‘‘Activist’ identity Activist’ identity as a motivational resource:as a motivational resource:

Dynamics of (dis) empowerment Dynamics of (dis) empowerment at the G8 direct actions, at the G8 direct actions,

Gleneagles, 2005Gleneagles, 2005

Dermot Barr & John DruryDermot Barr & John DruryDepartment of PsychologyDepartment of PsychologyUniversity of SussexUniversity of Sussex

Empowerment in collective Empowerment in collective actionaction

Social and psychological importanceSocial and psychological importance ProcessesProcesses

– Intergroup dynamics: support, unityIntergroup dynamics: support, unity– Collective self-objectificationCollective self-objectification

Coping with disempowerment…?Coping with disempowerment…?

Coping with potential Coping with potential disempowermentdisempowerment

Activists’ cultural resourcesActivists’ cultural resources Meaning of events as contestableMeaning of events as contestable

Both of these are identity-relatedBoth of these are identity-related

RationaleRationale

Research so far has only inferred Research so far has only inferred these processes post hocthese processes post hoc

G8 Gleneagles as an opportunity to G8 Gleneagles as an opportunity to examine definitions of a potentially examine definitions of a potentially disempowering event across people disempowering event across people and timeand time

Background – scale of previous anti-Background – scale of previous anti-cap demonstrationscap demonstrations

G8 Protests 2005:G8 Protests 2005:a brief chronologya brief chronology

Saturday 2 JulySaturday 2 July MAKE POVERTY MAKE POVERTY HISTORY DEMO HISTORY DEMO Edinburgh Edinburgh

Sunday 3 JulySunday 3 July G8 ALTERNATIVES G8 ALTERNATIVES COUNTER SUMMIT COUNTER SUMMIT Edinburgh Edinburgh

Monday 4 JulyMonday 4 July CND BLOCKADE CND BLOCKADE FASLANE NUCLEAR SUB BASEFASLANE NUCLEAR SUB BASE Tuesday 5 JulyTuesday 5 July PROTEST AT PROTEST AT

DUNGAVEL DUNGAVEL ASYLUM SEEKERS PRISON ASYLUM SEEKERS PRISON Wednesday 6 JulyWednesday 6 July MARCH TO THE MARCH TO THE GATES OF GLENEAGLES GATES OF GLENEAGLES Gleneagles Gleneagles

Hotel Hotel

Our focus: The G8 BlockadeOur focus: The G8 Blockade

““Obviously the thing on Wednesday Obviously the thing on Wednesday morning was possibly the lowest point morning was possibly the lowest point in the week, we just trudged through in the week, we just trudged through the wilderness overnight for quite a the wilderness overnight for quite a significant distance, it was cold, it was significant distance, it was cold, it was wet, we hadn’t really slept, we were all wet, we hadn’t really slept, we were all very aggravated, and had been very aggravated, and had been routinely intimidated through the night routinely intimidated through the night by the police, and in a very bad by the police, and in a very bad psychological state of affairs.” (T4S1I7 psychological state of affairs.” (T4S1I7 N)N)

MethodMethod

Participant ObservationParticipant Observation Semi structured interviewsSemi structured interviews Cross-sectional Cross-sectional Opportunity sampleOpportunity sample LongitudinalLongitudinal

Unity/Fragmentation (time Unity/Fragmentation (time 1)1)

““D: How would you describe the people that are D: How would you describe the people that are protesting, going up now and have gone up protesting, going up now and have gone up recently? recently?

I think it’s a fairly mixed bag, you’ve got people I think it’s a fairly mixed bag, you’ve got people here who are protesting against G8, I suppose here who are protesting against G8, I suppose you’ve got your kind of anarchists and the anti-you’ve got your kind of anarchists and the anti-capitalist movement, and you’ve got things like capitalist movement, and you’ve got things like Make Poverty History which is going up to kind of Make Poverty History which is going up to kind of just reform as opposed to completely over-rule. So just reform as opposed to completely over-rule. So it’s quite mixed, and it is in ages as well, mixed it’s quite mixed, and it is in ages as well, mixed ages, completely mixed bag of people.” (T1S2I2 So)ages, completely mixed bag of people.” (T1S2I2 So)

““obviously most people here are probably anti-obviously most people here are probably anti-capitalist, especially for the G8 demonstrations now capitalist, especially for the G8 demonstrations now rather than the demo before on the second,” T1S2I4 rather than the demo before on the second,” T1S2I4

Unity/Fragmentation (time Unity/Fragmentation (time 2)2)

““there’s this pretension about being like a there’s this pretension about being like a whole collective” (T3S2I4)whole collective” (T3S2I4)

