Status and Action: How Stratification Affects the Protest Participation of Young Adults

Abstract

General patterns of stratification in protest participation are examined in this article using longitudinal data from a national sample of young adults. Weber's macrolevel conception of status is tied to a microlevel social psychological explanation of participation that includes Goffman's work on framing. The result of the macro-micro link is a comprehensive explanation of protest participation. Logistic regression analyses demonstrate the utility of the comprehensive model as a general explanation of status and action. Overall, the findings show higher socioeconomic levels, being black, being Jewish, or having a family member who is in a union increased the propensity for protest participation among young adults in the early 1970s. Gender differences in protest participation are not statistically significant. Discussion of how a general model must be altered to explain participation in specific movements is included.