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"It was Something that is a Necessity": Stories of Collective Protest, Vulnerability, and Well-Being
1School of Communication Studies, Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Abstract:
In this essay I explore the risks of activism I witnessed in two protesters' accounts of participating in collective protest. Listening to their stories led me to reflect on matters of well-being, embodiment and vulnerability, vicarious trauma, and the prospect of physical and emotional burnout. Protesters often put themselves in harm's way to fight for a greater good. I contend that participating in peaceful protest serves personal well-being while also contributing to broader societal senses of what constitutes a well-lived life. For better and worse, every instance etches itself on vulnerable flesh, blood, and being-in-the-world.
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