The leadership component of Kelly's mobilisation theory: Contribution, tensions, limitations and further development. (November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Darlington, Ralph
• Other Names: Gall Gregor guest-editor.; Holgate Jane guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Economic and industrial democracy. Volume 39:Number 4(2018)
• Page Start: 617
• Page End: 638
• Publication Date: 2018-11
• Subjects: Collective action -- leadership -- mobilisation theory -- strike action -- trade unionism; Management -- Employee participation -- Periodicals; 331.0112
• DOI: 10.1177/0143831X18777609
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0143-831X

Abstract

This reassessment of Kelly's analysis of the relationship of activist leadership to collective action within the overall jigsaw of mobilisation theory draws on social movement literature, studies by industrial relations scholars utilising aspects of Kelly's approach – including this author's own work – and related research on union leadership within collective mobilisation. In the process, it identifies and celebrates how Kelly's work, whilst contributing a distinct and substantive actor-related approach, recognised that leadership is one ingredient amongst other factors, including important structural opportunities and constraints. It considers three potential ambiguities/tensions within Kelly's conceptualisation of leadership related to the social construction of workers' interests, spontaneity of workers' action and the 'leader/follower' interplay. The review also identifies two important limitations, related to the union member/bureaucracy dynamic and the role of left-wing political leadership, and concludes by signalling different forms of leadership relationships on which further refinement and development would be fruitful.