New social movement, International Security, and the New Social Protest. The Rise and Fall of Pacifism

Abstract

This article examines the pacifist movement from a twofold approach: on the one hand, it discusses the various achievements of the pacifist movement regarding security issues, and, on the other hand, it assesses whether the new protests in Europe, the United States, and the Arab-Muslim world have revitalised pacifism’s claims. We are therefore interested in the role citizens’ protests play in shaping international relations, especially when it comes to exert democratic control on national governments and raise public awareness of international risks. We conclude that pacifism is not becoming a core demand for the new social protests as they challenge economic-related reforms (Europe and the United States) or attempt to topple dictatorships even by violence (Arab-Muslim world).