Each section is listed below, with approximate page numbers. Individual articles in each section may run between 2,500-7,500 words (10 to 25 pages) Each editor/author will be paid a stipend, depending on the quantity of the work submitted, ranging from $100 to $1,000). Writers and editors may also arrange for complementary copies of the Encyclopedia, valued between $250 and $300. Deadlines for submitting materials range from April 1, 20002 through July 1, 2002, also depending on the length of the section/entry. Please forward any specific questions to me at this email address. Please indicate your willingness to contribute your entry by February 1, 2002. If you cannot contribute, perhaps you can forward names and email addresses of scholars (including qualified graduate students) who might be interested.

I would be happy to send you author guidelines and any other information about the project upon your acceptance to contribute. Please contact me at iness@brooklyn.cuny.edu for additional questions.

Sincerely,

Immanuel Ness, PhD Encyclopedia of American Social Movements, General Editor

Title: Encyclopedia of American Social Movements

Description: Abolition of slavery, woman suffrage, civil rights, the minimum wage, equal pay for equal work, the eight-hour workday, an end to discrimination, the right to choice and the right to life, clean air, clean water, peace—every important goal or accomplishment of the past 200 years has been the result of social movements, vast numbers of people coming together to fight for common ideas and ideals. Americans have long utilized their freedom of speech and assembly to mobilize others to make the nation a better place. This struggle to improve society and promote justice is one of the essential and enduring themes in American history. Whether studying economics, labor, government, politics, women, ethnic groups, wars, the environment, current events, or global issues, it is impossible to understand the 19th and 20th centuries without understanding the role of social movements in the United States. These movements—from the great struggles for abolition, civil rights, and women’s equality to the more specific quests for prohibition, consumer safety, unemployment insurance, and global justice—have changed the world and made history. Indeed, without these large social movements, the U.S. would be a vastly different place today than it was in 1800. Despite the vital role of social movements in changing every facet of American life and culture, there is no comprehensive reference set on the subject.

The Encyclopedia of American Social Movements will examine all the essential social movements of the 1800s and 1900s, as well as their numerous offshoots and submovements. The set will explore each movement’s goals, tactics, membership, and impact, as well as its successes and failures. It will also examine the interrelationships between different movements—such as the civil rights, antiwar, and black power movements of the 1960s—and how they shaped American politics, culture, and society. Finally, the set will include brief biographical portraits of all the key figures and leaders of the nation’s social movements and provide a generous assortment of original documents.

Readership: Academics, teachers, students, and librarians have long clamored for more resources and primary documents on social history, which this set will amply provide. Therefore, this encyclopedia will fill a huge gap and likely find a large market. The set will be edited by political scientist Immanuel Ness, who has edited several highly successful Sharpe Reference works, including the Encyclopedia of Third Parties in America, winner of best reference awards from the American Library Association and Choice Magazine. To the academic, student researcher, and casual reader, the set will convey the breadth, importance, and vitality of social movements in American history. With virtually no competition, this set will carve a key niche in the reference field and become an invaluable resource in university, college, high school and public libraries.

Format and Features: Filled with user-friendly features, such as a timeline for each chapter, glossary, boxed biographical profiles, extensive bibliography, and multiple indexes, the encyclopedia will consist of 16 chapters, each focusing on a specific movement. Each chapter will be organized chronologically (decades/eras). As the following outline shows, the more significant movements will receive greater coverage and detail:

Introduction (10pp)

1. Antislavery Movement (50 pages)
a. 1700s-1830 (10pp)
b. 1830-1865 (40pp)

2. Civil Rights Movement (140pp)
a. 1865-1910 (20pp)
b. 1910-1930 (20pp)
c. 1930-1953 (30pp)
d. 1954-1970 (40pp)
e. 1970-1990 (20pp)
f. 1990-2000 (10pp)

3. Labor Movement (140pp)

4. Women’s Movement (125pp)

5. Temperance and Prohibition Movements (50pp)

6. Missionary/Religious Movements (25pp)

7. Utopian (Perfectionism, Health, etc.) Movement (30pp)

8. Progressive Movement (50pp)

9. Ethnic/Disabled Movements (50pp)

10. Antiwar/Protest Movements (50pp)

11. Welfare and Poor People’s Movements (50pp)

12. Environmental Movement (50pp)

13. Gay Rights Movement (50pp)

14. Conservative/Right Wing Movements (50pp)

15. Global Movement (50pp)

16. Miscellaneous Movements (50pp)
Appendix: Original Documents (125pp)
Front/Back Matter (105pp)

Contact Information: I. Ness 212-529-1260
email: iness@igc.org