Political Science 414 - Protest and Politics

[SC] Can popular protests effect social change? This course begins by analyzing theories of contentious politics and then examines case studies of social movements and other forms of popular resistance. We will evaluate examples of resistance, asking questions such as: How do people bring about social change from the grassroots? Under what conditions are social movements successful? What are the implications of popular movements for democracy and good governance? We will study a range of popular movements and acts of resistance, including peasant protest, workers’ rights, anti-globalization protests, women’s movements, and democracy movements. We will analyze how the dynamics of contentious politics differ across various political, economic, and social contexts, by including cases from countries and regions such as the U.S., China, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.

Limited to 15 students.  Fall semester.  Professor Ratigan.