Skip to main content

ETHNOS_APP

Home • Search • Journals • List 0

Structural Influences on Activism and Crime

Identifying the Social Structure of Discontent

Bibliographic Data

ID2219565
AuthorsRory Mcveigh (University of Notre Dame, corresponding author)
Year2006
Volume112
Issue2
Pages510-566
Publication date2006-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Sociology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-9602 • E-ISSN: 1537-5390
PublisherUniversity of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1086/506414
OpenAlexW1998006228
LanguageEN
Citations received29
References cited127

By applying and extending the logic of Peter Blau's theory of social structure, this article identifies structural features of U.S. counties that are associated with high levels of crime, the presence of activist organizations as ideologically diverse as civil rights organizations and antiabortion groups, and low levels of voter turnout. Key empirical findings include positive effects of ethnic heterogeneity, religious heterogeneity, and income inequality on both the crime rate and the number of activist organizations in counties. Educational inequality diminishes the positive effect of income inequality on activism and has a strong negative effect on the crime rate. Many structural conditions associated with high numbers of activist organizations and a high crime rate decrease voter turnout rates

Crime rate · Criminology · Demographic economics · Economic inequality · Economics · Ethnic group · Ideology · Inequality · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Turnout · Voter turnout · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Law

  • Theorizing Social Movements

    Open Access•D M Mo, Dana M Moss et al.•Handbook of Contemporary…•2016

  • Repression and Crime Control

    P Oliver•Mobilization An International…•2008

  • How socio-economic inequality affects individuals’ civic engagement

    Open Access•Joris Melchior Schröder, Michaela Neumayr•Socio-Economic Review•2021

  • Political Reform and the Historical Trajectories of U.S. Social Movements in the Twentieth Century

    E Amenta, Neal Caren et al.•Social Forces•2012

  • Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Behavioural Consequences of Political Trust in Contexts of Inequality

    Open Access•Castellar Granados, Francisco Sánchez•Journal of Politics in Latin…•2025

  • Explaining the diffusion of radical ideas

    Open Access•Y Hsiao, Pfaff•Sociology Compass•2022

  • Participation in Context

    Open Access•C Tran, C Graif et al.•City and Community•2013

  • What wakes the sleeping giant? The effect of state context on Latino voter turnout in the 2004 election

    Open Access•Catherine Simpson Bueker•Latino Studies•2013

  • How perceived income inequality affects charitable giving and volunteering

    Open Access•Michaela Neumayr, Joris Melchior Schröder•European Societies•2025

  • Crime, Policing, and Voter Turnout in Chicago's 2023 and 2019 Mayoral Elections

    Open Access•B Mccarthy, J Hagan et al.•Urban Affairs Review•2025

  • World Culture, Uncoupling, Institutional Logics, and Recoupling

    Open Access•Ana Velitchkova•Sociological Forum•2015

  • Collective Killings in Rural China during the Cultural Revolution

    Open Access•Yang Su•Collective Killings in Rural…•2011

  • The effects of racial heterogeneity on mental health

    Katherine S L Lau, Matthew C Aalsma et al.•American Journal of Orthopsychiatry•2015

  • The Determinants of the Number of White Supremacist Groups

    Rachel M Durso, David R Jacobs•Social Problems•2013

  • Religion and Crime

    Amy Adamczyk, Joshua D Freilich et al.•Sociology of Religion•2017

  • How Do Party Systems Shape Insurgency Levels? A Comparison of Four Nineteenth-Century Latin American Republics

    Open Access•N M Somma•Social Science History•2016

  • Cities and the larger context

    Open Access•J R Hipp, Katie Kane et al.•Journal of Criminal Justice•2017

  • Spreading the Wealth

    Open Access•J R Hipp•Criminology•2011

  • The Great Recession, Inequality and Occupy Protests around the World

    Open Access•Alper H Yagci•Government and Opposition•2017

  • Economic inequality and its asymmetric effect on civic engagement

    Open Access•Ekrem Karakoc•European Political Science Review•2013

  • Policies, parties, and protests

    Rodolfo Disi Pavlic•Social movement studies•2020

  • Voting to Ban Same-Sex Marriage

    Open Access•Rory Mcveigh, D Diaz Maria-Elena•American Sociological Review•2009

  • Measuring Ethnic Diversity

    L G Steele, Amie Bostic et al.•Annual Review of Sociology•2022

  • Religion and Gambling Among Young Adults in the United States

    Open Access•David Eitle•Journal for the Scientific Study…•2011

  • Justification of violence, ideological preferences, and exposure to protests

    Open Access•Rodolfo Disi Pavlic, R M Medel et al.•Social Forces•2025

  • Plausibility Structures, Status Threats, and the Establishment of Anti-Abortion Pregnancy Centers

