Abstract

In The Theory of Communicative Action, Jurgen Habermas argues that new social movements emerge as a result of the penetration of the lifeworld by the systemic imperatives of advanced capitalism. New social movements are characterized by their defensive nature and concern for preserving endangered ways of life, as well as by their orientation toward normative consensus. In contrast to social movements normally associated with modernity, new social movements reject what Habermas terms the "totalizing conceptions of order" characteristic of traditional movements, in favor of more self-limiting forms of protest. This dissertation examines the relevance of Habermas's theory of communicative action to the study of emerging grassroots social movements. ;The historical and philosophical basis for Habermas's theory of communicative action is first developed through an extended discussion of the roots of emancipatory social theory. The work of Marx, Lukacs, and Frankfurt School critical theory is then examined in relation to the problem of uniting theory and practical social action. The two distinct phases in Habermas's social theory are delineated in the context of his transition from a philosophy of consciousness to a philosophy of language. Habermas's theory of communicative action, and, in particular, aspects of the theory most relevant to the study of emerging social movements are then discussed. ;The theory of communicative action is contrasted with resource mobilization theory and framing approaches in social movement theory. The superiority of Habermas's theory for understanding new social movements stems from its delineation of the relationship between social action, rationality, and modernity. To illustrate the contemporary relevance of Habermas's theory, the emergence of the sustainable agriculture movement in the United States is discussed, and a "community-based sustainability model" identified. Data from sustainable agriculture movement newsletters and documents examine the extent to which contemporary movement organizations and action conform to Habermas's communicative model. A summary analysis discusses Habermas's contributions to resolving the theory-practice problematic in emancipatory social theory