Politics of alliance in the farmers’ march to Parliament in India

On 30 November 2018 tens of thousands of Indian farmers marched to Parliament and demanded a special session to discuss the deepening agrarian crisis. The protest march to Parliament was only the latest in a series of protest marches which had been organized by an umbrella group of over 200 farmers’ organizations from all over India. Moreover, for the first time, an alliance of different activist groups, political parties, trade unions and students had cohered to support the farmers and their cause. Despite its political, empirical and theoretical significance, research on the formation of alliances has gained scant attention in sociological research. Based on original research, this article suggests alliance building should be understood with reference to political opportunities, processes of meaning attribution and framing, and as a strategy, which facilitates worthiness, unity, numbers and commitment (WUNC displays, as outlined by Charles Tilly).

Using Social Network Analysis to study the Modularity of Protest Forms: The evolution of the Basque Repertoire of Contention (1980- 2014)

Demonstrations, strikes, direct actions, and acts of civil disobedience are just a few examples of the broad set of protest tactics potentially available to citizens in order to raise their demands and call the public’s attention to unjust situations. Each of these forms of claim-making can be more or less modular. Modularity, a concept originally introduced by Sidney Tarrow (1993) and popularized by Charles Tilly (1993, 1995), refers to the adaptability or degree of transferability of protest forms to different circumstances of contention. A protest form is strongly modular when it belongs to the regular repertoire of diverse actors and is employed for the defense of varied issues, against distinct targets, and in different places. Nonetheless, despite the considerable popularity of the concept for theoretical elaboration, its empirical operationalization has so far remained underdeveloped. In this article, building upon the conceptual bases set up by Wada (2012), we lay out a new perspective for the evaluation of the modularity of protest forms. Drawing upon social network analysis, we propose to analyze contingency tables generated from protest event catalogs as two-mode networks, measuring tactical transferability as weighted degree centrality (Opsahl et al. 2010). To demonstrate the usefulness of our proposed operationalization, we examine a large original dataset of protest events, applying our measure in order to evaluate repertoire change in the Basque Country over the last four decades, tracing the evolution of ten different protest forms in terms of actor transferability. Results show a relatively rigid repertoire in which demonstrations appear as dominant, at the same time that symbolic protests have gradually increased its modularity in recent years, at the expense of civil disobedience and violent direct action, which used to be significantly more relevant during the 80s and 90s. In comparison with Wada’s original proposal, the new measure of modularity proposed in this article derives from a more intuitive operationalization and offers an easily interpretable visual representation of the data. These advantages could eventually encourage more empirical research comparing the varying modularity of forms of contention across diverse contexts and periods. Manifestaciones, huelgas, acciones directas, o actos de desobediencia civil forman parte de un amplio abanico de tácticas de protesta mediante las cuales la población plantea demandas a pie de calle. Cada una de estas formas de acción reivindicativa puede ser más o menos modular. La modularidad, concepto introducido originalmente por Sidney Tarrow (1993) y popularizado por Charles Tilly (1993, 1995), hace referencia a la capacidad de adaptación, o grado de transferibilidad, de cada forma de protesta a diferentes contextos. Es decir, un modo de protesta presenta una alta modularidad si forma parte del repertorio habitual de diversos actores y es utilizado para diferentes causas, contra distintos destinatarios y en múltiples lugares. Sin embargo, el amplio desarrollo teórico del concepto no ha ido acompañado de un desarrollo similar en su operacionalización empírica. En este trabajo, partiendo de la base conceptual desarrollada por Wada (2012), planteamos una nueva perspectiva desde la que evaluar la modularidad de las formas de protesta. Así, a través del análisis de redes sociales, proponemos analizar las tablas de contingencia generadas a partir de catálogos de eventos de protesta como redes bimodales de afiliaciones, midiendo la transferibilidad de las diferentes tácticas como la centralidad de grado ponderada (Opsahl et al. 2010). Para ilustrar la utilidad de nuestra propuesta de operacionalización, utilizamos una base de datos original de eventos de protesta, aplicando nuestra medida para describir los principales cambios en el repertorio vasco de contienda durante las últimas cuatro décadas, siguiendo la evolución de la transferibilidad entre actores de diez formas de protesta diferentes. Los resultados del estudio revelan un repertorio relativamente rígido dominado por las manifestaciones y en el que la protesta simbólica ha ido adquiriendo progresivamente una mayor modularidad, a costa de la desobediencia civil y la acción directa violenta, que gozaban de mayor relevancia en los años 80 y 90. En conclusión, la nueva medida propuesta en este artículo ofrece una operacionalización más intuitiva y fácilmente representable visualmente respecto a la propuesta inicial de Wada, lo que podría incentivar la realización de más investigaciones empíricas que comparen las características de los repertorios de contienda en diferentes contextos políticos y/o periodos históricos.

