The Politics of Public Protests

The other day, I wrote the following about public protests like the Women's Marches:

"I'm often of two minds about marches/protests. Part of me fears they are just self-indulgent, a chance for participants to say 'I did something!' without actually making a difference. But another part of me thinks that maybe they do matter: they show solidarity and strength, and they keep necessary dissent alive and visible. Anyway, even if they don't do a huge amount on their own, they can be a powerful part of a larger activist package."

Here's an interesting take on possible effects of such marches. The analysis is US-centric and doesn't really argue that the marches themselves actually cause change, just that they can be a telling barometer of public opinion. But the implications are suggestive beyond this particular situation.

PS -- I saw several "Grab 'Em By the Mid-Terms" signs, too. There's a fascinating paper to be written about the semiotics of protest signs and the means of their cultural spread.