Abstract
How do theories of social movements relate to the body of social theory, and in what way does the former influence the latter? This paper examines the intellectual interaction processes of social movement research with rational choice theory, theories of states, revolutions, and social science methodologies, and theories of globalization. The examination results reveal three differential processes through which social movement research influences the body of social theory : collaborative investigation and the resultant deepening of social theory, the application of insights obtained from movement theories and the resultant revitalization of arguments in social theory in general, and the collaborative building and deployment of a social theory. The paper concludes by suggesting a historical interpretation of the changing patterns in the relationship between social movement research and social theory.
