Final answer:
The stages of social movements, as outlined by Blumer and Tilly, include the Preliminary Stage, the Coalescence Stage, and the Institutionalization Stage, which describe the emergence, growth, and establishment of social movements, respectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The circle of social action can be understood through the stages of social movements as conceptualized by sociologists like Blumer (1969) and Tilly (1978), which describe how these movements emerge, grow, and sometimes dissipate over time. These stages are:
- Preliminary Stage: This is the initial phase where public awareness about an issue is raised, and leaders start to emerge. People recognize a problem and begin to express their concerns.
- Coalescence Stage: During this phase, individuals unite to organize and publicize the issue further, enhancing public awareness and drawing more supporters to the cause.
- Institutionalization Stage: At this point, the movement becomes an established organization, often with paid staff, reducing the reliance on grassroots volunteerism.
These stages help to categorize social movements, understanding their evolution and identifying the phase in which they are currently operating. It's important to note that Tilly outlined a four-stage process, which includes the Decline Stage, not mentioned in the initial question. Each stage marks a critical step in the life cycle of collective behavior and social change.