European and American specialists in economic and political processes move beyond earlier debates to look seriously, systematically, and innovatively at social change and protest, with particular attention to the influence of economic change and variation on contentious politics. The essays take up two widely recognized but much contested questions in contentious politics: how threats and opportunities faced by potential participants in joint political action affect the likelihood, character, and consequences of that action; and, how economic change and variation either a) constitute significant political threats and opportunities or b) shape responses to political threats and opportunities. Contributors: Maria Kousis, Charles Tilly, Marc Giugni, Julie Berclaz, Marc Steinberg, Jeffery Broadbent, Klaus Eder, John K. Glenn, Dieter Rucht, Richard Hogan, Maryjane Osa, Cristina Corduneanu-Husi.

Authored by Kousis, Maria; Tilly, Charles

Introduction Economic and Political Contention in Comparative Perspective, Maria Kousis, Charles Tilly; Part I Economic, Political, and Other Opportunity Structures; Chapter 1 Specifying the Concept of Political Opportunity Structures, Julie Berclaz, Marco Giugni; Chapter 2 Capitalist Law, Relations of Production and Exploitation, and Structured Possibilities for Contention, or Using Three Tillys to Make One Argument, Marc W. Steinberg; Chapter 3 Identity Dynamics: Motivations and Movement Mobilizations in the United States and Japan, Jeffrey Broadbent; Chapter 4 The Internet as a New Opportunity for Transnational Protest Groups, Dieter Rucht; Part II How Politics and Economics Change Opportunities; Chapter 5 Theory of Revolution from Thucydides to Tilly, Rod Aya; Chapter 6 From the Common Market to the Political Union: The Shifting Opportunity Structure of Contentious Politics in Europe, Klaus Eder; Chapter 7 The Economic Opportunities of European Union Enlargement, John K. Glenn; Chapter 8 Living Wage Laws in the United States: The Dynamics of a Growing Movement, Chris Tilly; Part III Threats, Opportunities, and Forms of Action in Changing Economies; Chapter 9 Political Opportunity and Capitalist Crisis, Richard Hogan; Chapter 10 Linking Economic and Political Opportunities in Nondemocracies, Maryjane Osa, Cristina Corduneanu-Huci; Chapter 11 State Responses as Economic and Political Threats and Opportunities in Southern European Environmental Contention, Maria Kousis; An Opportunity to Speak, Charles Tilly;