Short Abstract:

This panel explores the recent wave of protests that have reverberated across the global South. It reflects on the drivers of these protests, how we theorise them, how they challenge existing visions of politics and development, and how they incorporate marginalised groups.

Long Abstract:

Economic and political crises have reverberated across the Global South in recent years, giving rise to non-violent protests that have succeeded in toppling governments. From Sudan (2018) to Sri Lanka (2022) and from Lebanon (2019) to Bangladesh (2024), protestors have railed against authoritarianism, clientelism, corruption, and cost of living pressures. These protests highlight the dangers and the opportunities associated with the polycrisis: they have spurred both violent crackdowns and unprecedented energy and new forms of political imagination.

A range of theoretical frameworks have been applied to understand these movements. While social movement theories have sought to unpick the tactics and strategies of these movements, authoritarian resilience theories have generated insights into how elites have navigated protest movements. Political settlements analysis has shed light on how social and political order is underpinned by elite bargains, but has largely failed to theorise how relatively spontaneous maximalist protest movements may drive sudden shifts in the balance of power. Social contract frameworks have provided insights into how citizen-state relationships may break down but have neglected the strong moral dimensions of protests.

We invite paper proposals from academics and activists that explore several interrelated questions.

What are the drivers of protest? How should we best conceptualise and theorise them? What narratives have these movements presented and how do they challenge existing visions of politics and development? What helps a protest turn into a ‘revolution’? To what extent have protests included or excluded marginalised groups?

Propose paper