The Social Movement and Collective Action Theory: a review of the conflict of change in Egypt

Abstract

The social movement and collective action theory provides for likely steps preceding a mass action. This may act as early warning signals for any government to seek corrective measures either positive or negative in order to avert conflict. This paper focuses on the 2011 Egyptian crisis with an analysis of the series of events that led to it and its effect. The paper adopts the Social movement and Collective action theory as espoused by A. Oberschall as a tool in analysing the Egyptian crisis. It further attempts to explain the effectiveness of the theory as an analytical tool and its future utility.

Keywords: Social movement; Collective action; Social conflict; Egypt