Case Study Report on the Querdenker Movement in Germany using resource mobilization theory

The case study is intended as a report rather than a discursive essay and you can feel free to be concise.

Your case study should choose one (or a couple of complementary) approaches to discuss a case of your choice. I want this case study to be on the “Querdenker Movement” in Germany. 

To choose your case and introduce it, you should look at the definitions covered in global civil society, social movements, and contentious politics.

You should then analyse your case using one/two of the theories and approaches covered in the course: cycles of contention; resource mobilization theory; political opportunity (otherwise known as political process) theory; institutionalization and/or NGOization theory; (social movement) radicalization theory (which combines views from RMT, political opportunity and framing theory). You may wish to bring in elements raised in the week’s classes with Dr. Peace on populism and social movement repression (which may fit into the other theoretical approaches covered).

Please note that framing theory (or norm diffusion theory, or discourse theory) shouldn’t be the only approach you use in your case study.

Your case study should be structured as follows:

1. Introduction: Introduce the case, show how it fits into concepts of e.g. civil society/social movments/contentious politics (about 250 words).

   This is where you introduce and briefly describe the case that you have chosen and motivate that choice. Your case can be the same one you look at for your text analysis project if you wish. You should think about ‘episodes’ that fit into the ideas of civil society, social movements and contentious politics. It could be a campaign, a particular protest, a series of protests, or another type of contentious event.

   You can then show how it e.g. fits into definitions of social movements or contentious politics, or both. How might it fit into broader ideas of civil society? Does it contain different moments of protest and less contentious work.. etc.

   You should also describe the main features of your case briefly here – put it into context in terms of when, where, who.

   
   

2. Analysis: state clearly which approach/es you will apply to analyse particular features of your case (about 1500 words).

   Give a detailed account of how the approach/es you select can help to understand features of your case.

   To do that, you should:

   – Set up your analytical framework. Use (and cite) literature on your chosen approach/es to clearly set out what you will pay attention to in analysing your case. For example: What aspects of the political context? Which types of resources?

   Which forms of diffusion across sites in a contentious cycle? Which organizational ties? Which identities? The theoretical literature should guide your choice of features to zoom in on to analyse your case.

   – Apply your analytical framework. Describe the features you select in your analytical framework and discuss how they interacted with and shaped your chosen case. For example: what were the effects of state repression? Or the effects of a breakdown in government? Or the presence of organizational networks connected to previous political actions..?

3. Summary & reflection (250 words or less)

– Recap on the main findings of your case study analysis. Reflect on what your chosen approach/es can and can’t explain in the case, and what other approaches could be of use to provide a full analysis.

4. Bibliography/References (outside the word count)

– Include a bibliography or reference list at the end of your case study. When you use ideas, concepts, or cite work directly in the body of the case study use in-text citation. Direct quotes need page numbers, indirect citation of approaches/ideas etc does not. Provide the full reference information in a final reference list at the end of the report. The list should be in alphabetical order, and follow a standard academic format such as Harvard or Chicago (no matter which, just be consistent.

Data: what sources of information you use for your case study will vary. Some good sources include:

1. 1)  Existing academic literature. If your case is contemporary there might not be any, but you may find literature on similar cases, other cases in the same geographical area, etc. that can help you. You will nevertheless need to use academic literature to build your analytical framework, and looking at similar cases could provide a good model and reasoning. There will also be relevant academic literature on political contexts that may prove useful.

2. 2)  News coverage. News media are a good source of information that can help you to describe your case, particularly if very recent.

3. 3)  Websites & social media of actors involved in the case. To get the whole story you may also look at information produced by some of the actors involved in your case – a good source is their own websites and social media accounts.