Doctoral Dissertation Research: Violence, Social Protests, and Policing Styles in the United States

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

SES-1030291 PI: John Ryan PI: Dale W. Wimberley Co-PI: Thomas N. Ratliff Institution: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University This project tests dominant approaches to protest event analysis, presenting an integrated model identifying the conditions for violent protests in the U.S. from 1989-2009. It addresses the following questions: What tactics do police tend to use against certain forms of protest? What protester performances and policing styles tend to intersect violently? Do certain social movements disproportionately encounter violent repression? How do countermovements and their ?counter? performances at protest events contribute to violence? Data will be collected on protest events and law enforcement characteristics from Census Data, City and County Data Books, the Department of Justice, and four major U.S. newspapers. Broader Impacts: This project will inform activists about strategies for expressing dissent while avoiding significant confrontations that pose the risk of becoming violent. This research also addresses how certain policing styles may influence levels of violence at protests, thereby providing insights for police on how to avoid violent confrontations at protest events.