Global Diffusion of Protest: an introduction

Global Diffusion of Protest, 2017

Research in Social Movements, Conflicts and Change, 2016

Introducing the special issue on global protest and democracy since 2011, this article surveys the key dimensions of the debate. It provides a critical overview of significant protest events in the post-2011 period and explores a range of the analytical tools that may be used to understand them, before proceeding to identify, disaggregate and draw into question some of the major claims which have emerged in literature on the post-2011 mobilizations. The articles contained within this volume are then outlined, revealing the novel and nuanced insights provided by the contributors with respect to the post-2011 protests' composition, mobilization forms, frames, democratic practices, and interrelationships with other actors in pursuit of democratic reform. The article concludes with a discussion of the opportunities for further research into protest and democracy.

Akademik Araştırmalar ve Çalışmalar Dergisi (AKAD), 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to examine the difference between the global protests, which have increased unexpectedly in the last decade, from the global protests in the past. In this way, it is to show the main points between the global protests and to reveal how the mass demonstrations taking place around the world have changed numerically and regionally. Design/Methodology: In the research, qualitative and quantitative research methods were used and the global protests that took place around the world, especially the developments that took place in the last ten years, were supported by graphics and maps. This study is a research article and literature review technique was used. Findings: While every mass protest over the past decade has its own context, these global mass protests are based on common grievances such as economic hardship, ineffective governance, political crisis, ethnic and religious discrimination, and corruption. The interesting thing is that while our world is witnessing new technological inventions and discoveries every day, this dissatisfaction is increasing. At this point, not only the number of countries where these mass demonstrations took place has increased significantly in the last ten years, but also the number of participants in these demonstrations is increasing day by day. In addition, mass demonstrations are increasing not only in underdeveloped countries but also in developed and developing countries. Limitations: The study examines the developments of the global protests that occurred around the world in the 10-year period between 2009-2019. In addition, it tries to examine the similarities between the protests from a global perspective by aiming to explain the global protests that took place in general Originality/Value: The originality of the research is that it examines the development of global protests, especially taking into account the last ten years, and tries to explain the difference between these protests and global protests in the past. In addition, the study tries to support the arguments it defends with graphics and maps obtained from statistical data

The paper reviews 843 protests occurring between January 2006 and July 2013 in 87 countries covering over 90% of world population. The paper focuses on: (i) major grievances driving world protests (ii) who is demonstrating, what protest methods they use, and who are they opposed to (iii) achievements and repression of social movements in the short term, and (iv) the main policy demands of world demonstrators. The paper calls for policy-makers to listen, whether messages are articulate or communicate only through frustration and violence.

European Political Science, 2018

In the last few years, the political establishment has been taken by surprise by a ‘tsunami’ of mass demonstrations. The consensus is that this phenomenon started in Tunisia in late 2010 after the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi, and spread like a virus throughout the world, sparking uncountable effects in contemporary politics. This new cycle of protests brought to the forefront a new protest culture that has affected not only radical politics, but also the way we comprehend them. As scholars, it forces us ask ourselves how to understand such phenomena, the actors involved, the practices and ideas enacted, as well as the role of digital media. The new works by Paolo Gerbaudo (The Mask and the Flag: Populism, Citizenism and Global Protest) and by Natalie Fenton (Digital, Political, Radical) aim to address these important problems and to understand the significance of these events.

17 th Alternative Futures and Popular Protest, Conference Papers, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2012

In the last decades popular protest has increased by all means and possible meanings. Protests whether in the forms of social movements, campaigns, or advocacy networks have spanned across almost all the social and political strata of almost any given contemporary society. This phenomenon has been described in the literature as the coming of the social movement society. According to this view present time social movement modes of action are been less dramatized and more pacified and may be becoming part of the conventional repertoire of participationprotest has increased in breadth but has decreased in depth and tense. However, in 2011 the world has witnessed a dramatic series of huge protests and "fighting in the streets" that brought down yearly long regimes in the Arab world, the rise of the "Indignados" movement where several hundreds of thousands people protested in countries like Portugal, Italy, and especially Spain, and Greece against the austerity measures and their respective political systems, the summer riots in the UK and the emergence of the "Occupy" movement in the US. What all these events had in common? What were their differences? What political opportunity structures, if any, lead to these political protests, and how, in the longer run, political opportunity structures facilitate or constrain the protesters? Are we in front of the beginning of a whole new protest circle with some sort of re-emergence of the "social question" and the rise of a new distinctive repertoire of action, a situation that builds upon, transforms, and potentially overcomes the social movement society of the past decades?

Protest: Analysing Current Trends, 2014

The politics of the twenty-first century is marked by dissent, tumult and calls for radical change, whether through food riots, anti-war protests, anti-government tirades, anti-blasphemy marches, anti-austerity demonstrations, anti-authoritarian movements and anti-capitalist occupations. Interestingly, contemporary political protests are borne of both the Right and Left and are staged in both the Global North and South. Globally, different instances of protest have drawn attention to the deep fissures which challenge the idea of globalisation as a force for peace. Given the diversity of these protests, it is necessary to examine the particular nature of grievances, the sort of change which is sought and the extent to which localised protest can have global implications. The contributions in this book draw on the theoretical work of Hardt and Negri, David Graeber and Judith Butler, among others, in order explore the nature of hegemony, the Occupy movement, the Arab Spring, the responses of authorities to protest and emotion and public performance in, and representation of, protest. The book concludes with David Graeber’s reply to reviews of his recent The Democracy Project: A History, A Crisis, A Movement.

Mediterranean Politics

The Arab Uprisings led to an increased interest in studying protests in the MENA region. The article examines this literature, provides suggestions for further research and reflects how the study of MENA protests can contribute to a crossregional research agenda. It looks at rationalist-structuralist approaches, on studies in the framework of social movement theory, and political economy approaches. The article suggests combining the latter with SMT in broader concepts such as the 'incorporation crisis', originally developed for Latin America, allowing for more cross-regional comparisons. Finally, it discusses the latest methodological developments for collecting data on protests in the MENA post-2011.