Theorising Activism: Beyond The Civil Disobedience Frame

Abstract

Following the lead of John Rawls’s influential treatment in A Theory of Justice (1971), discussions of the ethics of activism among political theorists have overwhelmingly focused on the moral permissibility of civil disobedience. But civil disobedience is - of course - just one of a great many forms of political action which raise important normative questions. What, for example, are the duties of citizens engaging in legal public protest? Is there, perhaps, an obligation to avoid affiliating with fellow protestors who hold reprehensible views? Additionally, when, if ever, might there be a case for engaging in violent, rather than peaceful, resistance? Has the standard presumption in favour of nonviolent political action perhaps been overstated or inadequately defended by previous work in political theory? Finally, can citizens ever be under a duty to engage in the difficult work of political organizing, or is the oft-referenced duty to contribute in some way to processes of just social change limited to participation in political mobilisations already organised by others? Until recently the normative literature - with its fairly narrow focus on activism which is public, non-violent, non-evasive, and conscientious - has mostly neglected questions like these. The aim of this panel is to take some steps towards correcting this oversight.

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