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Since the 1990s, the protest scene in Germany has been shaped by issues such as migration, the environment and welfare. These issues have often led to violent mobilisations and counter-mobilisations on the streets. The aim of the WZB ProtestMonitoring is to monitor the German protest landscape in a systematic way. On an ongoing basis, we analyse the temporal and spatial contexts of protest events, the discursive opportunity structures of protest, as well as the radicalisation processes of individual protest actors.

Since the 1990s, the protest scene in Germany has been shaped by issues such as migration, the environment and welfare. These issues have often led to violent mobilisations and counter-mobilisations on the streets. The aim of the WZB Protestmonitoring is to monitor the German protest landscape in a systematic way. On an ongoing basis, we analyse the temporal and spatial contexts of protest events, the discursive opportunity structures of protest, as well as the radicalisation processes of individual protest actors.

The coronavirus pandemic has upended social life as we know it. Everyday life is marked by containment measures like physical distancing, mandatory face masks, school closures and limited access to retail facilities and communal spaces. These measures are based on the principle of solidarity: We protect each other from infection and our healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed. However, the state can only enforce solidarity to a certain extent. Ultimately, it is practiced by citizens on a voluntary basis. As in past crises, civil society has a key role here. It connects citizens, promotes solidarity, and assists those unable to cope on their own. In addition, it acts as a critical voice and calls attention to grievances.