This book showcases cutting-edge research on protest and mobilization dynamics during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic posed significant challenges for social movements while simultaneously triggering impactful mobilizations centered on the origins, policies, and politics of the pandemic.

Through a rich analysis of social movement dynamics, the book offers insights into COVID-specific protests and explores how global crises can reshape mobilization at local, national, and transnational levels. It highlights how crises can exacerbate polarization but also foster new alliances rooted in solidarity and mutual aid. The collected articles examine three key dimensions of mobilization during the pandemic: anti-lockdown protests, the legacies and innovations of solidarity activism, and the challenges and opportunities faced by existing movements. Drawing on case studies from four continents—Europe, America, Asia, and Australia—the book employs diverse methodologies and spans ideological orientations from far-right to progressive movements.

This book is an essential resource for students, scholars and practitioners in the fields of sociology, political science, social movement studies, and global studies. It will also appeal to activists and policymakers interested in understanding the dynamics of protest and mobilization during times of crisis.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Social Movement Studies.