Contentious politics

Timetable

Every two weeks since October 2026. 2 groups x 15 h = 30 h

Module aim (aims)

AIMS

This course is designed as an overview of the main strands in the contentious politics and social movements literature. By the end of the semester, students should have a good grounding to pursue research on questions related to disruptive and non-institutionalized politics.

SPECIFIC AIMS

International and national social movements are becoming influential actor in contemporary politics. The general aim of the study is to highlight various processes related to the origins, social composition, the development, strategy and tactics of social movements.

Specific aims of this module are:

1. Introducing major theoretical perspectives and debates in the study of social movements and protests

2. Engaging students in critical reading of multifarious sources related to social movements, protests and radicalizaton;

3. Employing theories and concepts to the analysis of a range of empirical cases;

4. Developing analytic, writing, public speaking, and discussion skills.

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

General social science knowledge, willigness to read the assignments and participate in group discussions.

Syllabus

1. What is contentious politics?

2. Mobilization and demobilization

3. Strategies and tactics of social movements

4. Social movements and violence

5. Culture and social movements

6. Emotions and contentious politics

7. Identity and social movements

 

Reading list

• Ch. Tilly, S. Tarrow, Contentious politics, Oxford University Press 2015.
• G. Martin, Social movements and protest politics (Second Edition), Routledge 2024.
• D. Della Porta, M. Diani, Social Movements. An introduction, Blackwell 2006.
• The social movements reader: cases and concepts, ed. by J. Goodwin and J. M. Jasper, Wiley 2015.
• G. Edwards, Social movements and protest, Cambridge 2014.
• J. M. Jasper, The emotions of protest, The University of Chicago Press 2018.
• J. M. Jasper, Protest : a cultural introduction to social movements, Polity 2015.