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Expanding protest event analysis through videos

Author

Listed:
  • della Porta, Donatella
  • Hunger, Sophia
  • Hutter, Swen
  • Lavizzari, Anna

Abstract

The increasing availability of digital video material has led to its widespread use in the social sciences, especially in research adopting processual and relational approaches. However, methodological reflection has not developed at the same pace. In this article, we propose ways to extend classical protest event analysis using videos of contentious events. Our novel method, video-enhanced protest event analysis (vPEA), expands protest event research on two frontiers. First, researchers can use vPEA extractively, contributing to source triangulation and increasing the validity of written sources. Second, it can be used reconstructively, expanding the range of information available by capturing emotional atmosphere, choreography, and processes and dynamics more generally. The article provides a step-by-step guide through the vPEA process, which we illustrate using a secondary analysis of existing research and original material on Covid-related protests in Germany and Italy.

Suggested Citation

  • della Porta, Donatella & Hunger, Sophia & Hutter, Swen & Lavizzari, Anna, 2024. "Expanding protest event analysis through videos," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 29(2), pages 245-262.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:espost:320476
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hutter, Swen, 2019. "Comment: Exploring the Full Conceptual Potential of Protest Event Analysis," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 49(1), pages 58-63.
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    3. Anne Nassauer & Nicolas M. Legewie, 2019. "Analyzing 21st Century Video Data on Situational Dynamics—Issues and Challenges in Video Data Analysis," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-21, March.
    4. Anne Nassauer & Nicolas M. Legewie, 2021. "Video Data Analysis: A Methodological Frame for a Novel Research Trend," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 50(1), pages 135-174, February.
    5. Wim Bernasco & Evelien M. Hoeben & Dennis Koelma & Lasse Suonperä Liebst & Josephine Thomas & Joska Appelman & Cees G. M. Snoek & Marie Rosenkrantz Lindegaard, 2023. "Promise Into Practice: Application of Computer Vision in Empirical Research on Social Distancing," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 52(3), pages 1239-1287, August.
    6. H. Lomax & N. Casey, 1998. "Recording Social Life: Reflexivity and Video Methodology," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 3(2), pages 121-146, June.
    7. Sobolev, Anton & Chen, M. Keith & Joo, Jungseock & Steinert-Threlkeld, Zachary C., 2020. "News and Geolocated Social Media Accurately Measure Protest Size Variation," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 114(4), pages 1343-1351, November.
    8. Nicolas M. Legewie & Anne Nassauer, 2023. "Current and Future Debates in Video Data Analysis," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 52(3), pages 1107-1119, August.
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    10. Clionadh Raleigh & Roudabeh Kishi & Andrew Linke, 2023. "Correction: Political instability patterns are obscured by conflict dataset scope conditions, sources, and coding choices," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-1, December.
    11. Nassauer, Anne & Legewie, Nicolas M., 2019. "Analyzing 21st Century Video Data on Situational Dynamics—Issues and Challenges in Video Data Analysis," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 8(3).
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