Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Why do protests radicalize to violence? We develop a general theory of protest radicalization by adapting individual-level and group-based theories of collective action. We argue that the dynamics of mobilization have implications for protest radicalization. Protests are composed of individuals with heterogeneous cost-risk tolerances which influences their political participation. When moderate factions are present in sufficient numbers, they can limit the willingness of more radical participants to escalate protest tactics. Using a series of formal models, we derived testable hypotheses that we analyze using data provided by the Mass Mobilization Project. The results support our hypotheses.
Source: Terrorism and Political Violence
Authors: Deren Onursal, Adam Hobbs
Institutions: University of Amsterdam, University of California, Riverside
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4411017016