This paper aims at analyzing interest groups and social movement organizations’ (SMOs) advocacy strategies and experiences of political influence. The paper draws on research about interest groups and SMOs political influence to elaborate on the main distinctions between these two types of social actors but also on possible overlapping. Two ideal types are elaborated which are applied to a large dataset resulting from a national survey that received responses from ca. 2.700 Swedish civil society organisations. Through dimensions as membership, social mobilisation, organisational aim, activities and professionalization we identify clear cases of interest groups and SMOs. By comparing these social actors’ political strategies and their perception of political influence (both as extent of influence and as outcome in terms of political change), we aim to contribute to the discussion on how political influence in social movement and interest group research is conceptualized as well as expressed by the actors concerned.