    Rory Mcveigh, Bryant Crubaugh et al.•American Journal of Sociology•2017

  • Group Threat and Policy Change

    Kenneth T Andrews, Charles Seguin•American Journal of Sociology•2015

  • Less Crime, More Punishment

    M Cooney, Callie H Burt•American Journal of Sociology•2008

  • Social Capital, Economic Development, and Homicide

    Open Access•B G Robbins, Blaine Robbins et al.•Social Indicators Research•2012

  • Structural contexts of opportunities

    Peter Michael Blau•Structural contexts of…•1994

  • The dynamics of ethnic competition and conflict.

    Susan Olzak•The dynamics of ethnic…•1994

  • Code of the street

    Elijah Anderson•Code of the street•1999

  • Social conflict and social movements.

    Anthony Oberschall•Social conflict and social…•1973

  • A place on the corner

    Elijah Anderson•A place on the corner•1978

  • Crime in the making

    John H Laub, Robert J Sampson•Crime in the making•1993

  • When Work Disappears

    William J Wilson•When Work Disappears•1997

  • Code of the Street

    Open Access•Elijah Anderson•The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia…•2019

  • Inequality, Crime and Public Policy (Routledge Revivals)

    John Braithwaite•Inequality, Crime and Public…•2013

  • Black Picket Fences, Second Edition

    M Pattillo, A Lareau et al.•Black Picket Fences•2013

  • Streetwise

    Elijah Anderson•Streetwise•1990

  • Mean Streets

    Open Access•John Elvis Hagan, John Hagan et al.•Mean Streets•1997

  • The Critical Mass in Collective Action

    Open Access•Gerald Marwell, P Oliver•Critical Mass in Collective Action•1993

  • Econometric Models for Count Data with an Application to the Patents-R & D Relationship

    Jerry A Hausman, Jerry Hausman et al.•Econometrica•1984

  • Juvenile Delinquency and Urban Areas (Phoenix Books)

    Clifford R Shaw, Henry D Mckay•Juvenile Delinquency and Urban…•1972

  • Family and Social Network (International Behavioural and Social Sciences, Classics from the Tavistock Press)

    Elizabeth Bott•Family and Social Network…•2003

  • Conflict

    Georg Simmel•Conflict•1955

  • Social behavior

    George Caspar Homans•Social behavior•1974

  • Politics of Mass Society

    William Kornhauser•Politics of Mass Society•2013

  • Dynamics of Contention

    Open Access•Doug Mcadam, Sidney Tarrow et al.•Dynamics of Contention•2001

  • A Social Psychology of Protest

    Open Access•Jacquelien Van Stekelenburg, Bert Klandermans•A Social Psychology of Protest•2023

  • Theory of collective behavior.

