IB Global Politics Resistance Movements Key Definitions

Civil disobedience is the deliberate, public, and usually non-violent breaking of a law to protest an injustice. Participants typically accept the legal consequences in order to draw attention to the cause and pressure authorities to change.

A socially constructed sense of self and group belonging, shaped by shared history, culture, language, religion, ethnicity, or ideology, that informs how individuals and collectives act in political life.

Nonviolent resistance is the use of tactics such as protests, strikes, boycotts, and civil disobedience to challenge authority without the use of physical force against people.

Resistance movements are organized efforts by groups or individuals to oppose and challenge existing power structures, policies, or social norms. They can take various forms, from peaceful protests to armed rebellions, and often arise in response to perceived injustices or oppression.

A social movement is a loosely organized collective of individuals or groups that mobilize around a shared goal, challenging or reinforcing existing social and political arrangements through sustained collective action.