Political Strategies and Social Movements in Latin America

This book investigates how social movements form their political strategies in their quest for social change and -when they shift from one strategy to another- why and how that happens. The author creates a model which distinguishes between two different roads to social change: one that passes through the seizure of state power and one that avoids any relationship with the state. Comparing the cases of two Latin American social movements, the Zapatistas in Mexico and the Bolivian Cocaleros, the volume argues that strategic choices are often decided upon through similar mechanisms. Ideal for a scholarly and non-specialist audience interested in Mexican and Bolivian politics, revolutions, and Latin American and social movement studies.

• How social movements choose political strategies
• social movements in hostile environments
• comparing the political choices of social movements
• insurgent social movements and political choices
• social movements interacting with political offices
• Latin America
• Social Movements in Latin America
• latin american politics

“This monograph not only makes a unique contribution to the knowledge of social movement studies in Latin America, but it will also be immensely helpful to scholars in the fields of sociology, history, anthropology, politics, and human geography.” (Souvik Lal Chakraborty, Mobilization, September, 2020)

“This book offers the kind of insight into the inner workings of social and revolutionary movements that only an ethnographic account can provide...By examining the internal debates, factional conflicts, and patterns of socialization and political learning that shape leftist movements in Mexico and Bolivia, this book sheds new light on the transformation of radical politics in Latin America.” (Kenneth Roberts, Professor, Cornell University, USA)

“A very original book…Having done a remarkable field research under difficult circumstances, Oikonomakis brilliantly analyses the complexity and logic of their strategic choices.” (Olivier Roy, Professor, European University Institute, Italy)

“… addressing two most influential cases as the Zapatistas and the Cocaleros, through a rich interpretative comparative political analysis, this volume provides convincing interpretation of the constituent power of social movements.” (Donatella della Porta, Professor, Scuola Normale Superiore, Italy)

“This book makes an incisive intervention into the field of social movements and political strategy through the lenses of the Zapatistas in Mexico and the coca growers in Bolivia. It weaves together theoretical argument and empirical rigor with unusual sophistication. A wonderful contribution to the literature.” (Jeffery R. Webber, Senior Lecturer, Queen Mary University of London, UK)

• Department of Sociology, University of Crete, Crete, Greece

  Leonidas Oikonomakis