Trust, mistrust and democratic social movements

Abstract

The panel will take a critical look at conceptual and empirical framing of the dynamic between (mis)trust in governance and social movements participation. It will also provide a more focused look at democratic and progressive social movements, typically characterized by being inclusive, non-discriminatory, and focused on democratic participation and decision-making. Despite some convincing claims relating the recent decline of trust in governance with the emergence of new social movements aiming at “reconstructing social and political trust from below” (della Porta, 2016), we lack relevant empirical research focusing directly on the relationship between mistrust in governance and collective mobilization through social movements, as well as on the effects of social movements on trust-building: what are their strategies and tactics in rebuilding or renewing trust in governance?

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