Images of surveillance : the contested and embedded visual language of anti-surveillance protests

This contribution provides an analysis of images produced and employed in protests against surveillance in Germany in 2008 and 2009. For this purpose, a method of visual analysis is developed that draws mainly on semiotics and art history. Following this method, the contribution examines a selection of images (pictures and graphic design) from the anti-surveillance protests in three steps: description of components, detection of conventional signs, and contextual analysis. Furthermore, the analysis compares the images of the two major currents of the protest (liberal and radical left) in order to elucidate the context in which images are created and used. The analysis shows that images do not merely illustrate existing political messages but contribute to movements’ systems of meaning creation and transportation. The two currents in the protests communicate their point of view through the images both strategically and expressively. The images play a crucial role in formulating groups’ different strategies as well as worldviews and identities. In addition, the analysis shows that the meaning of images is contested and contextual. Images are produced and received in specific national as well as issue contexts. Future research should address the issue of context and reception in greater depth in order to further explore the effects of visual language on mobilisation. Overall, the contribution demonstrates that systematic visual analysis allows our understanding of social movements’ aims, strategy, and collective identity to be deepened. In addition, visual analysis may provide activists themselves with a tool to critically assess their visual communication

Taking to the Streets in Germany – Disenchanted and Confident Critics in Mass Demonstrations

This paper analyses the socio-demographic attributes and political attitudes of protesters in Germany. In doing so, the paper studies participation at demonstrations, one of the key forms of non-electoral political participation in Germany and a central political arena in which to negotiate political and cultural conflicts. Methodologically, we draw on original data from nine protest surveys collected between 2003 and 2020. The demonstrations under scrutiny address a wide variety of issues such as peace, climate change, global justice, immigration, international trade and social policy. Analysing protesters’ profiles, we focus on differences both within and across demonstrations. We show that demonstrators’ socio-demographic and attitudinal characteristics diverge considerably across the surveyed demonstrations. In particular, we identify two clusters of demonstrations, differing most prominently regarding participants’ political trust, satisfaction with democracy, and perceptions of self-efficacy – the ‘disenchanted critics’ and the ‘confident critics’. Based on a regression analysis across all nine demonstrations, we further show that the distinction of these two demonstration clusters is not the result of the presence or absence of certain groups of demonstrators

eine Befragung von Vereinen und Initiativen

Das Working Paper präsentiert Ergebnisse einer Organisationsbefragung zur Auswirkung der COVID-19 Pandemie auf Vereine und Initiativen in Deutschland. Die Studie zeigt, dass die Zivilgesellschaft mit großer Wucht getroffen wurde. Viele Organisationen mussten ihre Aktivitäten einschränken oder ganz einstellen. Dennoch zeigen die Ergebnisse ebenfalls, dass sich bestimmte Organisationsformen besser anpassen und ihre Handlungsfähigkeit aufrechterhalten konnten. Dies könnte nachhaltige Auswirkungen auf die Struktur der post-pandemischen Zivilgesellschaft in Deutschland haben

Zur Kooperation zwischen Behörden und Zivilgesellschaft in der Unterstützung Geflüchteter

Daphi P. Zur Kooperation zwischen Behörden und Zivilgesellschaft in der Unterstützung Geflüchteter. Forschungsjournal Soziale Bewegungen. 2017;30(3):34-45

Politisierung und soziale Bewegungen: zwei Perspektiven

Daphi P. Politisierung und soziale Bewegungen: zwei Perspektiven . Leviathan. Berliner Zeitschrift für Sozialwissenschaft. Sonderband. 2020; 35:97-120

Zur Identität transnationaler Bewegungen

Daphi P. Zur Identität transnationaler Bewegungen. Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte. 2012;62(25-26):42-48

Becoming a Movement. Identity, Narrative and Memory in the European Global Justice Movement

Daphi P. Becoming a Movement. Identity, Narrative and Memory in the European Global Justice Movement. Radical subjects in international politics . London: Rowman & Littlefield International; 2017

Zivilgesellschaftliches Engagement für Flüchtlinge und lokale "Willkommenskultur"

Daphi P. Zivilgesellschaftliches Engagement für Flüchtlinge und lokale "Willkommenskultur". Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte. 2016;66(14-15):35-39

Zivilgesellschaftliches Engagement. Eine Einführung

Daphi P. Zivilgesellschaftliches Engagement. Eine Einführung. Opusculum. 2010;43:5-19