RSPP Call for Papers on

Understanding the Spatial Dynamics of Social Unrest

According to Albert Hirschman (1970) when people or places perceive decreases in their quality of life they can respond in a number of ways. Individuals can take no action, stay and advocate for change, or exit and move to another place (Hoffmann, 2008). The exit of people, although worthy of ongoing study, has received profound treatment in migration studies. The exit of places through secession has been an interesting topic for regional science (McCann, 2018; Suriñach and Dentinho, 2019). The voice of populist or discontent voters has gained traction and is getting increased attention (Van-Leeuwen & Halleck-Vega, 2020).

There is a regional science literature on Social Unrest. Glaeser and Di Pasquali (1998), on the Los Angeles Social Unrest of 1992, used different explanatory variables, finding ethnic diversity, but not poverty, to be important. Collins and Margo (2007) analysed the negative consequences of Social Unrest on real estate values, demonstrating that it is better to take no action than to be protester. While protests may start in a particular place, they can quickly diffuse to other parts of a city or country, or even internationally.

To better comprehend protests it is important to get an improved understanding of the perceived spatial and social dysfunctions that ignite and fuel them, and result in them occurring in particular places at particular moments in time. Recently, we have witnessed protests in Baghdad, Paris, Barcelona, Hong Kong, Quito, Caracas, and the United States. In recent years, it seems that protests have not only become more frequent but damages they inflict have become much more considerable (Yeo, 2019).

The aim of this Call for Papers is to understand the spatial conditions that ignite protests and the spatial impacts of these events.

Interested scholars are encouraged to submit an article in the platform of Regional Science Policy and Practice (https://rsaiconnect.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17577802) until November 22, 2020. The papers will be on-line after accepted by a blind peer review process.  

The RSPP Editorial Team