Political street protests are popular around the world, across political ideologies, and in democracies as well as autocracies. But while protests are ever-present in the media and political discourse, their political effects are often contested. Was Friday’s for Future successful in changing the political agenda to a more environmentally friendly one? Did the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s ameliorate the political representation of Blacks in the United States?
In this seminar, we will discuss potential answers to these questions and study the newest research on the political effects of political protests. The course is organized in two thematic blocks in which we will discuss 1) How protesters can influence their chances at political change and 2) How political actors respond to protests. Among other things, we will critically reflect on the political effects of protesters using violence or consolidating their demands, the various ways in which governments, politicians, and parties respond to protests, and whether political outcomes that seem like a success for protesters can always be considered a true success.
To enable an in-depth discussion, we will focus each week on a limited selection of two empirical papers that have shaped the current discussion on the political effects of protest. Based on the papers, we will deduct strategies to read and write scientific studies effectively and familiarize ourselves with the variety of empirical methods used. Basic knowledge of statistics and quantitative research methods is helpful.
- Lehrende/r: Elena Leuschner