Abstract
Transnational social movements are affected not only by national-level factors, but also by factors that operate at the global level. This article develops two conceptual tools for analyzing global factors: international political opportunity and global culture. The conduciveness of both factors appears to be important in understanding eugenics activity, which this article examines as a transnational social movement. The lack of international political opportunity before World War I and the hostile climate of global culture after World War II hindered eugenic mobilization during these periods, while the emergence of opportunities and cultural conduciveness during the Interwar period was associated with movement growth and effectiveness.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Barrett, D., Kurzman, C. Globalizing social movement theory: The case of eugenics. Theory and Society 33, 487–527 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:RYSO.0000045719.45687.aa
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:RYSO.0000045719.45687.aa