MOBILISE: A Higher Order Integration of Collective Action Research to Address Global Challenges

Emma F. Thomas, Lauren Duncan, Craig McGarty, Winnifred R. Louis, Laura G. E. Smith

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

38 Citations (SciVal)
205 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The past decade has witnessed rapid growth in popular protest, alongside an upsurge in research on collective action. The proliferation of research has been both productive and fragmenting: We have an excellent understanding of the many factors that shape participation in collective action, but we lack a framework that explains how these factors fit together. The Model of Belonging, Individual differences, Life experience and Interaction Sustaining Engagement (MOBILISE) addresses this gap to explain when, why, how, and for whom, collective action manifests. MOBILISE suggests that participation in collective action is shaped by individual differences (micro) and life experiences which, separately and in combination, lead to the formation of a group consciousness (meso) via the collectivization of grievance. Group consciousness is, in turn, the proximal predictor of collective action. Collective action itself has outcomes for people (dis/empowerment) and societies. These micro and meso processes occur in the context of macro societal factors relating to the cultural, political, and economic environment. MOBILISE highlights the transformational role of interaction in explaining the global reach and rapidity with which popular movements can form.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)107-164
Number of pages58
JournalAdvances in Political Psychology
Volume43
Issue numberS1
Early online date17 Mar 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 30 Nov 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Preparation of this manuscript was supported by an Australian Research Council Discovery Project grant (DP200101921).

Funding Information:
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Emma F. Thomas, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia 5011, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]

Keywords

  • activism
  • collective action
  • communication
  • culture
  • democracy
  • group consciousness
  • ideology
  • intergroup contact
  • morality
  • protest
  • radicalization
  • social change
  • social identity
  • social media
  • social movements

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Sociology and Political Science
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science and International Relations

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