Mass mobilisation has increased in recent decades, yet movements vary enormously in their ability to translate participation into sustained political pressure. This project argues that a key part of the explanation lies in how movements organise — and specifically in how organisational features shape the tactical choices available to them. The Grassroots project examines what predicts tactical repertoire breadth in resistance and self-determination movements. We distinguish between high-commitment tactics, such as strikes, boycotts, and civil disobedience, which require strong organisational anchoring, and lower-cost tactics, such as street protests and online campaigns, which can be more easily coordinated through digital tools. Movements that rely heavily on social media may default toward the latter, narrowing their strategic options and undermining their capacity to sustain pressure over time. The project addresses three central research questions:
- What organisational features predict the breadth of tactics used by resistance movements?
- Is reliance on social media associated with a narrower, lower-cost tactical repertoire?
- Does social media complement or substitute for the organisational infrastructures that enable high-commitment tactics?
To answer these questions, the project draws on an original survey of organisations engaged in resistance and self-determination campaigns, building on PRIO's expertise and the Strategies of Resistance Data Project (SRDP). This allows us to examine how organisational structure and patterns of digital mobilisation shape tactical choice across a wide range of movements and contexts. The project will produce new data on how resistance organisations use digital tools, and contribute to our understanding of why some movements develop the strategic depth needed to achieve their objectives while others do not.
