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Power Games : Elites, Movements, and Strategic Cooperation

Holdo, Markus LU orcid (2020) In Political Studies Review 18(2). p.189-203
Abstract
Cooperation between movements and political elites are frequently associated with the risk of cooptation. Because it undercuts contentious actors, cooptation may seem rational for elites that seek to protect their interests. However, recent scholarship questions whether this view is empirically valid. Adding to these debates, this article demonstrates that even if we accept, for the sake of argument, that elites always act to maintain power, cooptation may often not be the rational choice of strategy. This article presents a typology of elite responses that focuses on three phases of elite–movement interaction: preparatory, term-setting, and confrontation phases. In each phase, elites’ choice between cooptation and conditional cooperation... (More)
Cooperation between movements and political elites are frequently associated with the risk of cooptation. Because it undercuts contentious actors, cooptation may seem rational for elites that seek to protect their interests. However, recent scholarship questions whether this view is empirically valid. Adding to these debates, this article demonstrates that even if we accept, for the sake of argument, that elites always act to maintain power, cooptation may often not be the rational choice of strategy. This article presents a typology of elite responses that focuses on three phases of elite–movement interaction: preparatory, term-setting, and confrontation phases. In each phase, elites’ choice between cooptation and conditional cooperation depends on whether legitimacy appears instrumental to achieve their goals. Cooperation, as opposed to cooptation, generates legitimacy and can, therefore, be used strategically by movements. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
movements, cooptation, power
in
Political Studies Review
volume
18
issue
2
pages
189 - 203
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85070975081
ISSN
1478-9302
DOI
10.1177/1478929919864778
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
5bcf55e2-21fa-42ec-b9c6-86846d5eeb73
date added to LUP
2023-11-18 11:15:33
date last changed
2023-12-03 04:04:31
@article{5bcf55e2-21fa-42ec-b9c6-86846d5eeb73,
  abstract     = {{Cooperation between movements and political elites are frequently associated with the risk of cooptation. Because it undercuts contentious actors, cooptation may seem rational for elites that seek to protect their interests. However, recent scholarship questions whether this view is empirically valid. Adding to these debates, this article demonstrates that even if we accept, for the sake of argument, that elites always act to maintain power, cooptation may often not be the rational choice of strategy. This article presents a typology of elite responses that focuses on three phases of elite–movement interaction: preparatory, term-setting, and confrontation phases. In each phase, elites’ choice between cooptation and conditional cooperation depends on whether legitimacy appears instrumental to achieve their goals. Cooperation, as opposed to cooptation, generates legitimacy and can, therefore, be used strategically by movements.}},
  author       = {{Holdo, Markus}},
  issn         = {{1478-9302}},
  keywords     = {{movements; cooptation; power}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{189--203}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Political Studies Review}},
  title        = {{Power Games : Elites, Movements, and Strategic Cooperation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1478929919864778}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1478929919864778}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}