Contentious_Politics_----_(PART_TWO_Repertoires,_Regimes_and_Opportunities)

Part Two: Repertoires, Regimes, and Opportunities

• Focus on how contentious politics evolves alongside shifts in political power.

Chapter 3: Democracy, Undemocracy, and Change in Repertoires

• Examination of how different regimes (democratic, undemocratic, and hybrid) influence contentious politics.

• Key Terms:

  • Contentious Repertoires: Range of known and available performances for political actors.

  • Regimes: Relationships perceived among governments, political actors, and challengers.

  • Opportunity Structures: Conditions that affect challengers' ability to advance claims.

Repertoire Change in the United States (1955-2015)

• Notable shift from Cold War apathy towards emerging political contention led by the black middle class.

• Civil Rights Movement: Key events like Brown v. Board of Education catalyzed legal mobilization and direct action tactics such as:

  • Marching on Washington: A dramatic demonstration of political strength.

  • Sit-Ins: Protests at segregated locations, adapting tactics over decades.

Innovations in Contentious Politics

• Legal Mobilization: Use of courts to advance movement goals.

• Conventional vs. Transgressive Contention:

  • Conventional = accommodated within political frameworks.

  • Transgressive = challenges standard arrangements.

• Emerging Technologies: The Internet and social media began transforming mobilization strategies post-2000.

Schools of Thought on Regimes

• Four regime types based on governmental capacity and level of democracy:

  • High-capacity undemocratic (e.g., China)

  • Low-capacity undemocratic (e.g., Somalia)

  • High-capacity democratic (e.g., Norway)

  • Low-capacity democratic (e.g., Jamaica)

The Impact of Elections on Contentious Politics

• Elections can stimulate or constrain movements across both democratic and authoritarian regimes.

• Case study of Serbia's opposition to Milošević’s regime illustrates adaptive strategies of protest.

Democratization and Dedemocratization

• Republican transitions can enrich repertoires of contention while dedemocratization tends to suppress them.

• Examples include Argentina's historical fluctuations between democracy and authoritarianism.

Hybrid Regimes: A Unique Challenge

• Hybrid regimes often exhibit both democratic and undemocratic policies causing complex forms of contention.

• Examination of conflicts in Britain, Ireland, and Israel demonstrates interplay between social movements and institutional politics.

Case Study: Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution

• Triggered by limitations placed on promised electoral reforms.

• Reflected broader themes of contention like public participation, repression, and social media activism.

Conclusion: The Interplay of Contention and Regimes

• The interaction between social movements and formal institutions underscores the dynamism in political landscapes.

• Continued conflict illustrates the challenges posed by hybrid regimes, as seen globally.