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ECPR Standing Group on Participation and Mobilization

 

The standing group “Participation and Mobilization” addresses processes of mobilization and participation within and beyond conventional and institutional political arrangements: from collective social movement dynamics to individualized forms of political participation; from participation through formal organizations and coalitions to engagement in informal initiatives and networks; from voting to contentious performances in the streets and the use of the market as an arena of politics.

Dramatic changes are now occurring in the field of citizen involvement in politics. Patterns of participation and mobilization are evolving and diversifying: the forms of participation, the actors involved and the targets of actions are increasingly diverse and plural. Literature in political science and related fields, such as political sociology and political communication, show that individuals and groups are increasingly engaging in political activity outside the nation-state and outside the traditional realm of politics. Moreover, the organization of participation is very much in flux: membership and engagement in formal organizations such as parties, trade unions and interest groups are declining, while the willingness to get involved in societal affairs and politics broadly seen is growing. As a result, project type forms of engagement and situational alignments are gaining weight.

Established in 2004, the ECPR Standing Group on Participation and Mobilization provides a forum for scholars of participation and mobilization to meet, compare approaches, discuss findings, and develop new research strategies.

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