Generational Transmission of Activism: Data from the Arab Spring in Morocco reveals that first-generation protesters often drew inspiration from family histories of past repression. Those punished for dissent created a legacy encouraging subsequent activism.
Repression's Counterproductive Effect on Social Media Supporters: Using Facebook data, we find that exposure to state violence against activists in 2011 strengthened support among their connected followers. This network effect suggests that repressive tactics can galvanize opposition by signaling vulnerability through social ties.
Long-Term Implications for Authoritarian Regimes: The findings demonstrate how targeting protesters may inadvertently mobilize broader resistance networks, potentially turning repression into a catalyst for political change years later.
| Repression and Activism Among the Arab Spring's First Movers: Evidence from Morocco's February 20th Movement was authored by Adria Lawrence. It was published by Cambridge in BJPS in 2017. |
