This paper aims to analyze the scene of civil associativism in Latin America, pointing out its social movements and the theoretical interpretations that have been made about them, taking as its point of view some categories and the theories that give them support. The text begins with a brief characterization of the Latin-American scene, according to its main social movements, pointing out some of the alterations that are happening starting from the development of public policy aimed at the social development, in partnership with the organized civil society. Theories and theoreticians that have researched the social movements in Latin America are presented and two theoretical categories quite used at the present time are analyzed: networks and social mobilization. The text ends with the following observation: there is a new scene in the civil associativism and the scope of its theories and interpretations is diverse. However, identity policies have been built to "include" groups and associations, mobilized by governments through public policies. Operational categories of social intervention are actually being ressignified as the cornerstones of a conservative policy of inclusion, generating new readings and theoretical interpretations about social reality.
social movements; theories; associativism; networks; social mobilization