Contentious Politics

Contentious politics is the use of disruptive techniques to make a political point, or to change government policy.Tilly tells us that this can be through riots and demonstrations amongst other methods. The central theme behind these protests is not one of self-interest but one that seeks to better society as a whole (an example of Tilly's being that of the people seeking to abolish the 18th century slave trade)

Tilly argues that social movements combine:

1. A sustained, organized public effort making collective claims on target audiences: let us call it a campaign;
2. Employment of combinations from among the following forms of political action: creation of special purpose associations and coalitions, public meetings, solemn processions, vigils, rallies, demonstrations, petition drives, statements to and in public media, and pamphleteering; call the variable ensemble of performances the social-movement repertoire. and
3. Participants' concerted public representations of worthiness, unity, numbers and commitment (WUNC) on the part of themselves and/or their constituencies: call them WUNC displays.
(From Tilly's text 'Social Movements, 1768-2004')