““the protest has changed to what happened the protest has changed to what happened before at the other G8 meetings, it’s more before at the other G8 meetings, it’s more that you have a kind of official tolerated that you have a kind of official tolerated protest, this Bob Geldorf kind of thing, which protest, this Bob Geldorf kind of thing, which you know is a meeting with, you know, you know is a meeting with, you know, making a conscious decision between making a conscious decision between protesters and basically the G8 and but that protesters and basically the G8 and but that takes away the you know it really takes away takes away the you know it really takes away the voices of the people who are really the voices of the people who are really protesting here” (T3S1I1) protesting here” (T3S1I1)

Discussion and definition of Discussion and definition of success/failure varies across success/failure varies across

participantsparticipants D: “What would you hope to achieve from this kind D: “What would you hope to achieve from this kind

of action?”of action?” Well, ideally blocking the road, (TIME 2)T3S2Well, ideally blocking the road, (TIME 2)T3S2 D: “ What would you consider a failure today, if D: “ What would you consider a failure today, if

today was to be a failure, what would that be?”today was to be a failure, what would that be?” ““A failure would be if they succeed more and more A failure would be if they succeed more and more

in dividing the protest.” T3S1I1in dividing the protest.” T3S1I1 T1S2I1T1S2I1 D D D: So what do you think the best outcome, what D: So what do you think the best outcome, what

can be achieved from the protests and what is the can be achieved from the protests and what is the best outcome that could happen?best outcome that could happen?

The best outcome would kind of be the obvious The best outcome would kind of be the obvious things, such as lessening debt, more aid and stuff things, such as lessening debt, more aid and stuff like that.like that.

Discussion and definition of Discussion and definition of success/failure varies with timesuccess/failure varies with time Time 1Time 1 D: So is that what you would hope to achieve?D: So is that what you would hope to achieve? Ultimately, it would be great to stop the thing from Ultimately, it would be great to stop the thing from

happeninghappening T1S2I2 SoT1S2I2 So

Time 2Time 2 D: What would you consider a success or a failure for the D: What would you consider a success or a failure for the

protests today?protests today? If we could just get a voice, that people be allowed to If we could just get a voice, that people be allowed to

demonstrate in the way that they feel is appropriate. demonstrate in the way that they feel is appropriate. T3S2I5T3S2I5

Time 3Time 3 I think that their hopes where that they might postpone or I think that their hopes where that they might postpone or

shut down or cause trouble for the G8 taking place. And I shut down or cause trouble for the G8 taking place. And I think it did to a certain extent it was more kind of taking think it did to a certain extent it was more kind of taking back autonomy and power from that meeting SO back autonomy and power from that meeting SO

(Dis)Empowerment varies (Dis)Empowerment varies across participantsacross participants

D: Do you feel that these kind of actions are empowering?D: Do you feel that these kind of actions are empowering? Yes. Yes. D: How would you say that they’re empowering, I mean D: How would you say that they’re empowering, I mean

why are they empowering? Is it numbers of the crowd, is it why are they empowering? Is it numbers of the crowd, is it unity, is it . . unity, is it . .

I don’t know, yes, it’s justI don’t know, yes, it’s just Female: It’s no good just giving a donation and waiting for Female: It’s no good just giving a donation and waiting for

someone else to do it, we’re just here saying this has to be someone else to do it, we’re just here saying this has to be changed, here and now.changed, here and now.

Male: You just know that you’re doing the right thing, and Male: You just know that you’re doing the right thing, and no matter what, even if you’re with the crowd or you’re not no matter what, even if you’re with the crowd or you’re not with the crowd, you’re just doing the right thing.with the crowd, you’re just doing the right thing.

(DIS)EMPOWERMENT T3S2I5(DIS)EMPOWERMENT T3S2I5 D: Do you find these type of events empowering?D: Do you find these type of events empowering? Not at the moment. Not right now. Generally, yes.Not at the moment. Not right now. Generally, yes. D: Why not right now?D: Why not right now? Because we’ve been, all power’s been taken away totally Because we’ve been, all power’s been taken away totally

from us at the moment.from us at the moment.

(Dis)Empowerment varies (Dis)Empowerment varies across timeacross time

T3S1I3 SO Time 2T3S1I3 SO Time 2 ““but to be honest I don’t know whether to feel but to be honest I don’t know whether to feel

more empowered or less empowered, because more empowered or less empowered, because it’s a kind of weird space we’re in because we it’s a kind of weird space we’re in because we don’t really know what’s happened today.”don’t really know what’s happened today.”

