The mechanics of protests

Abstract

Social resistance is an important part of modern day politics within democratic countries all over the world. Whether in the form of public protests and demonstrations or online informational posts, social protest aims to not only spread awareness of issues and injustices but to create change as well. Through the discussion of various studies, including "Review: Reflections on 'The Strategy of Social Protest’ by William A. Gamson, "Anti-Government Protests in Democracies: A Test of Institutional Explanations" by Yin-Pen Su, and Jose Medina's book The Epistemology of Resistance, an analysis of the nature of protests is provided for the purpose of educating individuals toward a clearer understanding of the social practice. Along with explaining the general importance of protests, I define the significance and utility of protest practices by explaining its role within democracies. In addition, I provide an evaluation of which sociopolitical environments are more or less conducive for the occurrence of protest movements.