Leiden University Student Repository

Suurd, Daniek (2020)

The characteristics of protesters: A research into Burkina Faso's 2014 protests

Bachelor thesis | Politicologie (BSc)

This paper investigates whether participants in the October 2014 protests in Burkina Faso were a cross-section of the population, using social movement theory. For previous Burkinabe protests, qualitative research has shown that the protests were representative of society. Using data from Afrobarometer Round 6, a logistic analysis is conducted to research whether a quantitative analysis leads to the same conclusion. The analysis shows that each social movement perspective has a small explanatory effect on protest participation, indicating that protest participants indeed represented a cross-section of the population. Community membership was associated with higher participation in the October 2014 protests. This suggests that protestors were brought together and mobilized through communities, even though protestors had different motivations to participate. One motivation that protestors shared, was the aversion to the amendment to the constitution and possible re-election of...Show moreThis paper investigates whether participants in the October 2014 protests in Burkina Faso were a cross-section of the population, using social movement theory. For previous Burkinabe protests, qualitative research has shown that the protests were representative of society. Using data from Afrobarometer Round 6, a logistic analysis is conducted to research whether a quantitative analysis leads to the same conclusion. The analysis shows that each social movement perspective has a small explanatory effect on protest participation, indicating that protest participants indeed represented a cross-section of the population. Community membership was associated with higher participation in the October 2014 protests. This suggests that protestors were brought together and mobilized through communities, even though protestors had different motivations to participate. One motivation that protestors shared, was the aversion to the amendment to the constitution and possible re-election of president Blaire Compaoré.Show less

Author

Suurd, Daniek

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Internationale Betrekkingen en Organisaties

Supervisors

Demarest, L.

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en