Political Process Theory and Transnational Movements: Dialectics of Protest among Nigeria's Ogoni Minority

Abstract

Political process theory, developed through the analysis of national social movements, is now routinely applied to movements seeking transnational support. An examination of networking by Nigeria's Ogoni ethnic minority during the 1990s suggests the need for caution in this analytic expansion. Two factors neglected by process theory, leadership and political exchange, are crucial to explaining interactions between local and transnational actors. In the Ogoni case, globally-oriented leaders framed international opportunities for local constituents, shaping the movement's goals and strategies. To realize these opportunities, Ogoni leaders projected the movement to potential backers abroad. At first rejected, the Ogoni reframed the movement to match the substantive, tactical, and organizational concerns of these powerful actors, reducing the costs and increasing the benefits of support. The ultimate effects of third party support were ambiguous, however, though in ways different than predicted by process theory. Shifting from their core issues and undertaking risky mobilizations to attract transnational support, the Ogoni also drew violent state repression which international actors were powerless to stop. These findings suggest that key political process concepts require modification when applied to transnational movements.