Social Movements and Protest

Citizens mobilise across the political spectrum, through activity ranging from strikes by workers and protests over climate to rallies held by nationalist and far-right movements, and social movements shape the world both by pursuing change and by resisting it. The course draws on sociology and related fields to introduce students to how social movements, protest, and activism play out within present-day societies, taking a global comparative view of how such movements and the reactionary counter-movements opposing them emerge, expand, and leave their mark. Through interactive lectures, case studies, and core readings, it addresses questions including why people choose to join a movement in the first place, what keeps movements going over time, and why they eventually decline, building an understanding of how activism, resistance, and movements and counter-movements interact to shape political and social change.