Protest Politics

Political scientists have categorized political participation into conventional institutionalized forms like voting, and contrast them with unconventional political activities, such as protesting. At the turn of the 21st century, participation in protest increased after a sharp decline in voter participation across countries worldwide. This trend, coupled with various contextual factors, has drawn increasing scholarly attention to public protests as an alternative mode of political expression. Unlike conventional electoral-oriented forms of political participation, protesting and demonstrating carry higher risks but offer alternative avenues for unconventional civic and political engagement. The popularity and normalization of protests over time has made it one of the major channels of public voice in representative democracies. To protest is to show dissent, advocating for change by expressing grievances or demands outside institutional channels. In the context of politics, protest includes a wide range of actions. For example, activities like petitioning raise questions about their classification as protest or distinct participation modes. While protest is typically collective, individualized actions like consumer participation blur the lines. Digital participation, such as engaging in political discussions or sharing political content on social media, poses a similar dilemma. Protest participation is sometimes conflated with involvement in social movements. Although social movements frequently employ protest actions, individual engagement encompasses a broader spectrum, including various forms of collective action beyond protest. Participation in protests is intricately linked to participation in collective action. Scholars propose examining this connection through several lenses, including motivations, which entail understanding individuals’ interests and participants’ perceptions of the likelihood of success through collective action; effectiveness, referring to the ability of collective action to achieve its intended outcomes; and the impact on gender equity, which involves evaluating how collective action influences individuals based on their gender. This entry discusses the gendered dynamics of protest participation and the main drivers of protest across genders, highlighting those who participate in protest and the differential patterns of protest participation. It also discusses the impact of gender regimes on protests and the role of feminist movements in shaping public protests.