“Esquadrão da Morte”, “Grupos de Extermínio” e os Movimentos Sociais: Mudanças em uma Categoria da “Violência Urbana"

Este trabalho tem por objeto as categorias de “Esquadrão da Morte” e “grupos de extermínio” enquanto pertencentes à representação coletiva de violência urbana no Rio de Janeiro. Questiona-se sobre como uma se transformou na outra e qual foi o papel dos movimentos sociais nesse processo. Na primeira parte, apresenta-se a categoria de “Esquadrão da Morte”. Na segunda, com referência na Teoria da Política Contenciosa, de Charles Tilly e Siney Tarrow, bem como no conceito de grupos estratégicos, de Olivier de Sardan, apresenta-se a agência em rede dos movimentos sociais na redefinição da categoria. Na terceira parte, através da análise de correlação e regressão, testamos se essa política contenciosa foi eficaz em disseminar a mundança. Conclui-se com uma breve síntese, na qual se recorre ao conceito de linhas de clivagem, de Gluckman. A tese é a de que a política contenciosa de movimentos sociais modificou a representação coletiva de “Esquadrão da Morte” em “grupos de extermínio”, denunciando-a frente à sociedade e contribuindo para redefinição da Lei de Crimes Hediondos (1994).

Contribuições dos Repertórios de Ações Coletivas na Organização das Populações Atingidas por Barragens: um Estudo da Usina Hidrelétrica de Itapebi

This research seeks to analyze the contributions of repertoires of collective actions in the organization of those affected by dams based on a study of the Itapebi Hydroelectric Power Plant. The repertoires of collective actions in this article are inspired by the author Charles Tilly and originate from the field of the theory of political sociology of social movements, defined as a set of forms of action in which there is political motivation. The initial assumption of the research is that the repertoires of collective actions created at the local level play a crucial role in the organization of those affected by the hydroelectric plant under study and help sustain the national demands of the Movement of Those Affected by Dams. The results of the research indicate that, through local experience, lived over the years by those involved, these repertoires have performed not only a central function in the organization of those affected in relation to compensatory issues proposals by the company responsible for the Itapebi enterprise, but also in the creation and strengthening public policies that will absorb local demands and their articulation with the national movement of the those by dams.

Contributions of Repertoires of Collective Actions in the Organization of the Populations Affected by Dams: A Study of the Itapebi Hydroelectric Power Plant

This research seeks to analyze the contributions of repertoires of collective actions in the organization of those affected by dams based on a study of the Itapebi Hydroelectric Power Plant. The repertoires of collective actions in this article are inspired by the author Charles Tilly and originate from the field of the theory of political sociology of social movements, defined as a set of forms of action in which there is political motivation. The initial assumption of the research is that the repertoires of collective actions created at the local level play a crucial role in the organization of those affected by the hydroelectric plant under study and help sustain the national demands of the Movement of Those Affected by Dams. The results of the research indicate that, through local experience, lived over the years by those involved, these repertoires have performed not only a central function in the organization of those affected in relation to compensatory issues proposals by the company responsible for the Itapebi enterprise, but also in the creation and strengthening public policies that will absorb local demands and their articulation with the national movement of the those by dams.

