The Social Psychology of Social Movements

The social movements that Professor Toch examines in this book, originally published in 1966, range from the Black Muslims to food faddists, and the founders of these movements range from Hitler to Joan of Arc. Why do people join social movements? How do such movements serve the needs of their members, and what unique social problems do they cause? What are the typical consequences of membership? What gives rise to social movements, and how can we evaluate them? In this book Hans Toch provides answers to these questions.He provides a sympathetic objectivity, and is at pains to provide a systematic psychological survey of large, ideologically orientated groups and their members in general.