Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: It can be argued that the appearance of a public space of difference is crucial to the functioning of democratic societies. To a certain extent, modern social movements become culturally significant to the extent that actors on this public stage can simultaneously engage and enrage fellow citizens who, in turn, situate themselves in agreement or disagreement vis-à-vis this collective space. This space of difference clearly emerged during the demonstrations that preceded the invasion of Iraq. The aim of this paper will be to explore the social representation of the public culture of dissent that developed in the early months of the war. The results indicate three factorial dimensions to the social representation of protestors: a traditional, negative component, a higher principles component, and a citizenship dimension. In general, the results indicate that participants are rejecting the traditional, negative view and are generally more accepting of the higher principles and citizenship components of the representation.

Publication Type: Paper (prepared oral presentation)
Abstract: Previous studies have shown how variation in mobilizing context appeals to different motivational dynamics. Power oriented protest appeals to instrumental motives whereas value-oriented protest appeals to ideological motives. But, the motivation to take part in political protest develops within a wider socio-political context. Therefore we argue that in models explaining motivational dynamics of political protest, political context matters too. To address this issue we conducted a study during a demonstration against the announced peace talks of the Spanish government with the terrorist group ETA. This demonstration was staged by the AVT (Terrorism Victims Association) and supported by a large political party in opposition (PP). We tested a 2x2 design varying political context (affiliation with opposition/governing party: PP/PSOE) X mobilizing context (identification with AVT: Low/ High). Results indicated that protesters who identified with the opposition party but not with AVT employed political motives, however if they did identify with AVT identification motives pushed them onto the streets. Protesters who identified with the governing party (remember, who violated protestors’ values by initiating negotiation with ETA), but not with AVT felt morally obliged to express their indignation. If these protesters also identified with AVT they protested to express their feelings of betrayal by the political party they trusted. Those results replicate the findings that mobilizing context matters, but remind us of the fact that taking part in protest is political behaviour and therefore political context should be incorporate in models explaining protest participation.