A New Phase of Civic Movements: Implications for International Democracy Support

In the last decade, civil society across the world has experienced signifiant change, as new civic movements and individual activists have played an increasingly important role in driving democratic processes. Especially since the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent closing of civic space in 2020, such informal civic activism has intensified across Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe, and has taken on new issues and tactics. Tightly connected to this trend is the dramatic rise in protest activity that has dominated many media headlines globally. This increase in innovative, youth, and non-violent activism is a manifestation of assertive citizenship, and it is notable that this trend has unfolded even as most policy and analytical attention has been on democratic backsliding.

This report examines the implications of this new phase of intense informal civic activism for democracy and democracy-support strategies. While much has been written on social movements, and the report reinforces many familiar points, this analysis offers up-to-date evidence of an emerging phase of activism and finds new developments in international support strategies. The report draws on evidence from five countries: Belarus, Georgia, Nicaragua, Senegal, and Thailand. 

Across these countries, the report notes emerging new features of informal activism. One particularly important change lies in the relationship between novel social movements and more established, formal civil society organisations (CSOs). New forms of coordination are emerging between the informal and formal parts of global civil society. This incipient phase of activism holds great democratic potential but has also attracted the attention of undemocratic regimes: over the last decade, autocratic and illiberal leaders have used brutal measures to suppress these emerging forms of civic mobilisation. Beyond jailing and brutally assaulting members of civic movements, regimes have attempted to discredit them with accusations of orchestrating foreign-led revolutions and attempts to destabilise their countries.

📖Read the report to learn more.