Faculty Publications

Winning The Battle Of Seattle: State Response To Perceived Crisis

Document Type

Article

Keywords

Police riots, Policing, Protest, Repression

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Illness Crisis and Loss

Volume

13

Issue

2

First Page

129

Last Page

145

Abstract

This article examines the nature of police violence in the context of social discord. Using the anti-World Trade Organization protests as a backdrop, it delineates and applies Stark's (1968) theory of police riots to explain the progression of police aggression in Seattle. The article also extends Stark's model by integrating it with a Gramscian understanding of the dynamics of ideological consent in late capitalist societies. Finally, the article demonstrates the dangers that result from official perceptions of protesters as members of the "dangerous class," and from police displays of excessive and provocative force. It also illustrates how the increased militarization of the police encourages provocative policing practices that undermine fundamental democratic rights, particularly the right to participate in peaceful protests. © 2005, Baywood Publishing Co., Inc.

Department

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology

Original Publication Date

1-1-2005

DOI of published version

10.1177/105413730501300204

Link to Full Text

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