This article analyses social movements in the context of national security. It starts with definitions of national security, war, peace and risk. Then, social movements are analyzed through the prism of theories: collective behavior theory, resource mobilization theory and new social movements theory. Historical analysis is conducted from the French Revolution through the 19th century, to interwar and post-war periods. Contemporary movements are compared within the typology: movements for peace or war; increasing or decreasing national security; cause or result of changes in the field of national security; focused on own security or security of others; gaining support from external actors or lack of such support; using violence or not; successful or not. I conclude that perspectives of this kind of theoretical analysis are promising, due to social changes, national security changes and changes in the sociological theory.