Theories of social movements have been influential?but as a rule they are not adequate to comprehend the course of non-violent action in the radical tradition (Bruyn Severyn T. Nonviolent action and social change, 1979, pp31).Social movements? cannot be formally defined according to structure or lack of structure, as they are dynamic entities that essentially go through all sorts of stages and transformations. The diversity of our current and past social movements confirms this. The stages derived by Macionis and Moyer are not always applicable, however this does not mean that these stages are either incorrect or worthless as both stages could be seen as being significantly influential to flourishing activist movements. The historical green ban movement (1971-1974) led by Jack Mundy, and the current activist group, Australians for just refugee programs, employ similar stages to those of Moyer and Macionis. The two social movement theories will be explored in the following essay by dissecting both the differences and the similarities to that of the stages undergone in both examples, inducing an extended understanding of the relevance or irrelevance of both theories.
             Australians for just refugee programs is a worthy example ofnon-violent? activism, as it relies heavily on formal membership, whose prominent members represent organistaions and individuals involved in human rights, social justices and other campaigns. Various organizational support has come from businesses, unions, religious, advocacy groups and NGOs that back up its academic supporters (www.ajustaustralia.com, accessed 21/8/02). To explore the application of both stages within this movement one must compare the stages in their particular order. Beginning with Macionis? initial stage of emergence, (which relates to a dissatisfaction or to a perception of injustice or inequity), the obvious relation to AFJRP's is the controversial Tampa Crisis, which led to a number of di...