Which elements do the Arab Spring, the Indignados and Occupy Wall Street have in common? How do they differ? What do they share with social movements of the past? This book discusses the recent wave of global mobilisations from an unusual angle, explaining what aspects of protests spread from one country to another, how this happened, and why diffusion occurred in certain contexts but not in others. In doing this, the book casts light on the more general mechanisms of protest diffusion in contemporary societies, explaining how mobilisations travel from one country to another and, also, from...

The ascendance of austerity policies and the wave of protests they have generated have had a deep impact on the shape of contemporary politics. The stunning electoral successes of Syriza in Greece, Podemos in Spain and the Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) in Italy, alongside the quest for a more radical left in countries such as the UK and the US, bear witness to a new wave of parties that draw inspiration and strength from social movements.

While dissatisfaction with traditional institutional politics continues apace, the rise of movement parties challenges simplistic expectations of a...

The ascendance of austerity policies and the wave of protests they have generated have had a deep impact on the shape of contemporary politics. The stunning electoral successes of Syriza in Greece, Podemos in Spain and the Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) in Italy, alongside the quest for a more radical left in countries such as the UK and the US, bear witness to a new wave of parties that draw inspiration and strength from social movements.

While dissatisfaction with traditional institutional politics continues apace, the rise of movement parties challenges simplistic expectations of a...