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Photo of Isabel Bramsen.

Isabel Bramsen

Associate Professor | Director Peace and Conflict Studies

Photo of Isabel Bramsen.

Micro-Dynamics of Repression: How Interactions between Protesters and Security Forces Shaped the Bahraini Uprising

Author

  • Isabel Bramsen

Summary, in English

The article applies a micro-sociological approach to investigate civil-military relations in a very concrete form: How do interactions between protesters and security forces shape the development of a conflict? Based on fieldwork in Bahrain and interviews with activists, journalists and opposition politicians, the article analyses the micro-sociological dynamics of how, despite great numbers and momentum, the Arab Uprising in Bahrain was repressed without, however turning into a military insurgence as in Syria. The article argues that the Bahraini regime was able to repress and silence the February 14 uprising through; 1) non-intervention during the momentum of the uprising, 2) injuring, torturing, and imprisoning rather than killing protesters, and 3) employment of expats in the military and police. Zooming in on micro-sociological processes provides not only a detailed narrative of the events, but also a recognition of dynamics that are often overlooked, notably how particular forms of repression make people gather in solidarity and outrage, energizing further counter-action, whereas other forms of repression involving torture, imprisonment, and injuring, but no visible, lethal violence can de-energize a protest movement.

Publishing year

2018

Language

English

Pages

9-19

Publication/Series

Scandinavian Journal of Military Studies (SJMS)

Volume

2

Issue

1

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Royal Danish Defence College

Topic

  • Political Science

Keywords

  • Bahrain
  • repression
  • micro-sociology
  • Arab uprising
  • Protest

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 2596-3856