The power of slogans: using protest writings in social movement research

This article explores the theoretical and empirical interest of protest slogans writings for social movement research. It shows how this material can contribute to a better understanding collective identities, emotions, claims made in contemporary demonstrations. Theoretically, it invites researchers go beyond actual ‘words’ invest these as political performances: increasingly individualized diversified, carry public staging discourse that address multiple audiences. Therefore, they give access individual voices expressed within movements – way interplay. To take into account their diversity, proposes typology main functions whether aim lay claims, proclaim, mobilize or witness, which will determine very form favored support. Secondly, revisits ethical methodological issues raised by collection analysis study movements. examines different ways mining potential comparison mixed method device, through either textual, visual qualitative analysis. do so, draws on experience results an international youth second decade twenty-first century, was widely applied identify compare fundamental rhetorics post-2008 protests.