So Time 3So Time 3 “ “Then that’s quite empowering so its either a Then that’s quite empowering so its either a

case of having an immediate goal that you can case of having an immediate goal that you can see or knowing that you can work, that you’ve see or knowing that you can work, that you’ve got people that you’re unified with that you got people that you’re unified with that you can work together to have an eventual goal can work together to have an eventual goal that might be sometime in the future.” that might be sometime in the future.”

Redefinition of aimsRedefinition of aims REDEFINITION OF AIMS T3S1I1REDEFINITION OF AIMS T3S1I1 I think this is the main issue for me to come here, I think the main I think this is the main issue for me to come here, I think the main

political issues. But also the protest, the culture of protest, as well political issues. But also the protest, the culture of protest, as well because we should not forget what happened in Genoa and what because we should not forget what happened in Genoa and what happened to the protesters and where we went from Seattle so happened to the protesters and where we went from Seattle so that’s a global protest going on all over the worldthat’s a global protest going on all over the world

REDEFINITION OF AIMS (TIME 2) T3S2I5REDEFINITION OF AIMS (TIME 2) T3S2I5 D: Why do you take part in things like this?D: Why do you take part in things like this? ““Because I believe that everyone’s got civil rights.” Because I believe that everyone’s got civil rights.” A Time 3A Time 3 ““Yeah it almost became a struggle between us and the police, us Yeah it almost became a struggle between us and the police, us

and the state, yeah it was a much bigger bigger thing I think than and the state, yeah it was a much bigger bigger thing I think than maybe like us against the G8” maybe like us against the G8”

D: Do you think then that it achieved what it hoped to achieveD: Do you think then that it achieved what it hoped to achieve P(S): “No. I don’t think it really did. In terms of getting groups, one P(S): “No. I don’t think it really did. In terms of getting groups, one

of the things that I think is the best thing about that kind of thing of the things that I think is the best thing about that kind of thing is that it got groups together.” is that it got groups together.”

(Sa Time 3) Inability to redefine aims(Sa Time 3) Inability to redefine aims Prior to going I thought that we might achieve something, or we’d Prior to going I thought that we might achieve something, or we’d

see an actual sort of, you know, something would happen.see an actual sort of, you know, something would happen.

Reference groupsReference groups (N Time 3)(N Time 3) Then back to Stirling after blockading the road felt Then back to Stirling after blockading the road felt

extremely disenfranchising, but then in the extremely disenfranchising, but then in the evening talking to other people and really getting evening talking to other people and really getting an idea of the picture of what had been going on, an idea of the picture of what had been going on, through working in the media centre and receiving through working in the media centre and receiving calls and looking through the timeline the logs of calls and looking through the timeline the logs of what had been happening, I saw that actually we what had been happening, I saw that actually we had been very effective had been very effective

REFERENCE GROUP T3S1I2 AREFERENCE GROUP T3S1I2 A There was stuff going on in Edinburgh, I believe, There was stuff going on in Edinburgh, I believe,

you know, through our wonderful network of you know, through our wonderful network of communications, it seems that they managed to communications, it seems that they managed to achieve quite a lot, but, and keep it going for quite achieve quite a lot, but, and keep it going for quite a long time.a long time.

Reference GroupsReference Groups Sa Time 3Sa Time 3 Int: What did you think of the idea of affinity groupsInt: What did you think of the idea of affinity groups ““I didn’t really have one”….I didn’t really have one”…. Int: So could you sum up the weeks events and Int: So could you sum up the weeks events and

what they meant for youwhat they meant for you Sa: The events didn’t mean very much cause I Sa: The events didn’t mean very much cause I

didn’t think they were successfuldidn’t think they were successful D Time 3D Time 3 ““I just know from like my friends back home people I just know from like my friends back home people

from people I talked to afterwards, my parents, from people I talked to afterwards, my parents, they saw what we were doing as a really like a bad they saw what we were doing as a really like a bad thing that we weren’t doing it for a purpose as such thing that we weren’t doing it for a purpose as such we just wanted to kind of cause havoc. I don’t think we just wanted to kind of cause havoc. I don’t think the real reason got across to everyone.”the real reason got across to everyone.”

CampsiteCampsite N After)N After) D: The camp at Stirling, how important do you think that was.D: The camp at Stirling, how important do you think that was. P(N): I think that was very important. The temporary P(N): I think that was very important. The temporary

autonomous zone, the zone that the camp took up, the area autonomous zone, the zone that the camp took up, the area that the camp occupied becamae a, the small little island of that the camp occupied becamae a, the small little island of sanity amongst our world, you really got to see an example of sanity amongst our world, you really got to see an example of how society could be organised. So that made the ideals of what how society could be organised. So that made the ideals of what you were fighting for somewhat more tangible and therefore you were fighting for somewhat more tangible and therefore more real, because you had this little example of an alternative more real, because you had this little example of an alternative way of working.way of working.

