Why did Taiwanese Youth Protest in 2014? Emergence of protests from the Perspective of Mobilization Structures and Shared Grievances

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to restudy the reasons for youth activism in Taiwan in 2014, which led to the so-called Sunflower Movement. The study is based on desk research and semi-structured interviews and expert interviews conducted by the authors, and in the framework of the Daybreak Project. Additionally the analysis on the social media posts during the movement was conducted. Data were analyzed through the Bert Klandermans’ model on reasons for collective mobilization. The supply side of mobilization was divided into the role of mobilizing structures and the appeal. The demand side was analyzed through: sociopolitical characteristics of the participants; social embeddedness; shared grievances and shared emotions; group identification. The paper assumes that participation in the protests was a result of mobilizational structures – student discussion groups and the sense that the authorities were violating procedural justice principles – mainly in connection with the processing of the CSSTA.