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This article deals with the development of ‘unconventional’ political participation in Germany between 1974 and 2008. Our aim is to describe empirically the evolution of protest actions across time and differences between east and west. Moreover, we strive to unveil explanatory factors by analysing data from the Political Action Survey (1974/75) and the European Values Study (2008) in regard to lawful demonstrations. For this purpose, we draw on scholarly writing and test the causal effects of socio-demographic, social-structural and attitudinal factors. Our findings show that participation in lawful protest forms is not anymore a minoritarian, exceptional or unconventional act of political claims making, but a normal aspect of political behaviour. Demonstrations do not recruit exclusively a specific constituency with a clear social profile, but rather citizens from different social backgrounds and orientations. Moreover, our data suggest a gradual convergence between East and West Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents an obituary for German sociologist Trutz von Trotha.

The article presents an annual report of the year 2009 of the section of political sociology of the German Association of Sociology, the DGS. Mentioned are the elected people of the board of directors, a summary of two international conferences, and a brief note of the annual increment and membership fees.

Mobilization by the unemployed has traditionally been considered a highly improbable phenomenon. However, recent observations challenge such a supposition. Our article compares protest waves in France, Germany, and Italy, where the unemployed successfully organized themselves and acted on their own behalf for several months. We argue that mobilization of the unemployed- although it empirically proved to be a possibility-remains very fragile, particularly depending on beneficial "windows of opportunities. Our analysis is above all interested in deciphering macrostructural conditions and opportunity structures, arguing that the unemployed benefited from external developments causing changes in potential mobilizing resources, and brought about new allies and political entrepreneurs. At the same time, however, these opportunity structures were actively exploited and, at the same time, their opening was fostered by the mobilization itself [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article discusses initiatives and the mission of a working group of the German Association for Political Sciences. The German group's leadership personnel are listed. The group's goal of inviting and reporting on research on social and political movements is stated. Particular research foci are said to be NGOs, women's studies, international relations, civil society, and social capital.