Социални движения и социални промени
Social Movements and Social Changes

Summary/Abstract: An analysis of social movements' role as a factor for social changes in society is presented in the article. The prevailing definitions of "social movements" phenomenon are reviewed, as well as its different typologies: common, specific, expressive, nationalistic and revival ones. The contra-movements are also analyzed in terms of their artificial origin as hampering social changes. The ideas of eminent scholars about the problem under study are presented in the discussion. Main attention is paid to the study of the relation social movements — social changes — social stabilization. The maintained thesis is that social movements originate as a reaction to global crucial societal problems and serve as powerful factor for positive social changes. The idea that not all social movements necessarily lead to social changes is analyzed. Nevertheless, some of them may be prognosticated by the governmental institutions and may serve auxiliary function to planned social changes. The possibility some social movements (although their initial positive potential) to degenerate and turn into a destructive factor in the framework of the existing societal structure is not discounted. This fact however, is not widely spread and cannot belittle social movements' role as a force in service of positive societal changes.

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