This collective volume constitutes an important theoretical and empirical contribution to the study of conflict politics and social movements. Introducing a new, multidimensional perspective on the many empirical issues it addresses, it focuses on the detailed investigation of the pivotal relationship between "environment" and collective actions.
While as an academic research field conflict politics does not provide (nor attempt to provide) answers to all pressing problems of the times, the fact that it constitutes a positive research program keeps the discussions about these problems alive, equipping them with robust concepts, methods, and research techniques. Without guaranteeing arrival at the Ithaca of social movements, conflict politics nevertheless exemplifies the beautiful journey.

In this book, European and American experts in economic and political processes go beyond previous discussions and systematically examine social movements and social conflicts with particular attention to the influence of economic changes and inequalities on these conflicts.

The authors deal with two widely recognized and simultaneously highly contested questions. How do political threats and opportunities faced by participants in political action affect the chances, character, and consequences of this action, and how do economic changes constitute significant political threats and opportunities or constitute responses to political threats and opportunities?

The book is specifically aimed at sociologists, political scientists, and students of public policy and international relations, as well as anyone else who is involved in, researching, or participating in social movements.

The texts included are:

Economic, political, and other opportunity structures
- Julie Berclaz, Marco Giugni, "Defining the concept of political opportunity structures"
- Marc W. Steinberg, "Capitalist law, relations of production and exploitation, and structured opportunities for conflict, or, using three Tillys to make an argument"
- Jeffrey Broadbent, "Dynamic identities: Motivations and mobilizing movements in the United States and Japan"
- Dieter Rucht, "The internet as a new opportunity for transnational protest groups"

How politics and economy transform opportunities
- Rod Aya, "Theory of revolution: From Thucydides to Tilly"
- Eder Klaus, "From common market to political union: The changing opportunity structure in the conflict policy of Europe"
- John K. Glenn, "The economic opportunities of European Union enlargement"
- Chris Tilly, "Survival laws in the United States: The power of a developing movement"

Threats, opportunities, and forms of action in changing economies
- Richard Hogan, "Political opportunities and capitalist crisis"
- Maryjane Osa, Cristina Corduneanu-Huci, "Linking economic and political opportunities in non-democracies"
- Maria Kousi, "State responses as economic and political threats and opportunities of conflict politics in the environmental sector in Southern Europe"
- Charles Tilly, "Conclusions: An opportunity for expression"