Nov 1, 2016-2016
China
Activists Walk Around Chengdu in Face Masks
Share
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).
Related cases
Nov 1, 1972-1972
Thailand
In 1971, the Thanom government launched another coup to restore authoritative rule in Thailand. They dissolved the national legislature, threw out the 1968 constitutio...
/
Jan 1, 2008-2008
Canada
Fossil fuel companies disregard human life for profits. A conference of 300 oil company reps was intended to simply focus on more corporate greed. The Yes Men wanted t...
/
Apr 25, 1965-1965
United States of America
Two of Dewey’s restaurants, a hamburger chain in Philadelphia, became popular LGBT gathering spots in the mid-60s. However, there were multiple word-of-mouth reports i...
/
Subscribe to our newsletters to get full access to all materials on our website.