Why do people engage in violent tactics during a protest campaign? Understanding radical activist through regionalist mobilizations in Chile

Rodrigo M. Medel, Rodrigo A. Asún and Claudia Zúñiga

Social Science Quarterly, 2022, vol. 103, issue 5, 1061-1083

Abstract: Objective This article seeks to better understand the differences between radical and moderate activists who come from the same mobilization process. Methods Using an original survey data of participants in a regionalist movement in Chile, we employed latent class analysis on 15 different tactics. We found support for a radical, a moderate, and a non‐activist profile. Next, we applied multinomial logistic regression models to explain differences both for recruitment (moderate and radical in reference to inactive class) and for participation (radical in reference to moderate class). Results The participants who engaged in radical action were the youngest, the most embedded in activist networks, and those with the strongest perception of self‐efficacy. Conclusions These results contrast with previous evidence that associates participation in violent actions with a low perception of efficacy, isolated groups, and behavioral specialization. We argue that these differences derive from the context of our study, which can be equated to the initial phases of a protest cycle.

Date: 2022
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