repertoiresprotests

Repertoiresprotests is a term used in the study of collective action to denote the range of protest tactics available to or used by a social movement within a given political context. The concept, closely related to repertoires of protest, emphasizes that movements draw from an organized toolkit of actions rather than acting randomly. Typical elements include petitions, demonstrations, marches, strikes, boycotts, lawsuits, civil disobedience, and, in the contemporary era, online campaigns and other digital tactics.

Repertoiresprotests are shaped by political opportunity structures, resource mobilization, organizational capacity, and cultural framing. Technological change, media coverage, state repression, and cross-movement diffusion influence which tactics are feasible or attractive. When opportunities shift, repertoires can expand with new tactics or see older ones fall out of use. Movements also mix tactics to balance visibility, risk, legitimacy, and participation.

Scholars use the concept to compare movements, examine tactical innovation, and analyze how repression or openness affects strategy. Critics caution that the framework can mask continuities in power relations or overlook everyday acts of protest not easily classified as formal actions. Notable historical exemplars include the U.S. civil rights movement’s sit-ins and bus boycotts, labor strikes, anti-colonial campaigns, and, more recently, digital mobilizations organized through social media. The term remains a central tool for understanding how protesters select, adapt, and diffuse tactics to pursue political goals.