Abstract
The study aims to extend the existing knowledge about the dynamics of first-time participation in protest events. To tackle that puzzle we rely on extensive and innovative protest survey evidence covering 18 separate demonstrations in eight countries across nine different issues. On the individual level, age, motivation, and non-organizational mobilization appear to be consistent and robust predictors of first-timership. On the aggregate level, demonstrations staged just after or during a protest wave, large demonstrations, and demonstrations of old or new emotional movements are attended by a relatively larger share of first-timers. We conclude that it is thus the interplay of individual- and aggregate-level determinants that produces first-time participation.
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Notes
IPPS covered one demonstration in all participating nations, except for the US and the UK where respectively three (Seattle, Washington, San Francisco) and two (London and Glasgow) marches were covered. Since there were no significant differences between the respondents of these different locations, we aggregated the evidence on the country level.
By way of illustration; one of our interviewers at a certain moment was beleaguered by sans papiers, since they thought he was handing out official residence permits.
See www.europeansocialsurvey.org for more details.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Jeroen Van Laer for his efforts in helping with the MIPS data collection, and the editors as well as two anonymous reviewers for their useful comments and suggestions on an earlier draft of this manuscript.
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This article was written within the framework of the PARTIREP project. PARTIREP is an Interuniversitary Attraction Pole (UAP), funded by the Belgian Science Policy, and involving the Universitites of Antwerp (UA), Brussels (VUB & ULB), Leiden (Universiteit Leiden) and Leuven (KULeuven).
Technical Appendix: variables and scales
Technical Appendix: variables and scales
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Verhulst, J., Walgrave, S. The First Time is the Hardest? A Cross-National and Cross-Issue Comparison of First-Time Protest Participants. Polit Behav 31, 455–484 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-008-9083-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-008-9083-8