Form Factors: Chicano Movement Form and the Factors that Influenced it in Los Angeles and San Antonio

Abstract

This dissertation has two goals. The first goal is to understand better the Chicano Movement, which is understudied in political science. The second goal is to find which movement theory best explains why movements take the form they do. In this dissertation, I conduct an in-depth historical analysis of the Chicano Movement in Los Angeles, CA, and San Antonio, TX, to understand the differences in movement form between the two cities. The three social movement theories I test are Resource Mobilization Theory, Political Opportunity Structure, and Perceptions of Success. The findings indicate that resources and political opportunities in the cities impacted Chicano Movement form to some degree, but activist perceptions of success were most significant in influencing form. One final key contribution of this dissertation is illustrating how local factors must be considered when studying social movements. The Chicano activists were part of a larger movement, but local factors significantly influenced how they operated.