Have the dynamics of contention changed? This is the question that was asked to the social movement scholars who contributed to this volume. The easy answer to the question is “we don’t know, as we haven’t done the proper longitudinal research.” At the same time, it is hard to believe that the dynamics of contention have not changed. The past years the world seems in constant turmoil, whether we look at China, the Arab world, the African continent, Latin America, Central Europe or the Western world. What is remarkable, however, is that everything came together in so many parts of the world. Ou ... More

Have the dynamics of contention changed? This is the question that was asked to the social movement scholars who contributed to this volume. The easy answer to the question is “we don’t know, as we haven’t done the proper longitudinal research.” At the same time, it is hard to believe that the dynamics of contention have not changed. The past years the world seems in constant turmoil, whether we look at China, the Arab world, the African continent, Latin America, Central Europe or the Western world. What is remarkable, however, is that everything came together in so many parts of the world. Our “all star team” including “some of [today’s] most influential scholars in the field” (to cite our two external reviewers) was asked to not only reflect on our focal question, whether the dynamics of contention changed, but also to respond to each other’s answers. These discussions resulted in a rich compendium of answered and unanswered questions, of challenges and provoking thoughts, and of directions recommended to be found in this volume. Four concepts framed that discussion ánd shaped the framework of this volume: grievances and identities: the dynamics of demand; organisations and networks: the dynamics of supply; the dynamics of mobilization; and the changing context of contention.