This work provides a review essay of social movement theory from the end of World War II to the mid-1990's, focusing primarily on the United States, with some attention to European scholarship as well. The authors identify three distinct paradigm shifts in the field of social movements. The first period, occurring in the 1940's and 1950's, was characterized by negativity toward social movements, and a tendency to explain them in terms of social psychology. During the second period of the 1960's, social movement theories tended to stress movements as positive, rational undertakings to change structural conditions. During the final period of study, from the 1970s to the 1990s, a fragmentation of movement structure appeared, and thus, the authors theorize, this period could be labeled one of deconstruction. A more detailed look at the individual social and political movements involved in each of these periods is also provided, including: pro-democracy, human rights, and civil rights; environmentalism; religious movements (especially Christian and Islamic); feminism and women's movements; gay and lesbian movements; conservatives and the New Right; the Left, Nazis, Fascists, neo-Nazis, and ethno-racism; and nationalism and ethno-nationalism.