Emerging Dynamics in Social Movements: Navigating Challenges and Innovating Tactics in a Shifting World

This section aims to bring together panels focused on current issues in the study of political participation and social movements. In recent years, social movements have operated against a backdrop of intensifying global upheaval, with wars, political conflicts, and social crises reshaping societies worldwide. Increasing authoritarianism and far-right governments have further cracked down on civil society mobilizations and social movements. In this complex environment, contemporary activists and participants navigate rapid changes that challenge traditional modes of resistance and catalyze the evolution of innovative forms and repertoires within social movements. We are witnessing a shift in the structure, methods, and participants of social movements as geopolitical tensions and local conflicts intersect with issues of national identity, sovereignty, and existential threat. Movements now contend with both local authorities and international actors, adding complexity to their efforts and strategies. At the same time, in today’s polarized political environment, traditional hierarchical structures are giving way to decentralized, often leaderless forms. This shift offers new possibilities for inclusivity and adaptability but raises challenges around cohesion and accountability. With Gen Z’s emphasis on intersectionality, climate justice, and social equity, social movements are evolving to be more inclusive and digitally savvy, amplifying their reach and impact through global networks and technologies. With this section, we aim to take a closer look at topics that enhance our understanding of how social movements adapt to and are transformed by these trends, encouraging dialogue on the implications of evolving forms of protest and activism. We invite panels and papers that address both the well-established core interests in the study of political participation, collective action, and social movements, as well as newer and emerging areas of academic inquiry. Aligned with the scope of the standing group on participation and mobilization, this section aims to bring the literature on political participation and social movements closer together. The panels in this section seek to explore various topics, including innovative strategies, the impact of technology, generational shifts, and frameworks for understanding the evolving landscape of activism and resistance—all of which have changed dramatically. We expect that this focus will facilitate discussions that are both empirically grounded and theoretically innovative. Topics covered will include: 1. Innovative Tactics: New protest methods like digital activism, flash mobs, and symbolic art adapt classic resistance to modern challenges. 2. Framing in Polarized Societies: How activists counter anti-movement framing and authoritarian policies. 3. Resource Mobilization: Identifying key resources for movements in shifting conflict landscapes. 4. Decentralization and Leadership: Examining leaderless movements’ benefits and coherence challenges. 5. Gen Z Activism: The impact of young activists using digital literacy and creativity in social movements. 6. Technology: Technology’s dual role in expanding movement reach and posing risks of surveillance and burnout. 7. Globalization: The role of global networks in sharing resources and adapting tactics across contexts. 8. Far-Right Mobilizations: Effects of authoritarian and far-right governance on civil society engagement. 9. Climate Activism: Evolving climate movements around backlash and escalating climate crises. 10. Activist Democracy: How movements reshape democratic ideals in the face of challenges to traditional institutions. 11. Food Activism: Food as a space for political participation, focusing on sovereignty, sustainability, and justice. Section Chairs Felix Butzlaff is an Assistant Professor at the Institute for Social Change and Sustainability at the Vienna University for Economics and Business where he works on changing patterns and understandings of participation with movements and political parties. In his previous research, he has paid particular attention to the implications changing participatory demands have for the mobilizing and integration capacities of citizen initiatives, movements, and parties as well as for the acceptance of liberal representative democracy. He is one of the co-chairs of the steering committee of the SG on Participation and Mobilization and a member of the editorial board of INDES. Zeitschrift für Politik und Gesellschaft. Nino Zhghenti is an Associate Professor at the Free University of Tbilisi, where she works on affective polarization and the role of emotions in social movements. She is also a researcher at the Memory and Anxiety Research Lab at the Free University of Tbilisi. Her work also revolves around social research methodology and the development of social mechanisms. Nino is one of the members of the Steering Committee of the SG on Participation and Mobilization.