Resilience and Rebellion: Unraveling the Dynamics of 21st Century Protest Movements and Their Impact on Societal and Political Change

In
the heart of São Paulo, Brazil, on the fateful day of June 13, 2013, Vincent
Bevins, an ordinary citizen turned unwitting witness, stood amidst a swelling
tide of dissent. Suddenly pandemonium broke out when police used tear gas and
stun grenades against the protesters. Bevins, seeking safety in a building
entrance found himself in the midst of a battle for freedom where the clash
between protest and authority unfolded in a manner. This compelling story of a
significant protest captures the environment of activism in the 21^st
century where efforts for societal change often face violent opposition.
Through Bevins perspective, we catch a glimpse of the emotions and serious
outcomes of challenging established power paving the way for insight into the
motivations and impact of modern protest movements. As we transform from the
vivid illustration of protest dynamics, this paper delves into the underlying
factors driving the evolution and dynamics of protest movements in the 21^st
century, and how these movements shape and influence societal and political
change.

Literature
Review: 

Researchers
find the resilience and dynamics of contemporary protest movements puzzling
because they defy traditional models of social and political change. For
instance, Cerulo (2019) highlights the perplexing nature of resistance in the
21st century, where protests often arise spontaneously and mobilize diverse
groups through digital networks, challenging conventional notions of
organizational structure and leadership. Similarly, Wahlström and Törnberg
(2019) point out the enigmatic role of social media in facilitating both
left-wing and right-wing movements, blurring the boundaries between online
discourse and offline action. This departure from established frameworks leaves
scholars questioning the efficacy and sustainability of modern protest strategies
in effecting meaningful societal transformation.

Researchers
pose various arguments about the evolution and impact of protest movements in
the 21st century. Bevins (2023) reflects on the failures of street movements in
the 2010s, questioning why such fervent displays of dissent often fail to
achieve lasting change. Bohrer (2015), on the other hand, explores the
intersectionality of feminism and nude protest, suggesting that unconventional
forms of activism challenge dominant power structures by subverting societal
norms and expectations. Campbell (2013) raises the issue of community
mobilization, advocating for an updated theory of social change that
incorporates the complexities of modern activism, including the role of digital
technologies and decentralized networks. Carothers and Thomas (2022) identify
four key dynamics driving protests in contemporary times, emphasizing the
interconnectedness of global movements and the influence of social, economic,
and political factors on their trajectory. These diverse perspectives
underscore the multifaceted nature of protest movements in shaping societal and
political landscapes.

References: 

Bevins, V. (2023, October 10). The mass
protest decade: why did the street movements of the 2010s fail? The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/10/the-mass-protest-decade-why-did-the-street-movements-of-the-2010s-fail

Bohrer, A. (2015). Neoliberalism Laid
Bare: Feminism, Intersectionality, and Nude Protest in the 21st Century.  Melbourne Journal of Politics, 37(0085-3224),
3–18.

Campbell, C. (2013). Community
mobilisation in the 21st century: Updating our theory of social change? Journal
of Health Psychology, 19(1), 46–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105313500262

Carothers, B. P., Thomas, &
Carothers, B. P., Thomas. (2022, January). The Four Dynamics That Drove
Protests in 2021. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. https://carnegieendowment.org/2022/01/13/four-dynamics-that-drove-protests-in-2021-pub-86185

Cerulo, K. A. (2019). Introduction:
Resistance in the Twenty‐First Century. Sociological Forum, 34. https://doi.org/10.1111/socf.12552

Do today’s global protests have
anything in common? (2019, November 11). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-50123743

Ibrahim, J., Millward, P., Roberts, J.,
& Spracklen, K. (2022). Introduction: Social theory and social movements –
21st-century innovations and contentions. Capital & Class, 47(1),
030981682211369. https://doi.org/10.1177/03098168221136990

Steil, J. P., & Vasi, I. B. (2014).
The New Immigration Contestation: Social Movements and Local Immigration Policy
Making in the United States, 2000–2011. American Journal of Sociology, 119(4),
1104–1155. https://doi.org/10.1086/675301

Tormey, S. (2015). Democracy Will Never
be the Same Again: 21st Century Protest and the Transformation of Politics. Recerca.
Revista de Pensament I Anàlisi., 17, 107–128. https://doi.org/10.6035/recerca.2015.17.6

Wahlström, M., & Törnberg, A.
(2019). Social Media Mechanisms for Right-Wing Political Violence in the 21st
Century: Discursive Opportunities, Group Dynamics, and Co-Ordination. Terrorism
and Political Violence, 33(4), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/09546553.2019.1586676

A few things to keep in mind: 

1. Use left alignment for paragraphs. Only center the heading.
2. Bold the title.
3.Cite the source from which you took the anecdote.
4. My thesis has to be argumentative. It has to be a claim with which readers can disagree. We can’t disagree with “delving.. So maybe change it up a bit”
5. All ten sources must be cited in the Lit Review. You must add: “Do Today’s,” Ibrahim et al.,, Steil and Vasi, and Tomey.
6. For Carothers and Thomas only name the authors once on your Reference page.  

Structure: 

• Title Page (on a page by itself, containing the title, your name, the school name, the course name, my name, and the due date of the final draft).

• Abstract (brief, 1 paragraph summary of your paper including keywords, on a page by itself)

• Title of the Paper above your introduction (¾ of a page long, 1 paragraph). Must include a surprising quote OR a surprising statistic OR a surprising anecdote from one of your sources designed to catch readers’ attention. The thesis must be the last sentence.

• Literature Review (2 paragraphs, ¾ of a page long), citing all 10 required sources. Tell why your sources consider the thesis puzzling (paragraph 1), then give an overview of arguments your sources have already made about the thesis (paragraph 2).

• Argument (5 paragraphs) including an introduction (¼ to ½ of a page including thesis) and 4 body paragraphs (¾ of a page each) supporting your thesis.

• Discussion (2 paragraphs) 1 discussing a major discovery uncovered by your research (½ to ¾ of a page) and 1 limitations paragraph (¼ of a page) talking about what your research was unable to discover.

• Recommendation (1 paragraph, ½ to ¾ of a page long) where you discuss a specific action that readers can take to enact change in regards to your thesis about protest movements and tell them step-by-step how to take those actions.

• References