Masyarakat Sipil dan Gerakan Politik: Studi Kasus Reformasi Bahrain

In early 2011, countries in the Middle East and North Africa experienced a great mass movement that demanded their country leader to step down. Bahrain was one of the countries that experienced a mass movement, where the people of Bahrain demanded a government reformation that was considered authoritarian, repressive, and discriminative. The reformation that was wanted a change within the fields of politics, social, law and economy. This research aims to determine what factors causes the eruption of the mass movement in Bahrain on 2011. The writer used the concepts that the writer used to examine the problem using the concept mass movement by Eric Hoffer and the collective action by Charles Tilly and William Gamson. Based on the data there are and the theory the writer used, the factors that caused mass movement demanding reformation in Bahrain on 2011 are the disappointment from the people of Bahrain, the existence of organization and figure tha’s capable of mobilize the citizen, and also a special condition which is the mass movement that occurred in Egypt.

On the Ontological Status of Mechanisms and Processes in the Social World

This paper gives a philosophical outline of the importance of plausible ontologies in the social sciences and argues how mechanisms and processes should be placed as the foundation in the social world. The argumentation is mainly based on a critical appraisal of the use of mechanisms and processes in the works of Norbert Elias, Charles Tilly, and Jon Elster. I start by elaborating on how inquiries of scientific interest evolve to shed light on cases, facts and the things that constitute such facts, whilst the actual explanation demands the description of mechanisms and processes. Basically, focusing on (co)variation and difference making is not sufficient to sustain claims of ontological plausibility and reasonableness. It is thus pointed out how the practices and proceedings of the social sciences can be ontologically enhanced by embracing the complementary roles of mechanisms plus processes together with difference making, as is performed in a special science such as biology, as well as is informally but promisingly pursued in the works of the discussed social scientists. While discussing their work, it is also argued that we should differentiate between processes and mechanisms in order to formalize this approach, which highlights the role of technologies and institutions as prime building blocks for social explanation. I conclude by presenting a claim that in taking seriously that the purported relations between beings and entities need to make discursive sense and historical sense, the social sciences will increase our cognitive success about the things of the world.

“Sepan quantos esta carta de procuraçion vieren…”: un análisis de la comunicación política y los sectores populares en Castilla bajomedieval a partir del caso de Alfonso Sánchez del Tiemblo

Los modelos teóricos aportados por el antropólogo Eric Wolf y el sociólogo Charles Tilly para analizar las dinámicas del poder político, y sus múltiples formas de representación; son útiles para estudiar los circuitos de la comunicación política de los sectores populares en Castilla bajomedieval. Ambos aportan herramientas metodológicas para descifrar lógicas socio políticas y acceder al análisis tanto de lo dicho como de lo silenciado por los representantes de las comunidades de base, en el contexto de los inestables equilibrios de poder político en los grandes concejos de realengo del período.

„Populus to był lud, proszę państwa”. Wizualne archiwum protestów chłopskich okresu transformacji

Artykuł poświęcony jest protestom chłopskim w okresie transformacji ustrojowej w Polsce. W dominującej sferze publicznej historia ta wspominana jest niechętnie, wyparta przez pamięć transformacji jako okresu zachłystywania się kapitalizmem i budowania społeczeństwa obywatelskiego. Tymczasem protesty rolników stanowiły pierwsze tak poważne i masowe wystąpienia przeciwko neoliberalnej polityce gospodarczej. Wykorzystując kategorię badawczą "repertuarów kontestacji" (Charles Tilly), autorka analizuje podejmowane przez protestujących działania: blokady dróg, okupacje budynków rządowych, martnotrawienie jedzenia oraz przykłady chłopskiego aktywizmu wizualnego.