Movements at the Border. Conflict and Protest in Portugal

This chapter surveys the trajectories and role of social movements in Portugal since the transition to democracy. Popular mobilization on an unprecedented scale was one of the remarkable traits of the Carnation Revolution. Since then, the social movement field has undergone a number of changes—at times echoing developments elsewhere in Europe, others charting its own path. By analysing these shifts, this chapter engages with key debates about the nature of politics in Portugal. Is it a low-mobilization democracy? How autonomous are its social movements, and what is their relationship with institutional politics? While usually viewed as a peripheral country characterized by low-engagement patterns, the Portuguese case reveals some surprises when one considers its bridging role in terms of innovation in forms and study of participation.