Introduction

Reuters

It’s an interesting time for protest. In Russia, a punk band is jailed for an anti-government performance in a church. Across the United States, nuns ride a bus to call attention to social issues and illegal immigrants ride to bring focus to their cause. Meanwhile, Occupy Wall Street continues on city sidewalks and the Tea Party moves to the corridors of power. Soon the national party convention will attract all varieties of the angry and disenchanted.

But what is the difference between a well-attended futile gesture and demonstrations that can lead to real change, like the Arab Spring protests? What makes protests effective?