Transnational/global activism and resistance

From anti-war protests, movements for racial justice, to climate activism and the Occupy movement, activism and political resistance have historically often transcended international borders and political boundaries. As the social and economic problems of our time become increasingly globalized, and social media increases the ease of communication about happenings across the world, transnational and global contentious politics will only become more common. So far, however, contemporary political theories of resistance have tended to focus on the ethical and political questions that arise in civil disobedience within the state. Yet questions of political obligation, solidarity, the permissibility of violence, and so on, may bring up different considerations in the transnational/global setting. On the other hand, political theories of international justice have tended to focus on institutions as agents of global justice and paid less attention to the role of social movements in promoting change, and the normative questions that raises at the international level. This year’s General Conference section by the International Political Theory Standing Group will focus on the theme of activism and resistance at the transnational and/or global level. Through a series of panels, we wish to explore these and related questions: What moral and political dilemmas do activists face when engaging in global resistance? How ought agents practice cross-border solidarity? When, if ever, is it justifiable to engage in civil or uncivil as a response to injustices that have a global reach? How should we think about the morality of social movements? What are some political virtues and dispositions that activists ought to cultivate? How might the voices of marginalized political actors be meaningfully incorporated into a political theory of resistance?