How to win, from the new science of protest. Violence seldom pays; be cohesive not mixed in your demands; benefit from visible oppression; be marginal

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

The Alternative – 27 September 2024

Very interesting article from Psyche, on the “new science of social change”, which gives protestors and activists the data that can help them win. A short extract below (posted under fair use terms). [Donate to Psyche here.]

Protesters today have an opportunity. They can claim more victories if they take better advantage of what I call, in my recent book, ‘the new science of social change’ – the latest scientific evidence on what protest tactics tend to produce the best results. In terms of positive outcomes such as building public support for a cause, pressuring officeholders to implement favourable policies, or spurring desired institutional reforms, some approaches have been shown to work better than others…

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