/ News
The Formation and Consolidation of a Motley Crew - A Mixed-Method Overview of Swiss and German Corona Protests
New publication by Annika Sohre, Iljana Schubert et al.
The state response to the covid-19 crisis triggered fierce protests in German-speaking countries. Our study aims to provide an overview of the German and Swiss protest movement by examining the socio-structural make-up and worldviews of members of Corona-skeptical Telegram chats, the public appearance of protests, and the movement's collective identities. Using a mixed-methods approach, we analyzed survey (n=1089), interview (n=45), and ethnographic data, all collected between 2020 and 2022. Our findings suggest a heterogeneity of Corona-skeptics, revealing three distinct worldviews that focus on esoteric, conspiracy, and right-wing topoi. We paralleled these patterns with qualitative data and linked them to three groups present at Corona protests. Additionally, we found that collective identities—specifically, the “critical expert” and the “heroic resistance fighter”—played a crucial role in unifying the movement.
Published online: 1 September 2024.
In: German Politics and Society, Volume 42, Issue 3.