Resistance, Repair, and Democratic Renewal In the Global South

In an era defined by geopolitical volatility, resurgent authoritarianism, and systemic inequalities, the Global South stands as a vital laboratory for political imagination and democratic resilience. Aligning with the XXI ISA World Congress theme, "Global Sociology in Turbulent Times," this session examines how post-colonial societies navigate the dual imperatives of resisting oppressive structures and repairing fractured social contracts.

Hosting this dialogue in Gwangju, a city globally revered for its own historic struggle for democracy profoundly underscores the transnational significance of grassroots mobilization. Across Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, contemporary crises are met not just with passive endurance, but with active resistance. Communities are pioneering innovative paradigms of "repair" healing historical injustices, reclaiming public spheres from disinformation, and confronting extractive capitalism.

This session invites sociologists to explore how these varied acts of resistance translate into sustainable "democratic renewal." We welcome comparative and empirical analyses that look beyond Western-centric democratic models to highlight Indigenous, subaltern, and localized frameworks of governance and solidarity. Key questions include: How do marginalized actors contest autocratic power in digital and physical spaces? What role does collective memory play in institutional repair? By bridging local experiences with global sociological theory, this session aims to re-centre the Global South as a primary architect of democratic futures, offering indispensable insights for co-existing justly on a changing planet.