Publication
Title
Tracing protest motives : the link between newspaper coverage, movement messages, and demonstrators' reasons to protest
Author
Abstract
Within the social movement literature, it is mostly assumed that the reasons why people join a protest demonstration are in line with the collective action frames of the organizations staging the protest. Some recent studies suggest, however, that protesters' motives are only partly aligned with the messages that are broadcasted by social movements. This study argues that activists' motives are for an important part shaped by mass media coverage on the protest issue. It investigates the link between people's reasons to protest, the campaign messages of the protest organizers, and newspaper coverage prior to the demonstration. Data cover 14 anti-austerity demonstrations in Belgium, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Results show that social movements depend a lot on other political actors to gain media visibility for their messages. Furthermore, the relationship between social movement frames and protest participant motives is mediated by newspaper coverage. Protest organizers' are able to reach demonstrators via their own communication channels to some extent, but for many of their messages, they also rely on journalists' reporting about the protest issue.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Sociological forum. - Monroe
Publication
Monroe : 2017
ISSN
0884-8971
DOI
10.1111/SOCF.12345
Volume/pages
32 :3 (2017) , p. 480-500
ISI
000416492700002
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 21.12.2017
Last edited 09.10.2023
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