Psychology
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Social scientific research from different traditions on collective action under repressive conditions is fragmented across different levels of analysis. The current paper takes a first step toward remedying this fragmentation by reviewing research findings on repression and collective action and organizing them into a multilevel framework. We describe the impact of repression on antecedents of collective action at the (a) individual level (including grievances, emotions, efficacy beliefs, politicized identity, and individual differences), (b) group level (including community cohesion and norms), and (c) structural level (including political opportunities and socioecological conditions). We then present an integrative summary reflecting on the broad patterns we observed in the literature. We conclude with policy implications of this work, suggesting recommendations for activists to overcome repression, for authorities to foster pluralist political participation while maintaining stability, and for researchers to further advance knowledge on repression and collective action. © 2025 The Author(s). Social Issues and Policy Review published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues.
Publication Title
Social Issues and Policy Review
Publication Date
12-2025
Volume
19
Issue
1
ISSN
1751-2395
DOI
10.1111/sipr.70000
Keywords
collective action, counter-repression, multilevel analysis, repression, resistance
Repository Citation
Ayanian, Arin H.; Adra, Aya; Zeineddine, Fouad Bou; Saab, Rim; Vollhardt, Johanna; and Tausch, Nicole, "Collective Action Under Repressive Conditions: Integration of Individual, Group, and Structural Level Research, Recommendations, and Reflections" (2025). Psychology. 952.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_psychology/952
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright Conditions
Ayanian, A. H., Adra, A., Zeineddine, F. B., Saab, R., Vollhardt, J. R., & Tausch, N. (2025). Collective Action Under Repressive Conditions: Integration of Individual, Group, and Structural Level Research, Recommendations, and Reflections. Social Issues and Policy Review, 19(1), e70000.
