Poststructuralist Protest and Social Movement Studies: A Multi-Perspectival Approach (POPMAP)

• Applicant: Dr. Judith Vey
• Subject Area: Empirical Social Research ; Political Science ; Sociological Theory
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 531846816

The scientific network "Poststructuralist Protest and Social Movement Studies: A Multi-Perspectival Approach (POPMAP)" aims to develop an independent research approach to the empirical analysis of social movements and protests. The systematic discussion of poststructuralist theories in the context of critical protest and movement research forms a desideratum of the social and cultural sciences, which the POPMAP network seeks to fill. It will therefore bring together scholars of theory and empirical studies who research protest and social movements from a poststructuralist perspective. Since this perspectival shift has implications for understanding research differently, network members will develop and implement alternative models for studying social movements and protests. From a poststructuralist perspective, POPMAP decenters the - academic - subject, which calls for reflecting on the reproduction of power in academia. Hence, POPMAP develops methods of a power-critical and collaborative research. Creating a common analytical approach will bring different poststructuralist theories, methods, and approaches into a shared and structured discussion. The network, therefore, enables intensive fundamental research in Social Movement Studies and thus provides continuous exchange on two levels: On the one hand, developing a multi-perspectival analytical approach to empirical research on social movements and protests together, and on the other hand, elaborating a collaborative research practice within the network. The network comprises the following work packages: (1) power-critical and diversity-sensitive forms of research cooperation, (2) identification of central approaches for poststructuralist protest and social movement research, (3) development of the multi-perspectival analytical approach, (4) specification of a poststructuralist research style and practice, (5) development of a research design based on the multi-perspectival approach by an example, (6) evaluation of the network and knowledge transfer. In addition to the internal working meetings of all network members, the four POPMAP workshops welcome experts in the theoretical and empirical study of social movements and protests. High-profile events (kick-off, closing event and a lecture series) with leading Social Movement Studies scholars add to the profile of POPMAP and present different theoretical approaches to social movements to a broad audience. The network’s results will be published in four peer-reviewed journal articles, and a Special Issue in an internationally renowned journal will be edited.

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks
• Co-Investigator: Dr. Mareike Gebhardt