Nov 1, 2016-2016
China
Activists Walk Around Chengdu in Face Masks
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ACTIVISTS/ACT.GROUPS/DESCRIPTION OF THE GROUP
Chengdu citizens
TARGET
Chengdu city government
WIDELY HELD BELIEF
The government has an obligation to do more to offer better air quality to its citizens.
CASE NARRATIVE
Issue and Opponent: The air pollution and smog of Chengdu were unbearable, and protestors marched to protest against the inaction of the city government.
Dilemma Action: The movement began when the protestors walked around the city center wearing masks to protest the pollution. However, when they sat down for a break, they were harassed by local police, wherein eight of the protestors were arrested.
Outcomes: The state-run People’s Daily ran a commentary acknowledging that air quality in Chengdu was “the public’s most talked about topic” but defended the local government. Chengdu authorities have said they would take serious steps to combat the pollution in the area.
PRIMARY STRUGGLE/GOAL
NONVIOLENT TACTICS USED
DA TACTICS USED
Social disobedience
CASE NARRATIVE WRITER
SUCCESS METRICS
7 / 12
(MC) Media Coverage
(MSYMP) Media coverage was sympathetic to the activists
(OR) Opponent response
(PS) Dilemma action built sympathy with the public
(PUN) Punishment favored the activists
(REFR) Dilemma action reframed the narrative of the opponent
(SA) Dilemma action appealed to a broad segment of the public
PART OF A LARGER CAMPAIGN
0 / 3
RESOURCES
Project documentation
Dilemma Actions Coding Guidebook
Case study documentation
Dilemma_Actions_Analysis_Dataset
SOURCES
Haas, Benjamin. 2016. “China: Protest over worsening air quality in Chengdu put down by police,” Business & Human Rights Resource Centre. Retrieved July 23, 2023. (https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/china-protest-over-worsening-air-quality-in-chengdu-put-down-by-police/).
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/smog-protest02092016121841.html. Accessed April 15, 2022.
Babones, Salvatore. 2017. “Red Alert for China’s pollution protesters,” Al Jazeera. Retrieved July 23, 2023. (https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2017/2/20/red-alert-for-chinas-pollution-protesters).
BBC News. 2016. “The artist protesters in a polluted city on edge,” Retrieved July 23, 2023. (https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-china-blog-38298407).
Wasserstrom, Jeffrey. 2017. “In China, Pollution Fears Are Both Literal And Metaphorical,” NPR. Retrieved July 23, 2023. (https://www.npr.org/2017/01/18/510127554/in-china-pollution-fears-are-both-literal-and-metaphorical).
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