The missing link in the diffusion of protest: asking others.

Area of Science:

• Social movements
• Political sociology
• Network analysis

Background:

• Protest mobilization often occurs through interpersonal networks.
• Previous research focused on how being asked influences participation.
• The role of individuals actively recruiting others remains under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the factors influencing individuals' likelihood of recruiting others into protest activities.
• To identify characteristics of active recruiters and their social networks.
• To understand the reciprocal nature of network influence in protest mobilization.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a unique dataset covering over 7,000 participants across 48 European demonstrations.
• Examination of recruitment behaviors within interpersonal networks.
• Statistical analysis to identify predictors of active recruitment.

Main Results:

• High commitment to a cause and belonging to participation-friendly networks predict active recruitment.
• Individuals tend to recruit others with similar characteristics to their own recruiters.
• Recruitment via strong social ties leads to lower subsequent recruitment activity by the participant.

Conclusions:

• Individual commitment and network structure are crucial for understanding protest recruitment dynamics.
• The diffusion of protest participation is shaped by both the source and nature of network ties.
• Understanding recruitment patterns offers insights into the sustainability and growth of social movements.