The Laboratory

Laboratory of Collective Actions and Social Movements. “LaCASMο”

LaCASMo was founded in January of 2018 by Professor Michalis Psimitis and currently operates under the direction of Assistant Professor Nikos Xypolytas. Its mission is to undertake scientific work for a multifaceted approach to the scientific research of collective action that take place in society (interest groups, lobbies, social movements, political parties). LaCASMo is dedicated to the advancement of education and sociological research that focuses on the various kinds and types of collective action as well as the formation, development and operation of social movements. Within this context, the Laboratory’s mission is specialised in the following sections:

1. The collection and analysis of data concerning  the processes and formation dynamics of collective action in the different social fields of interaction.
2. To cover the different educational needs of the Sociology Department, as well as other departments of the University of the Aegean, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, on the topics in which the laboratory specializes.
3. The generation and development of innovative, grounded and multifaceted theory in the analysis of collective action and the further specialization of the already utilised theoretical and methodological approaches and research tools from different disciplines within social sciences, such as Sociology of Social Movements, Organizational Theory, Social Psychology etc.  
4. The supervision of postgraduate and doctoral theses on the topics in which the laboratory specializes
5. The generation of modern pedagogical and research material, both in print and electronic form, such as the publication of articles, journals, books and edited volumes.
6. The undertaking of research and training projects on the behalf of institutions of both the private and the public sector.  
7. The promotion of collaborations with other relevant laboratories, research centres and university departments of both Greece and abroad that aims at strengthening the quality of interdisciplinary research in this particular field of study.
8. The generation of knowledge that could translate into counselling and consulting services utilised from both the public and the private sector.

The development of initiatives, along with local communities and actors, that aim at increasing public awareness and understanding of issues of collective action and self-organization, in order to effectively formulate claims for social reforms that bring forward new social demands and rights, especially for vulnerable social groups.