Resistance and democratisation - contradiction or collaboration?

It is our pleasure to invite you to a lecture by Stellan Vinthagen, on the topic of democratisation and resistance, at the occasion of his visit to Stockholm University.

Vinthagen’s presentation will focus on questions such as what are the contributions and the weaknesses of unarmed popular resistance movements in relation to democratization? How can party politics and non-violent resistance be combined in order to strengthen democratization, both in liberal democracies and autocracies?  

Vinthagen argues that we need to rethink the relationship between resistance and democratization in order to understand what is going on with ordinary people in peaceful protest that brings down dictators. There is a connection between popular mobilisation of unarmed resistance and democratization, but it varies in the different contexts of liberal democracies, hybrid democracies, and autocracies. Other variables include strategies, training, and dynamics. 

‘Democratisation’ is embraced by almost everyone and viewed as a process focused on state reforms, educational programs, institutional renewal, etc. The story is quite the opposite when it comes to ‘resistance’. It is a contentious concept and conventionally associated with obstruction, destruction and violence – not necessarily with democratisation.

It is therefore interesting to note that recent research shows how particular forms of resistance, i.e. popular mass mobilizations of unarmed resistance, has been shown to matter for democratisation, especially in resistance to autocracies and the creation of regime change.

Vinthagen, is the Endowed Chair in the Study of Nonviolent Direct Action and Civil Resistance, Professor of Sociology at UMass, Amherst.

The seminar will be recorded and made available at www.fuf.se