Recently, UConn political scientist Seth Warner has helped uncover some really cool stuff about why protests in the U.S. occur. His research elucidates the underlying motivations behind these movements. His research finds that partisan hostility is the leading motivator pushing people to take to the streets. This usually trumps their individual policy interests. This study, titled “Partisan Animosity and Protest Participation in the United States,” is published in the journal Social Forces and presents a paradigm shift in understanding political engagement.
Warner’s research is based on three nationally representative surveys from 2014 to 2022. These surveys focused on three notable protest movements: Black Lives Matter, the climate movement, and the Tea Party. The analysis revealed that hostility toward opposing political parties was a major factor influencing protest participation across all three movements.
This data paints a sobering picture for the average American. They usually express greater hatred for the opposition than fear for the particular policy under which they are marching. To many this signals that American politics is becoming more intensely polarized. Increasingly, activists are not just organizing to advance policies, but upending the political parties of those who stand in the way.
Moreover, Warner discovered that Americans residing in areas marked by higher overall partisan animosity were more inclined to engage in protests. This was the trend that held true, regardless of how people personally felt on the issues. In doing so, it highlights how the social environment of partisan animus can destroy civic engagement.
Notably, the study pushes back against the conventional wisdom that protests are mostly motivated by a wish to see policy change. Today’s protests serve still as poignant expressions of resistance. Most importantly, they act as a check on whatever the other party tries to do in our hyper-partisan, divided government. This remarkable perspective provides an exciting new avenue for researchers. It challenges the public to rethink how they engage with the political process in the United States.
Given the current state of political polarization, Warner’s work is a particularly important and timely contribution to the understanding of civic engagement. This study is important in elucidating the role of partisan animosity. It challenges us to take these processes of emotion and social interaction on protest mobilization and behavior deeper still.