8 Institutional Change and Comparative Cases Free Online FlashCards

What is formal institutional change?

Formal institutional changes alter official rules, such as laws or voting procedures.

How can protest disrupt institutions and set an agenda?

Disruption makes an issue difficult for authorities or the public to ignore, helping place it on the agenda.

Name two ways institutions can resist or redirect movements.

Institutions may delay reform, repress activists, selectively grant concessions, or adopt movement language without changing practice.

Why are movement success and institutional change not identical?

A policy victory may not be fully implemented, while a campaign that loses a vote may still shift expectations, build organizations, or influence future possibilities.

How did the Nineteenth Amendment become constitutional law?

After Congress approved the Nineteenth Amendment, state ratification made it part of the Constitution in 1920.

Why did the Nineteenth Amendment not secure voting access for all women?

Racial discrimination, intimidation, and state restrictions continued to block many Black women; many Native American women also faced citizenship-related barriers.

What did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 do?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination in public accommodations and employment and established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

How did federal civil rights laws alter the institutional response to discrimination?

Federal legislation and enforcement mechanisms shifted authority toward the national government and provided new tools to challenge discrimination.

What is informal institutional change?

Informal institutional changes affect unwritten norms, such as assumptions about who belongs in public life.

How can coalition-building help movements achieve policy change?

Coalitions connect constituencies and can link activists with influential institutional actors, helping translate demands into policy.

What does institutionalization mean for a movement?

Institutionalization occurs when movement goals or organizations gain an ongoing place in official procedures, such as through laws, commissions, or regular participation channels.

What trade-off can come with institutional access?

Access can yield concrete reforms but may also shift a movement toward professional advocacy, narrower demands, or routine negotiation. These trade-offs do not automatically amount to co-optation.