Riots

In: Annual review of political science, Band 12, S. 329-343

Abstract

The past century of research has identified a host of economic, political, demographic, & other factors that seem to be associated with the prevalence of riots. The study of riots has, however, probably focused too much on these "push" factors that lead to violence & not enough on understanding the response of the state to riots. Understanding the political incentives that motivate democratic & authoritarian states to sometimes allow riots to take place & at other times to take the strongest possible law-&-order measures to prevent them is key to understanding variation in violence. Scholars also need to pay more attention to the psychological factors that encourage people to riot, & to the micro-logic of target choice within these larger events. Adapted from the source document.