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Posts tagged ‘Janjira Sombatpoonsiri’

Beyond ‘bringing down a dictator’: rethinking nonviolent resistance in the wake of right wing populism

By Janjira Sombatpoonsiri
Populist figures such as Trump and le Pen could mobilise popular support sufficient to contest other liberal/centrist candidates because of their anti-establishment rhetoric addressing the crisis of liberal democracy. They acknowledge the injustice and humiliation inflicted on their constituents through the loss of jobs and neglect of the political class.

Defying authoritarianism with humor

By Janjira Sombatpoonsiri
The experiences of Serbia and Thailand show how humor can be deployed differently, and towards different ends. In Serbia, Otpor had used humorous protest actions in a systematic way, with a well-crafted strategy of nonviolent defiance and nationwide franchises attracting broad-based support. As a result, the number of actions quantified, and effects of humor maximized. In contrast, Thailand’s Red Sunday was an ad hoc group working on a smaller scale.