The reality of social movement is quite dynamic, and theorizations do not always follow this dynamism. With globalization and the information age, the social movements in several countries, including Brazil and Latin America, are more diversified and complex. Therefore, many paradigmatic or hegemonic explanations from the last century are in need of revision or updating vis-à-vis the emergence of new social subjects or political scenarios. This study begins by elucidating organized civil society's new forms, aiming to register the multiple types of collective action in the new millennium. From this comprehension the study seeks to explore the diversity of identity of the social subjects, the transverse nature of demands for citizen's rights, the forms of activism and the empowerment through networking and, finally, the political participation of network organizations.
social movements; civil society; network; citizenship; empowerment