EMPOWERS (So After)EMPOWERS (So After) D: How important do you think the campsite was for the D: How important do you think the campsite was for the

protestsprotests P(S): I think it was very important. I think it was actually like the P(S): I think it was very important. I think it was actually like the

very central part of the G8 protests. Because actually what it very central part of the G8 protests. Because actually what it did was allow activists to network with each other to understand did was allow activists to network with each other to understand each others kind of ideas and opinions but it was also it gave each others kind of ideas and opinions but it was also it gave you quite a sort of sense of power cause actually you could see you quite a sort of sense of power cause actually you could see that you weren’t standing alone that you were standing with that you weren’t standing alone that you were standing with how ever many other people in one area.how ever many other people in one area.

CAMP(alice after)CAMP(alice after) And it was such a brilliant buzz on camp to see that we were And it was such a brilliant buzz on camp to see that we were

living this kind of I don’t know anarcho-syndiclist dream.living this kind of I don’t know anarcho-syndiclist dream.

CampsiteCampsite Yeah Stirling yeahYeah Stirling yeah D: And what did you think of the atmosphere there D: And what did you think of the atmosphere there

and how did that make you feel?and how did that make you feel? P(D): It was quite on guard all the time, probably P(D): It was quite on guard all the time, probably

cause the police were obviously around all the time cause the police were obviously around all the time and there was quite a lot of am very like groupy and there was quite a lot of am very like groupy very kind of cliquey different groups kind of very kind of cliquey different groups kind of planning different actions am so it made you feel planning different actions am so it made you feel like part of it if you were in your own group I guess like part of it if you were in your own group I guess but if you weren’t you felt kind of like on the but if you weren’t you felt kind of like on the outsideoutside

CAMP (Sara After)CAMP (Sara After) There was a lot of fear within the camp which was There was a lot of fear within the camp which was

unnecessary and it seemed like more people spent unnecessary and it seemed like more people spent their time worrying than taking any action.their time worrying than taking any action.

Identity as lens for Identity as lens for evaluationevaluation

Little unificationLittle unification Some participants were able to Some participants were able to

redefine aims reflecting social redefine aims reflecting social identityidentity

Participants used different reference Participants used different reference groups reflecting social identitygroups reflecting social identity

Participants valued Stirling campsite Participants valued Stirling campsite differently reflecting CSOdifferently reflecting CSO

Identity as a lens for Identity as a lens for evaluationevaluation

Int: Have your experiences affected Int: Have your experiences affected your motivation in getting involved in your motivation in getting involved in other demonstrations and other other demonstrations and other things?things?

Well, I’m a die hard protester so …Well, I’m a die hard protester so … (O After) (O After)

‘‘Lifestylism’Lifestylism’Female: Yes, to network Female: Yes, to network and you just want to be seenand you just want to be seen, want to , want to

get involved, and what you are fighting for is actually, you’re on get involved, and what you are fighting for is actually, you’re on the right path or something, T3S1I2the right path or something, T3S1I2

A AfterA After ““It will definitely change the way I feel about protesting and am It will definitely change the way I feel about protesting and am

just being part of , I dunno I don’t want to label it as a counter just being part of , I dunno I don’t want to label it as a counter culture or lifestyle or just something but its just something I can culture or lifestyle or just something but its just something I can see myself sticking with for the rest of my life you know.”see myself sticking with for the rest of my life you know.”

““I think that some of the demos that were the most empowering I think that some of the demos that were the most empowering were not ones that were kind of about a far off goal they were were not ones that were kind of about a far off goal they were things like the reclaim the streets demo because it was like right things like the reclaim the streets demo because it was like right now this is our space and that was more empowering because now this is our space and that was more empowering because actually right now you were doing exactly what you wanted to be actually right now you were doing exactly what you wanted to be doing. And you were achieving your objective by being on the doing. And you were achieving your objective by being on the demo” So Time 3demo” So Time 3

T3S1I2 AT3S1I2 A D: Was it, tell me why you’re involved in this.D: Was it, tell me why you’re involved in this. I’m . . . why am I an activist? Because I fucking love itI’m . . . why am I an activist? Because I fucking love it

ConclusionsConclusions

Activist identity operated as a Activist identity operated as a motivational resource in the motivational resource in the interpretation of potentially interpretation of potentially disempowering events.disempowering events.

This allows participants to carry on This allows participants to carry on even when isolatedeven when isolated

It may increase their isolationIt may increase their isolation