Book Review: Bob Edwards,Michael Foley,and Mario Diani (eds.), Beyond Tocqueville: Civil Society and the Social Capital Debate in Comparative Perspective,Tufts University,University Press of New England,Hanover, New Hampshire, 2001, 325 pp., $25.00 (paperback)

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations -     

Character work in social movements

Social movements carry out extensive character work, trying to define not only their own reputations but those of other major players in their strategic arenas. Victims, villains, and heroes form the essential triad of character work, suggesting not only likely plots but also the emotions that audiences are supposed to feel for various players. Characters have been overlooked in cultural analysis, possibly because they often take visual, non-narrative forms. By focusing on characters within movements, we illuminate some cultural dilemmas that both organizers and their opponents face as they try to influence players’ reputations.