Howard E. Woodin ES Colloquium Series

The Power of Peers: How Transnational Advocacy Networks Shape Protest on Climate Change

Jennifer Hadden, Assistant Professor, Department of Government and Politics, University of Maryland

What explains why some NGOs adopt protest tactics while others do not? Hadden argues that the tactical choices of climate change NGOs are shaped by their embeddedness in transnational advocacy networks. Specifically, she finds that NGOs are more likely to adopt protest tactics when adjacent organizations – those with whom they have direct ties – have already done so. Qualitative evidence also shows that NGOs are affected by relational pressure from their peers, altering their perception of costs and benefits. These findings enhance our understanding of how networks influence the behavior of actors and offer insight into the relational processes that generate protest in global politics.