    Neil J Smelser•1963

  • New Social Movements

    Open Access•Claus Offe•Institutionen, Normen,…•2019

  • From the Division of Labor in Society

    Emile Durkheim, George Simpson•The New Economic Sociology•2021

  • Radical Protest and Social Structure

    Michael Schwartz•Radical protest and social…•1976

  • Structural Incentives for Conservative Mobilization

    Rory Mcveigh•Social Forces•1999

  • Social Change and Crime Rate Trends

    L E COHEN AND M FELSON•Classics in Environmental…•2010

  • Black Picket Fences

    Mary Pattillo-Mccoy, Mary Pattillo‐mccoy•Families at Work•2002

  • Social Structure and Anomie

    Robert Κ Merton, Robert K Merton•Gangs•2017

  • Freedom Summer

    Doug Mcadam•Freedom Summer•1990

  • The White Separatist Movement in the United States

    Betty A Dobratz, Betty Dobratz•The white separatist movement in…•2000

  • The Rebellious Century

    Charles Tilly, Louise A Tilly et al.•Rebellious Century•1975

  • Behind Ghetto Walls

    Lee Rainwater, Michael Novak•Behind Ghetto Walls•2017

  • Crime and Disrepute

    J Hagan•Crime and Disrepute•1994

  • Causes of Delinquency

    Travis Hirschi•Causes of Delinquency•2017

  • Crime, Shame and Reintegration

    Open Access•John Braithwaite•Crime, Shame and Reintegration•1989

  • A General Theory of Crime

    Michael R Gottfredson, Travis Hirschi•Stanford University Press eBooks•1990

  • Crime in the Making

    Open Access•Robert J Sampson, John H Laub•Crime & Delinquency•1993

  • Power in Movement

    Open Access•Sidney Tarrow, Sidney G Tarrow•Power in Movement•1998

  • Continuities in Theories of Status Consistency and Cognitive Dissonance

    James A Geschwender•Social Forces•1967

  • Structural Incentives for Conservative Mobilization

    R Mcveighn•Social Forces•1999

  • A Note on the Uses of Official Statistics

    John I Kitsuse, Aaron V Cicourel•Social Problems•1963

  • Crime and the Restructuring of the U.S. Economy

    Don Sherman Grant Ii, Don Grant et al.•Social Forces•1997

  • "White Power, White Pride!" The White Separatist Movement in the United States

    David Chalmers, Betty A Dobratz et al.•Journal of American History•1999

  • The Poverty of a Classless of Criminology—the American Society of Criminology 1991 Presidential Address Criminology

    Open Access•J Hagan•Criminology•1992

  • Wage Inequality and Criminal Activity

    Open Access•Richard Fowles, MARY MERVA•Criminology•1996

  • Race Prejudice as a Sense of Group Position

    Herbert Blumer•The Pacific Sociological Review•1958

  • Reassessing the Structural Covariates of Violent and Property Crimes in the USA

