LIT 10 - Threlkeld Steinert, How state and protester violence affect protester dynamics Flashcards
What are the effects of protester violence on the size of protests? Threlkeld-Steinert
Protester violence should always decrease the size of protests for two reasons: it decreases the number of bystanders who are appealed to by protesting and increases the cost of protesting for the remaining bystanders who are not deterred by protester violence.
What is the effect of protester violence on bystanders? Threlkeld-Steinert
Protester violence signals that protesters, and therefore the policy changes for which they agitate, are likely not near the median policy preference. Bystanders then continue to stand by because the new policy that the violent protesters seek is inferred to not reflect nonprotesters’ preferred policy.
How does protester violence impact regime defections? Threlkeld-Steinert
Protester violence decreases the likelihood of regime defections, further decreasing the pool of potential protesters. Peaceful protest convinces regime agents of their physical safety should they defect. However, violent protesters induce fear in these agents that they will meet the same fate if they do not remain loyal.
How does protester violence affect the legitimacy of protests? Threlkeld-Steinert
Protests containing protester violence are seen as less legitimate than peaceful ones. This increases the probability of repression and therefore the cost of protest.
How does protester nonviolence affect the likelihood of a protest growing? Threlkeld-Steinert
Protester nonviolence increases the probability that a protest grows in size, especially when states repress. Because nonviolence increases the legitimacy of protests, it decreases the probability that a state represses, as the state will pay large reputation costs. The lower probability of repression induces more bystanders to mobilise, generating a positive feedback loop.
What are the effects of state violence on the size of protests? Threlkeld-Steinert
State violence at protests should generate an n-shaped relationship with the size of a protest the next day. Low amounts of violence mobilise more protesters, while high amounts demobilise them.
What are the mechanisms by which state violence affects protest size? Threlkeld-Steinert
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How protesters and bystanders respond to repression depends on its severity relative to expectations, not an absolute level.
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Repression triggers reflexive emotional responses that can cause more or fewer people to mobilise, depending on the emotions triggered.
How do emotions affect protest dynamics? Threlkeld-Steinert
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When repression generates emboldening emotions such as anger, joy, or pride, protesters are more likely to persist and bystanders are more likely to mobilise.
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Repression can also trigger dispiriting emotions such as fear, sadness, and shame, causing protest size to decrease.
What is the relationship between repression and triggered emotions? Threlkeld-Steinert
A low level of repression triggers emboldening emotions, while severe repression induces the dispiriting ones.
