Articulations among collective actions

In this paper I will discuss the study of collective actions within a theoretical framework that includes the notion of radical democracy as well as social democratization. The notion of ‘social democratization’ refers to the democratization processes in the private sphere. The level of analysis of public processes - political democratization- is broached through the category named “radical democracy”:  the construction of counter hegemonies resulting from the articulation of popular struggles. Consequently, the paper reflects upon the emergence and articulation of new demands and contributes to a growing synergy for a new generation of studies on democracy and democratization.

My presentation is twofold: First, I will consider the following approach: a) the studies of social movements stem from an approach that explores acquisition of rights in the context of their appearance; b) the radicalization of democracy involves democratization in the public and in the private sphere. Within this framework, special attention will be given to the analysis of the articulations among collective actions involved in the processes of struggles for the expansion of rights.  The methodology used has two main steps: the study of the micro level of analysis (actors’ practices and discourses, social democratization) and the macro level (articulations, political radicalization).

Second, I will present a case study of collective actions, developed through eight years in Argentina that explores the articulations between popular movements. I suggest that as a wide range of social movements brought new interests to the public agenda it became possible to explore ways for the construction of new political identities and the expansion of citizenship.