    A J Kposowa, K D Breault et al.•British Journal of Sociology•1995

  • Organizing the Boys of Summer

    K C Land, Walter R Davis et al.•American Journal of Sociology•1994

  • Structural Covariates of Homicide Rates

    K C Land, Patricia L Mccall et al.•American Journal of Sociology•1990

  • Criminal Careers in the Short-Term

    Julie Horney, D Wayne Osgood et al.•American Sociological Review•1995

  • The Kuznets Curve and the Great U-Turn

    François Nielsen, Arthur S Alderson•American Sociological Review•1997

  • Theory-bashing and answer-improving in the study of social movements

    Open Access•John Lofland•The American Sociologist•1993

  • Reflections on Reference Groups

    Herbert H Hyman•Public Opinion Quarterly•1960

  • Mobilizing in Black Boxes

    James A Kitts, James Kitts•Mobilization An International…•2000

  • Event Count Models for International Relations

    Gary King•International Studies Quarterly•1989

  • New directions in equity research

    Elaine Walster, Ellen Berscheid et al.•Journal of Personality and Social…•1973

  • Deviant Places

    Open Access•Rodney Stark•Criminology•1987

  • The Myth of Social Class and Criminality

    Charles R Tittle, Wayne J Villemez et al.•American Sociological Review•1978

  • Multiple Networks and Mobilization in the Paris Commune, 1871

    Roger V Gould•American Sociological Review•1991

  • Social Structure and Anomie

    Robert K Merton•American Sociological Review•1938

  • Economic Discrimination and Societal Homicide Rates

    F Messner, Steven F Messner•American Sociological Review•1989

  • Class and Class Conflict in Six Western Nations

    Jay Kelley, Jonathan Kelley et al.•American Sociological Review•1995

  • Perceptions of Racial Group Competition

    Lawrence D Bobo, Lawrence Bobo et al.•American Sociological Review•1996

  • Income Inequality, Development, and Dualism

    François Nielsen, Arthur S Alderson•American Sociological Review•1995

  • Racial Rioting in the 1960S

    Daniel J Myers•American Sociological Review•1997

  • Inequality and Police Strength

    David R Jacobs, David Jacobs•American Sociological Review•1979

  • Toward a Theory of Revolution

    James C Davies•American Sociological Review•1962

  • Images of Class

    M D R Evans, Jay Kelley et al.•American Sociological Review•1992

  • Crime and Deviance over the Life Course

    Robert J Sampson, John H Laub•American Sociological Review•1990

  • The Cost of Inequality

    Judith R Blau, Peter M Blau•American Sociological Review•1982

  • Insurgency of the Powerless

    J Craig Jenkins, Charles Perrow•American Sociological Review•1977

  • Beliefs about Inequality and Perceptions of Distributive Justice

    Norma J Shepelak, Duane F Alwin•American Sociological Review•1986

  • Opposition to Race-Targeting

    Lawrence D Bobo, Lawrence Bobo et al.•American Sociological Review•1993

  • Frame Alignment Processes, Micromobilization, and Movement Participation

    David A Snow, E Burke Rochford et al.•American Sociological Review•1986

  • Social Networks and Social Movements

    David A Snow, Louis A Zurcher et al.•American Sociological Review•1980

  • Potentials, Networks, Motivations, and Barriers

    Bert Klandermans, Dirk Oegema•American Sociological Review•1987

  • The Effect of Changes in Intraracial Income Inequality and Educational Attainment on Changes in Arrest Rates for African Americans and Whites, 1957 to 1990

    G Lafree, Kriss A Dra et al.•American Sociological Review•1996

  • Social Change and Crime Rate Trends

    Lawrence E Cohen, M Felson•American Sociological Review•1979

  • A New Theory of Distributive Justice

    G Jasso•American Sociological Review•1980

  • The Myth of Social Class and Criminality Reconsidered

    John Braithwaite•American Sociological Review•1981

  • Value Change in Industrial Societies

    Open Access•Ronald Inglehart, Scott C Flanagan•American Political Science Review•1987

  • Political Process and the Development of Black Insurgency, 1930-1970

    Doug Mcadam•Political process and the…•1999

  • Social Bonding and the Cessation of Partner Violence Across Generations

    Chad Lackey, Kirk R Williams•Journal of Marriage and the Family•1995

  • Structural Social Change and the Mobilizing Effect of Threat

    Nella Van Dyke, Sarah A Soule•Social Problems•2002

  • Community Tolerance of Gang Violence

    Ruth Horowitz•Social Problems•1987

  • Structured Ignorance and Organized Racism in the United States

    R Mcveigh•Social Forces•2004

  • Subordination and Violence against State Control Agents

    D Jacobs, David R Jacobs et al.•Social Forces•2002

  • God, Politics, and Protest

    R Mcveigh, David Sikkink•Social Forces•2001

  • The social psychology of protest

    Open Access•J Van Stekelenburg, Bert Klandermans•Current Sociology•2013

  • Breakdown Theories of Collective Action

    B Useem•Annual Review of Sociology•1998

  • Political Opportunities and African-American Protest, 1948-1997

    J Craig Jenkins, David R Jacobs et al.•American Journal of Sociology•2003

  • The Subcultural Theory of Urbanism

    C S Fischer•American Journal of Sociology•1995

  • Specifying the Relationship Between Social Ties and Activism

    Doug Mcadam, Ronnelle Paulsen•American Journal of Sociology•1993

  • The Legitimation of Inequality

    Jay Kelley, Jonathan Kelley et al.•American Journal of Sociology•1993

  • Community Structure and Crime

    Robert J Sampson, W Byron Groves•American Journal of Sociology•1989

  • Social Networks and Collective Action

    Gerald Marwell, P Oliver et al.•American Journal of Sociology•1988

  • Structural Determinants of Intergroup Association

    J South, Scott J South et al.•American Journal of Sociology•1986

  • Class Identification in the United States

    Robert W Hodges, Robert W Hodge et al.•American Journal of Sociology•1968

  • Systematic Social Observation of Public Spaces

    Robert J Sampson, Stephen W Raudenbush•American Journal of Sociology•1999

Unique citing works29
Citations per year1,61
Citation span2008 - 2025 (18)
Citation velocityrecent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 29
Ethnos_APP • Open Source Project • MIT License • Frontend v2.0.0 • Privacy and Cookies • API Documentation: api.ethnos.app/docs • API Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17049435 • Frontend Source Code: GitHub • DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17050053 • cruz.rio.br • Expectantes Misericordiae