Why Do People Refrain from Collective Action? A Multilevel Analysis of Protest- And Individual-Related Correlates of Non-Participation

Most research on protest participation has paid attention to instances in which its takes place, but few studies have focused on the reasons why people do not participate in protests (but see Authors, 2024). This paper uses bespoke survey data from six European countries (Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Romania, and the UK) to study the reasons that prevent people from participating in protests. We present what are the most prevailing reasons for non-participation in the main protest episodes that took place in the countries between 2015 and 2021, both among individuals with and without protest experience. Then, we use multilevel regression analyses to explore the protest- and individual-level correlates associated with each reason. Acknowledging that mobilization can be divided into at least two steps (consensus and action mobilization, Klandermans & Oegema, 1987), we probe how each of these steps is linked to different obstacles, as well as the characteristics of specific protests and individuals. References Authors. (2024). Protesting at the intersection of individual characteristics and obstacles to participation: An analysis of the in-person, online and pivoting styles. Journal of European Public Policy. Klandermans, B., & Oegema, D. (1987). Potentials, networks, motivations, and barriers: Steps towards participation in social movements. American Sociological Review, 52(4), 519–531.