The relationship between repression and political mobilization remains debated. This study examines police interventions during Catalonia's independence referendum on 1 October 2017, analyzing their impact on turnout through detailed aggregate data and a post-referendum survey.
Police Actions & Turnout Effects
The intervention had mixed consequences:
* Locally negative: Reduced voter turnout near intervention sites
* Regionally positive: Increased turnout in surrounding areas due to spillover effects
Implications for Political Science Understanding
Our findings reveal a counterintuitive dynamic: while police actions discouraged local voting, they paradoxically spurred participation elsewhere. This highlights the complex interplay between repression and political engagement.
| Beaten Ballots: Political Participation Dynamics Amidst Police Interventions was authored by Toni Rodon and Marc Guinjoan. It was published by Cambridge in PSR&M in 2022. |
