Action group
Encyclopedia
In sociology
and anthropology
, an action group or task group is a group of people joined temporarily to accomplish some task or take part in some organized collective action
.
As an example, imagine that in a hypothetical culture
, four bridesmaid
s are traditionally selected to play a role in a wedding
ceremony, and eligibility to be chosen as a bridesmaid is dependent on being a young, female relative of the bride
. Several people may fall into this social category: they have no automatic entitlement to the role but are eligible to assume it if chosen. Most members of the category who could theoretically be bridesmaids at the wedding are not selected. There are no criteria relating to kinship
, age, or other such status that necessitate this, but for simpler reasons of practicality or chance four members of the category are chosen, and it is these who form the action group.
As the members of the action group are brought together on a single occasion and then disband, they cannot be regarded as constituting a full-fledged social group, for which they would need to interact recurrently in accordance with their social identities
.
, Fidel Castro
, Emilio Tro, Lauro Blanco and Rolando Masferrer
when young university students) http://www.cadal.org/articulos/nota.asp?id_nota=290http://www.amigospais-guaracabuya.org/oagjs098.php.
Commonly regarded as gang-related killing there were said to have been 200 of these killings in the Grau administration alone.
(Martin, Lionel. The Early Fidel: Roots of Castro's Communism. 1978. Lyle Stuart, Secaucus New Jersey; 1st ed, p. 25). ISBN 0-8184-0254-7.
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, an action group or task group is a group of people joined temporarily to accomplish some task or take part in some organized collective action
Collective action
Collective action is the pursuit of a goal or set of goals by more than one person. It is a term which has formulations and theories in many areas of the social sciences.-In sociology:...
.
As an example, imagine that in a hypothetical culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
, four bridesmaid
Bridesmaid
The bridesmaids are members of the bride's wedding party in a wedding. A bridesmaid is typically a young woman, and often a close friend or sister. She attends to the bride on the day of a wedding or marriage ceremony...
s are traditionally selected to play a role in a wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
ceremony, and eligibility to be chosen as a bridesmaid is dependent on being a young, female relative of the bride
Bride
A bride is a woman about to be married or newlywed.The word may come from the Proto-Germanic verb root *brū-, meaning 'to cook, brew, or make a broth' which was the role of the daughter-in-law in primitive families...
. Several people may fall into this social category: they have no automatic entitlement to the role but are eligible to assume it if chosen. Most members of the category who could theoretically be bridesmaids at the wedding are not selected. There are no criteria relating to kinship
Kinship
Kinship is a relationship between any entities that share a genealogical origin, through either biological, cultural, or historical descent. And descent groups, lineages, etc. are treated in their own subsections....
, age, or other such status that necessitate this, but for simpler reasons of practicality or chance four members of the category are chosen, and it is these who form the action group.
As the members of the action group are brought together on a single occasion and then disband, they cannot be regarded as constituting a full-fledged social group, for which they would need to interact recurrently in accordance with their social identities
Social identity
A social identity is the portion of an individual's self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group. As originally formulated by Henri Tajfel and John Turner in the 1970s and 80s, social identity theory introduced the concept of a social identity as a way in which to...
.
In Latin American context
In Cuba and elsewhere in Latin America, the word "action group" (grupo de acción) was given to violent activists who gathered together to perform violent guerrilla activities e.g. (see Antonio GuiterasAntonio Guiteras
Antonio Guiteras y Holmes was a leading politician in Cuba during the 1930s....
, Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
, Emilio Tro, Lauro Blanco and Rolando Masferrer
Rolando Masferrer
Rolando Masferrer Rojas , born in Holguín, July 12, 1918, in Oriente province, better known simply as Rolando Masferrer, was a Cuban guerrilla leader, lawyer, congressman, newspaper publisher, member of the Cuban Communist Party and political activist...
when young university students) http://www.cadal.org/articulos/nota.asp?id_nota=290http://www.amigospais-guaracabuya.org/oagjs098.php.
Commonly regarded as gang-related killing there were said to have been 200 of these killings in the Grau administration alone.
(Martin, Lionel. The Early Fidel: Roots of Castro's Communism. 1978. Lyle Stuart, Secaucus New Jersey; 1st ed, p. 25). ISBN 0-8184-0254-7.