| ID | 153404 |
| Title Proper | Backfired government action and the spillover effect of contention |
| Other Title Information | a case study of the anti-px protests in maoming, China |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Zhu, Zi |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | This article discusses the interrelations between different episodes of contention in China through a case study of the Maoming anti-PX protests in 2014. Drawing on interviews and documentary data, the author specifies the spillover effect of previous anti-PX activism on the Maoming case. This article argues that preceding anti-PX protests helped bring about the Maoming protests, and explains how diffusion shaped protest dynamics in two aspects. First, it shows how local officials reacted to previous anti-PX episodes by taking pre-emptive measures designed to prevent mobilization in Maoming. However, this strategy backfired. Instead, it directly contributed to the anti-PX protests by facilitating cognitive liberation and activist networking. Second, this article shows how Maoming contenders also underwent a learning process. Previous anti-PX protests exerted an influence on the grievance framing in the Maoming protests and encouraged mobilization by increasing public expectations for success and legitimizing protest as a tactic. During the course of contention, Maoming protesters actively drew on their predecessors’ experiences, which shaped their own strategies accordingly. |
| `In' analytical Note | Journal of Contemporary China Vol. 26, No.106; Jul 2017: p.521-535 |
| Journal Source | Journal of Contemporary China Vol: 26 No 106 |
| Key Words | China ; Case Study ; Backfired Government ; Anti-PX Protests in Maoming |