Comparative Perspectives on the New Politics of Dissent

In the past years a new wave of contention developed across the world. Politics of dissent spread in widely separate regions with citizens mobilising around different, but interrelated, issues: from anti-austerity measures, including a strong criticism on multinational corporations and increased inequalities, to pro-democracy struggles, including protests against authoritarian regimes and demands for “real democracy now”. Although rooted in different contexts, mobilisations belonging to this wave of contention had some traits in common that deserve further investigation. Overall, this section seeks to understand the distinctive characteristics of current and recent mobilisations, also in comparison to previous waves of contention that developed locally, nationally and transnationally. In doing this, the section pays particular attention to some aspects that seem fundamental to understand how social change is developing in a moment of deep economic crisis and political mistrust. These aspects are: the use of internet platforms and tools in the organisation of protest; the development of democratic visions and practices in the making of protest; collective identities and discourses in the formation of political subjectivities; the outcomes and consequences of protest after stages of mobilisation; and the processes of local, national and transnational diffusion in the recent wave of contention. Beyond these themes, the section considers the role of some crucial actors in recent mobilisations: migrants; extreme-right groups; and traditional economic actors, like trade unions and workers movements. The section seeks papers addressing these and other related issues. Proposals promoting cross-country comparison able to highlight the similarities and differences amongst the uprisings in the Arab countries, North-America, Europe and other regions in the world are particularly welcome. The section also supports methodological pluralism: qualitative and quantitative papers are encouraged.