Cross-National Protest Potential for Labor and Environmental Movements: The Relevance of Opportunity
Year: 2009
Type: article
Abstract: This dissertation considers what factors-individual characteristics and a country's political conditions-predict the protest potential of people within labor and environmental social movements in various countries throughout the world.Protest literature suggests which individuals tend to protest, but does not consider which people within which movements are inclined towards protest, nor does research consider the actual tactic of protest used.Political opportunity theory has suggested that characteristics at the state-level-such as the openness of governmental decision-making, stability of elite alignments, or the level of political repression-can facilitate or constrain the ability of movement actors to achieve their goals, yet the research in this area does not compare protest across movements or countries.A multi-level modeling approach is used to answer the questions: "who protests?"and "what country-level political characteristics enable such protest?"Individuals who reside in various movements (i.e.labor and environmental) that are surveyed in the most recent wave of the World Values Survey (WVS) are analyzed.This dataset includes nationally-representative data for respondents from 64 countries.Country data is drawn from other sources that measure various political opportunities.Protest varies depending on which part of the world system movement participants resided in.Certain individual characteristics were consistent predictors of iv protest, such as education, political ideology, and post-materialist values.Physical integrity rights predicted demonstration attendance in both labor and environmental movements, for those who had and might protest (compared to those who would never).Other political opportunities, such as democracy, regime durability, political rights, and civil liberties, were significant factors in some instances, but not others.This research contributes to the literature on social movements as the first cross-national analysis of how political opportunities operate in different national contexts, for individuals in different movements.v DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to the unrecorded millions who have struggled in labor and environmental movements throughout the world against the devastation of human beings and the natural world by both capitalism and state-"socialism", all the while attempting to bring forth a new, better world based on justice, freedom, and ecological balance.vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS As a scholarly project, this dissertation owes most credit to the critique, advice, assistance, and counsel of my dissertation committee and other graduate students.In particular, my advisor Rudy Fenwick has been a calm, reliable, and thoughtful advocate and supporter at every step of the way.Our discussions have always been insightful and worthwhile, and his analysis and critique always deserving of my careful consideration.This dissertation would not the same, to say nothing of its quality, had it not been for his mentorship.My other committee members each contributed unique insights at various stages, including: Karl Kaltenthaler's keen reading of the political science and comparative literatures, and his insistence on focus and fully-specifying the models; Jerry Lewis's correct emphasis upon clarity, accuracy, and historical perspective (which led to the Chapter 6's case studies); Brent Teasdale's ever-helpful assistance with methodological concerns and interpretation; and John Zipp's support during my dissertation by facilitating my instructor responsibilities, job searching, as well as various statistical advice.Also deserving of thanks for their unofficial contributions are my fellow graduate students, particularly my officemates, Lynn Clark, Teresa Huzyak, and Dave Skubby.Their kindness, conversation, and advice offered me solace and sanity when I needed it most.Rachel Stein and Aya Kimura also made an extra effort to check-in with me to vii discuss our respective progress.Other graduate students in the Department of Sociology were also generous and helpful in a variety of ways.Also, it would be unfair (yet typical) to not mention the immeasurable assistance by those often forgotten in the academic hierarchy, the administrative assistants and janitorial staff, both of whom have been very helpful and hospitable during my years at the University of Akron.Jill, Jean, Tammy, Rodney, and D all deserve recognition in this regards.As a (somewhat) political project, this dissertation owes credit to a more abstract, amorphous, and often nameless cadre of personnel.Countless activists have influenced my perceptions regarding social movements-often pointing out the truly magnificent shortcomings of supposedly "legitimate" theories of movements.Although labor and environmental activists and movements have influenced and inspired me, I would be respite to not mention others that have contributed their moral, intellectual, and emotional passions to me: the anarchist movement, anti-racist movement, anti-war/anti-imperialist movement, economic justice movement, feminist movement, and global justice movement.Lastly, to my friends and family, whose support, sympathy, and tolerance of me while I did esoteric things-like "ran data", "dissertated", and tried to graduate-was key in knowing that my efforts were not in vain.I somehow inherited human capital from my parents Caroline and David who diligently read to me as a child and nurtured my interest in learning and academics.And, despite my best efforts, as a child of teachers I have provided additional evidence for the merits of "occupational inheritance".Their support has been crucial in my academic successes.My brothers Jeff and Tim have also been viii ridiculously tolerant of their eldest brother's obsessions, distractions, and headiness.They are both kind and gentle souls.Finally, I would like to thank Suzanne Slusser for her never-ending commitment to me, my dissertation and other projects, which she supports through her sage advice, generous attention, thoughtful editing pen, sound moral character, and her love.
Author: Dana M. Williams
Institution: University of Akron
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2283120589