Theoretical Approaches towards Soft Repressions and Social Mobilisation: lessons learnt from Asian and regional studies

Abstract

To what extent do current models apply to analyze soft repression? Research on soft repression is still under development, and due to technological advancement, it is necessary to analyze different types of soft repression in a way to modify and refine existing typologies. Drawing on lessons learnt from Asian and regional studies, this article aims to discuss critically selected theoretical tools used to study soft repression. It scrutinizes four models that apply to delve analytically into different types of soft repression. The focus is on the most influential approaches in recent years that gained the highest impact on the development of studies on contentious politics. The first typology applies to differentiate between soft repression forms used mainly by non-state actors. The second approach treats soft repression as an explaining variable, as the text focuses on the consequences of soft repression. The third model applies to studying hard and soft repression during protests. Its analysis exposes how the combination of effectively selected forms of repression leads to the demobilization of individual movements and discourages participation in the protest. The last model involves a specific form of soft repression that uses relationships and interpersonal ties to demobilize protesters.