Mobilization for and Against Democracy

This review examines the expanding body of scholarship on contentious mobilization and its dual role in shaping democratization and democratic decline. It synthesizes research on the conditions under which mass mobilization contributes to democratic transitions, deepening, and consolidation, as well as when it facilitates authoritarian resurgence and democratic backsliding. The review covers key debates on tactics, class composition, organizational infrastructure, ideological framing, and regime type. It also analyzes the evolving role of civil society, digital media, and participatory institutions in both enabling and constraining democratic outcomes. While much of the earlier literature emphasized the democratizing potential of collective action, recent studies reveal a more ambivalent picture in which mass mobilization can bolster authoritarian incumbents or lead to fragmented political settlements. The essay concludes by outlining key directions for future research, including attention to discursive contestation, and the organizational strategies of both pro- and anti-democratic movements.