Ziad Munson Headshot

Ziad Munson

Professor of Sociology, Lehigh University

About Ziad

Munson's research focuses on conservative social movement mobilization and political violence. Overarching themes in Munson's writings include the pro-life movement, abortion politics, and terrorism. Munson has participated in a variety of government workshops, think tank initiatives, and advisory boards in recent years on the issue of terrorism. He also serves on the executive board of a local research consortium that helps the local community make use of social science data.

Contributions

How People Become Pro-Life Activists

No Jargon Podcast

In the News

Ziad Munson quoted by Jessica Hicks, "Faculty Announce Motion to Rescind Trump's Honorary Degree" The Brown and White, February 11, 2018.
Guest to discuss the shooting at a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic on Joy Cardin Show, Wisconsin Public Radio, Ziad Munson, December 1, 2015.
"Informing Activists: Who Participates and Why?," Ziad Munson, Mobilizing Ideas, November 13, 2015.
Ziad Munson quoted on abortion issue among Republican Presidential candidates by Emily Crockett, "Why Republicans Like Ben Carson Love Comparing Abortion to Slavery" VOX.com, November 1, 2015.
Ziad Munson quoted on pro-life summer camps by Timothy Bella, "A Trip to a Summer Camp Pushing to End Abortion," Al-Jazeera America, July 23, 2015.
Ziad Munson quoted on abortion issues among Republican Presidential candidates by Sarah Kliff, "Why Republicans Can’t Stop Talking About Rape" VOX.com, January 23, 2015.
Ziad Munson quoted on pro-life activists by Daniel Burke, "Six Surprising Changes to the Anti-Abortion March for Life" CNN Belief Blog, January 21, 2014.
"What are the Underlying Causes of Terrorism," Ziad Munson, Learning Life, September 11, 2013.
Ziad Munson quoted on the coup against President Mohamed Morsey by Catherine Hawley, "Local Expert Calls Coup a Pivotal Moment for Egyptians" WFMZ 69 News, July 3, 2013.
"Co-Opting Choice One Woman at a Time," Ziad Munson, Mobilizing Ideas, March 4, 2013.
"Finding Religion in Movement Activism," Ziad Munson, Mobilizing Ideas, November 1, 2012.
Ziad Munson's research on pro-life activists discussed by Sarah Kliff, "In Akin’s Remarks, a Clash Between Pro-Life Politics and Principles," The Washington Post, August 21, 2012.
Guest to discuss Senator Akin’s remarks on abortion and rape on WGBH Boston Public Radio, Ziad Munson, August 20, 2012.
Ziad Munson quoted on partisanship of the pro-life and pro-choice movements by Sarah Kliff, "Why the House Has an Anti-Abortion-Rights Majority" Newsweek, March 30, 2010.
Ziad Munson quoted on abortion opponents by Damien Cave, "Abortion Foes Tell of Their Journey to the Streets" New York Times, October 9, 2009.

Publications

"Outside Agitators: The Role of Expatriate Communities in the Historical Development of Terrorism," Social Science History Association Annual Conference, November 2013.

Shows how a chief source of ideological radicalization in many terrorist groups are elites in expatriate communities who return to their countries of origin to participate in political conflict.

"Keyword: Terrorism" Contexts 7, no. 4 (2008): 74-75.

Describes how social scientists and journalists use the term ‘terrorism’ differently, and proposes a definition that suits both.

"Mobilizing on Campus: Conservative Movements and Today’s College Students" Sociological Forum 25, no. 4 (2010): 769-786.

Introduces evidence, drawn primarily from the abortion debate, that American college campuses are platforms for more conservative organizing than many people realize. Develops the concept of “turning points” to explain why colleges are so important to social movement organizing.

"Islamic Mobilization: Social Movement Theory and the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood" The Sociological Quarterly 42, no. 4 (2001): 487-510.

Suggests ways in which current models of social movement mobilization need to be modified in order to account for the spectacular rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

"Religion, Crisis Pregnancies, and the Battle over Abortion: Redefining Conflict and Consensus in the American Pro-Life Movement" in Religion in Disputes, edited by Franz von Benda-Beckmann, Keebet von Benda-Beckmann, Martin Ramstedt, and Bertram Turner (Palgrave, 2013), 37-54.

Discusses how the growth of crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), which seek to convince pregnant women to carry their pregnancies to term, are altering the pro-life movement and co-opting many of the most salient arguments made by pro-choice activists.

"The Making of Pro-life Activists: How Social Movement Mobilization Works " (University of Chicago Press, 2009).

Provides a model for understanding how individual people are drawn into the abortion debate. Shows that pre-existing beliefs about abortion are not nearly as important as social connections in determining who becomes an activist.