Abstract

The essay outlines some recent developments in English-language historiography of social movements, highlighting their relevance and new methodologies. In particular, the study identifies three recent strands of inquiry: those dealing with the links between social movements and Cold War dynamics, studies arising from the application of transnational history methodologies to social movements, and investigation of previously neglected social groups. What emerges is a composite picture that demonstrates the importance of studying social movements in a historical and not exclusively sociological perspective, and thereby understanding their influences on the processes of globalization that began in the 1960s