Kent Academic Repository Full text document (pdf) Citation for published version Wrenn, Corey (2016) Professionalization, Factionalism, and Social Movement Success: A Case Study on Nonhuman Animal Rights Mobilization. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) thesis, Colorado State University. DOI Link to record in KAR https://kar.kent.ac.uk/72463/ Document Version Author's Accepted Manuscript Copyright & reuse Content in the Kent Academic Repository is made available for research purposes. Unless otherwise stated all content is protected by copyright and in the absence of an open licence (eg Creative Commons), permissions for further reuse of content should be sought from the publisher, author or other copyright holder. Versions of research The version in the Kent Academic Repository may differ from the final published version. Users are advised to check http://kar.kent.ac.uk for the status of the paper. Users should always cite the published version of record. Enquiries For any further enquiries regarding the licence status of this document, please contact: [email protected] If you believe this document infringes copyright then please contact the KAR admin team with the take-down information provided at http://kar.kent.ac.uk/contact.html DISSERTATION PROFESSIONALIZATION, FACTIONALISM, AND SOCIAL MOVEMENT SUCCESS: A CASE STUDY ON NONHUMAN ANIMAL RIGHTS MOBILIZATION Submitted by Corey Lee Wrenn Graduate Degree Program in Sociology In partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado Spring 2015 Doctoral Committee: Advisor: Michael Carolan Lynn Hempel Michael Lacy Marcela Velasco Copyright by Corey Lee Wrenn 2016 All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT PROFESSIONALIZATION, FACTIONALISM, AND SOCIAL MOVEMENT SUCCESS: A CASE STUDY ON NONHUMAN ANIMAL RIGHTS MOBILIZATION This project explores the intra-movement interactions between professionalized and radical factions in the social movement arena using a content analysis of movement literature produced by the Nonhuman Animal rights movement between 1980 and 2013. Professionalized factions with greater symbolic capital are positioned to monopolize claimsmaking, disempower competing factions, and replicate their privilege and legitimacy. Radical factions, argued to be important variables in a movement’s health, are thus marginalized, potentially to the detriment of movement success and the constituency for whom they advocate. Specifically, this study explores the role of professionalization in manipulating the tactics and goals of social movement organizations and how the impacts of professionalization may be aggravating factional boundaries. Boundary maintenance may prevent critical discourse within the movement, and it may also provoke the “mining” of radical claimsmaking for symbols that have begun to resonate within the movement and the public. Analysis demonstrates a number of important consequences to professionalization that appear to influence the direction of factional disputes, and ultimately, the shape of the movement. Results indicate some degree of factional fluidity, but professionalization does appear to be a dominant force on movement trajectories by concentrating power in the social change space. Professionalization appears to provoke the mobilization of radical factions, but it also provides organizations that professionalize the mechanisms for controlling and marginalizing radical competitors. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I enjoyed the assistance from many respected vegan colleagues in the construction of this project. Thanks to Dr. Kate Stewart of the University of Nottingham for her encouragement and assistance with choosing and operating qualitative content analysis programs, and Dr. Matthew Cole of the Open University for his assistance in locating historical content on the Vegan Society. Thanks also to Dr. David Nibert for his mentorship and to Dr. Tom Regan, Carol J. Adams, Kim Stallwood, and Dr. Michael Lundblad for their support and help illuminating the history of Nonhuman Animal rights mobilization and suggesting helpful sources. Thanks to Gweyneth Thayer, Associate Head and Curator of Special Collections at North Carolina State University, for her assistance at the Tom Regan Animal Rights Archives, Kathie Clarke of Dabney S. Lancaster Community College for her help locating relevant books, James Aherne and Rhiannon Sims for their assistance in tracking down units for analysis, and Sarah K. Woodcock for mulling over the findings with me in many spirited late-night conversations. My feline companion Keeley should also be acknowledged, as he also offered his supervision and support throughout the writing process. I am grateful to my friends and colleagues for their support and encouragement. The doctoral journey is an arduous one that is especially challenging for women of disadvantaged backgrounds. The friendship of Soren Nelson, Cheryl Abbate, Katie Koczynski Demong, Rebecca Rhodes, Rhiannon Sims, and others helped me navigate my difficult graduate career, especially, my mother, who really made it all possible. Finally, I wish to thank my amazing dissertation committee for their guidance, wisdom, and patience. Without these folks, it is unlikely I would have succeeded. iii Part of this dissertation research was funded by a VegFund merit award, and part of this dissertation was composed at the Shin Pond Summer Retreat Program hosted by the Humane Society of the United States in Shin Pond, Maine. iv DEDICATION For Soren v TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................ v LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER ONE | INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 1 Professionalization and Symbolic Capital .................................................................................. 4 Radical Factions and Marginalization ........................................................................................ 7 CHAPTER TWO | LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................. 16 The Nonhuman Animal Rights Movement ............................................................................... 16 Micro-level Structures: Individual Participation ...................................................................... 23 Meso-Level Structures: Social Movement Agency .................................................................. 28 Macro-Level Structures: The Social Movement Environment ................................................. 32 The Role of Factionalism .......................................................................................................... 37 Summary ................................................................................................................................... 41 CHAPTER THREE | METHODOLOGY .................................................................................... 43 Data ........................................................................................................................................... 50 Study Design ............................................................................................................................. 55 Strengths and Weaknesses in QCA ..................................................................................................... 55 Strengthening Reliability and Validity ............................................................................................... 57 Units of Analysis and Coding Scheme ............................................................................................... 59 Ethical Considerations .............................................................................................................. 66 Concluding Rationale................................................................................................................ 68 CHAPTER FOUR | FACTIONALISM BEFORE THE NON-PROFIT INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX ................................................................................................................................... 70 For the Prevention of Cruelty ................................................................................................... 71 Vivisection Dissects the Movement.......................................................................................... 73 Vegans Leave the Half-Way House .......................................................................................... 75 The Vegan Feminist Mystique .................................................................................................. 76 CHAPTER FIVE | MOVEMENT CHARACTERISTICS PRIOR TO PROFESSIONALIZATION ......................................................................................................... 81 Embracing Direct Action .......................................................................................................... 82 Democratic Structure ...............................................................................................................