SSCI 2710U – Protest and Dissent

Why do individuals protest and/or engage in mobilized forms of political dissent? What is the role of social movements in shaping the political, economic, geographic and social contexts in which they arise? While activism, marches, riots, strikes, and other forms of protest are easily recognizable, what are the other ways in which individuals and groups might express political dissent? This course explores the ideology, formation, growth and practices of political protest, dissent and mobilization. Drawing from a range of cases (e.g., civil, labour, anti-war, Indigenous, women’s, LGBTQ, and sex worker rights movements etc.), this course traces the development of collective action in response to racial, class, gender, and political inequalities. These historical and contemporary movements of political protest and dissent will be analyzed through interdisciplinary concepts such as political opportunity, social movement organization and collective identity. Explanations of the emergence of collective action, the conditions under which people do or do not rebel, the impact of social movements, as well as the interactions between the media, state, and law enforcement and social movements will be considered.
Credit hours: 3
Lecture hours: 3
Prerequisite(s): SOCI 1000U
Credit restriction(s): POSC 2300U