Ed.),The radical right. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1964b, 97–103.
Isaacson, W. The battle Over abortion.Time, April 6, 1981, 20–28.
Jenkins, J. C., & Perrow, C. Insurgency of the powerless: Farm worker movements (1964–1972).American Sociological Review, 1977,42, 249–268.
Jones, E., & Westoff, C. F. Changes in attitudes toward abortion: With emphasis on the national fertility study data. In J. D. Osofsky & H. Osofsky (Eds.),The abortion experience: Psychological and medical impact. New York: Harper and Row, 1973, pp. 468–481.
Leahy, P. The anti-abortion movement: Testing a theory of the rise and fall of social movements. Unpublished Dissertation, Syracuse University, New York, 1975.
Leahy, P., & Mazur, A. The rise and fall of public opposition in specific social movements.Social Studies of Science, 1980,10, 259–284.
Lipset, S. M. The sources of the radical right. In D. Bell (Ed.),The radical right. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1964, pp. 307–371.
Lipset, S. M., & Raab, E.The politics of unreason: Right wing extremism in America, 1790–1970. New York: Harper & Row, 1970.
Lo, C. Y. H. Countermovements and conservative movements in the contemporary U.S.Annual Review of Sociology, 1982, PA.8, 107–134.
Marris, P.Loss and change. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1975.
Mauss, A.Social problems as social movements. New York: Lippincott 1975.
Mazur, A. Disputes between experts.Minerva, 1973,11, 243–262.
Mazur, A. Opposition to technical innovation.Minerva, 1975,13, 58–81.
McCarthy, J., & Zald, M.The trend of social movements in America: Professionalization and resource mobilization. Morristown, New Jersey: General Learning Press, 1973.
McCarthy, J., & Zald, M. Resource mobilization and social movements: A partial theory.American Journal of Sociology, 1977,82, 1212–1241.
McEvoy, J.Radicals or conservatives? The contemporary American right. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1971.
Mileti, D., & Barnett, L. Nine demographic factors and their relationship to attitudes toward abortion legalization.Social Biology, 1972,12, 43–50.
Page, A.L., & Clelland, D. A. The Kanawha county textbook controversy; A study of the politics of life style concern.Social Forces, 1978,57, 265–281.
Peterson, L., & Mauss, A. Religion and the right to life: Correlates of opposition to abortion.Sociological Analysis, 1976,37, 243–254.
Piven, F. F., & Cloward, R. A.Poor people's movements: Why they succeed, how they fail. New York: Random House, 1977.
Rossi, A. Public views on abortion. In A. R. Guttmacker (Ed.),The case for legalized abortion. Berkeley: Diablo, 1967, -53.
Rossi, P.Why families move. Beverly Hills: Sage, 1980.
Sherwood, L. The resource mobilization perspective and the anti-abortion movement. Senior Honors Paper, Department of Sociology, Texas Christian University, Fort worth, Texas, 1978.
Shibutani, T. On the personification of adversaries. In T. Shibutani (Ed.),Human nature and collective behavior: Papers in honor of herbert blumer. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1790, pp. 223–233.
Singh, B. K., & Leahy, P. J. Contextual and ideological dimensions of attitudes toward abortion.Demography, 1978,15, 381–388.
Skerry, P. The class conflict over abortion.Public Interest, 1978,52, 69–84.
Snow, D. A. Zurcher, L. A., & Ekland-Olson, S. Social networks and social movements: A micro—structural approach to differential recruitment.American sociological Review, 1980,45, 787–801.
Tedrow, L., & Mahoney, E. R. Trends in attitudes toward abortion: 1972–1976.Public Opinion Quarterly, 1979,43, 181–189.
Theodorson, G. A., & Theodorson, A.Modern dictionary of sociology. New York: Crowell, 1976.
Wallis, R. Review essay: A critique of the theory of moral crusades as status defense.The Scottish Journal of Sociology, 1977,1, 195–203.
Wallis, R., & Bland, R. Purity in danger: A survey of participants in a moral-crusade rally.The British Journal of Sociology, 1979,30, 188–205.
Weber, M. Class, status, party. In H. H. Gerth & C. W. Mills (Eds.),From Max Weber: Essays in sociology. New York: Oxford University Press, 1946, pp. 180–195.
Westby, D. L., & Braungart, R. C. The alienation of generations and status politics: Alternative explanations of student political activism. In R. S. Sigel (Ed.),Learning about politics. New York: Random House 1970.
Westoff, C. F., Moore, C., & Ryder, N. The structure of attitudes toward abortion.Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly, 1969,47, 11–38.
Williams, R. M. The power of fetal politics.Saturday Review, June 1979,16, 12–15.
Wright, E. O.Class, crisis and the state. London: National Labor Board, 1978.
Zurcher, L. A., Kirkpatrick, R. D., Cushing, R. G., & Bowman, C. K. The anti-pornography campaign: A symbolic crusade.Social Problems, 1971,19, 217–238.
Zurcher, L. A., Kirkpatrick, R. D., Cushing, R. G., & Bowman, C. K. Ad hoc anti-pornography organizations and their active members: A research summary.Journal of Social Issues, 1973,29, 69–94.
Zurcher, L. A., & Kirkpatrick, R. G.Citizens for decency: Anti-Pornography crusades as status defense. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press, 1976.
Zurcher, L. A., & Snow, D. A. Collective behavior: Social movements. In M. Rosenberg & R. Turner (Eds.),Social psychology; Sociological perspectives. New York: Basic Books, 1981, pp. 447–482.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful suggestions and comments.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Leahy, P.J., Snow, D.A. & Worden, S.K. The antiabortion movement and symbolic crusades: Reappraisal of a popular theory. J Fam Econ Iss 6, 27–47 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01083252
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01083252