Rationalizing protests : From individuals to networks

Title data

Baule, Tim ; Bothner, Jonathan ; Kähny, Maximilian:
Rationalizing protests : From individuals to networks.
In: European Journal of Political Economy. Vol. 93 (2026) . - 102825.
ISSN 0176-2680
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2026.102825

Project information

Abstract in another language

We consider a theoretical model of network goods to explain protest participation. The model distinguishes between two equilibria: (i) when network effects are weak, individual participation is primarily driven by standalone benefits; (ii) when network effects are strong, expectations about others’ participation become crucial. Using survey data from the American National Election Studies, we estimate a spatial autoregressive model and identify both standalone and network benefits through direct and indirect effects. Our findings reveal significant spillover effects in protest participation across individuals. Specifically, we identify both types of benefits for the full United States sample as well as within more homogeneous subgroups. Across subgroups, protest dynamics are predominantly shaped by strong network effects. These estimation results, in combination with the model’s implications, offer new insights into the scale of contemporary protest movements in the United States.