Religious Protest and Economic Conflict: Possibilities and Constraints on Religious Resource Mobilization and Coalitions in Detroit's Newspaper Strike

Abstract

Previous research demonstrates the tole of reli~ous beliefs, ~actices, and people in a wide varie~ of social movement struggles. In most c.ases, re|i~ous resource mobilization seems to occur in a relatively straightforward, uncomplicated manner and with positive oummu~s for the mot~tmat in question. L/tt/e attention has been paid to the chaUenges that ex/st to mob///zing reli~ous resources and building coalitions with reli~ous supporters. This essay examines the problematic nature of reli~ous resource mobilization as part of union strate~es to win a strikellockout against Detroit' s two newspapers, the News and the Free Press, between 1995-2000. Intensive interviews u,ith strikers, union spokespersons, and reli~ous activists, iUustrate how reli~ous resources contributed to union strength during the strike. However, these contributions were limited by the intemal dynamics in the relatiortship between the unions and reli~ous supporters as well as by the power disparities between these local coalitions and the multinational corporations they strugg~ against.

Social Movements and Bridge Building: Religious and Sexual Identity Conflicts

“…5 Of course, one should not draw overly optimistic conclusions about the potential role for religion in social movements from this one "successful case" (Mirola, 2003): for instance, it remains an open question whether Bridge Builders' affiliation with University Ministries will preclude the organization from engaging in contentious protest tactics in the future, and one could argue that the emphasis on reconciliation between LGBT-and religious-identified communities draws the group away from activism that addresses inequalities shaped by social structures. Altogether, however, each of these factors likely contributed to the success of Bridge Builders at Belmont, and future research employing comparative research designs might assess the relative importance of these factors.…”

Whose side are they on? Patterns of religious resource mobilization in British industrial mission

“…He defines the role of religious coalition organizations as supportive external participants in the labour struggle comprising clergy and other religious activists who do not stand to gain directly from their involvement in labour issues. Mirola (2003) is also critical of the way resourcemobilization theory emphasizes what religion can do for social movements, rather than what it cannot.…”

“…Religious organizations have been analysed both as social movements in their own right (Bromley and Shupe 1980) and as resources that can enable the mobilization of other social movements (Smith 1996a;1996b), including those that are based on collective identities that arise in response to perceived employer injustices (Mirola 2003). Mobilization theorists focus on social movements that focus on institutional change through attempting to alter the social structure and/or reward distribution of society and representing unorganized groups against institutional elites (McCarthy and Zald 1977;Jenkins 1983).…”

“…This article will argue that the concepts of resource mobilization and actors in industrial relations can be extended to the analysis of religious movement organizations (Bromley and Shupe 1980;Smith 1996b), which have the capability to influence the industrial relations process (Mirola 2003). This analysis focuses on one such organization that has been almost entirely overlooked within industrial relations and organization studies, the British industrial mission (IM).…”

Religion, Race, and Bridge Building in Economic Justice Coalitions

“…3 3 William Mirolla, “Religious Protest and Economic Conflict: Possibilities and Constraints on Religious Resource Mobilization and Coalitions in Detroit's Newspaper Strike,” Sociology of Religion 64.4 (2003): 446. …”