Leadership, trajectories, and the attribution of opportunities and threats surrounding social protest in Colombia, 2002–2021

Abstract

In 2021, the National Strike of April 28 (28A) in Colombia triggered an extraordinary wave of protests that spurred a variety of analyses valuable for gauging the event's magnitude. However, much of this work consists of short-term studies that frame the events as spontaneous acts resulting from immediate political and/or economic circumstances. In contrast, this study argues that the phenomenon is also explained by the accumulated legacy of protest culture. Thus, factors such as leadership, trajectories of struggle, and the perception of opportunities and threats regarding protest are examined from a recent perspective. The objective is to analyze each of these factors in relation to the actors' experiences, interaction dynamics, and motivations. A mixed-methods (qualitative-quantitative) approach is employed, utilizing techniques such as documentary research, in-depth interviews, and participant observation. The study concludes, among other findings, that established movement practices were fundamental in driving the strike in question