Transforming Mexico: social movements, human rights and social media By: Rupert Knox A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Sheffield School of Languages and Cultures and Department of Sociological Studies Faculty of Arts and Humanities and Faculty of Social Sciences Submission date: 14 November 2018 Abstract Mexico’s partial democratic transition resulted in widespread violence, human rights violations, inequality, corruption and impunity, frustrating the hopes and aspirations of many sections of society. However, between 2011 and 2016 three major social movements emerged to challenge injustice and demand social change. The Movement for Peace and Justice with Dignity, YoSoy132 and Ayotzinapa 43 were plural non- institutional social mobilizations empowering those victimised and marginalized in the defective democratic settlement. Human rights discourse and digital and social media have become embedded in political discourse and social practice around the world, but their meaning, uses and implications are complex and contested. This thesis examines their role in contentious collective movements in Mexico’s specific socio-political context. Qualitative case study research methods are used to examine their dynamic uses and meanings in the three mobilization processes in order to explore their enabling and constraining features. The thesis also draws on the author’s previous experience as an international human rights advocate and researcher working on Latin America. The research shows the diverse ways that human rights discourse and digital and social media feature in the practice and meaning of each movement. They are understood to enhance key aspects of civil society mobilization processes, such as strengthening the impact of trigger events and enabling the configuration of skilled support networks, but also to entail certain constraining logics which the movements grapple with to sustain contention. They contribute shaping qualities to the movements but do not monopolise or determine their practices or meaning. These are rooted in the dynamic adaptive approaches of plural actors engaging with their concrete social and political context, creatively using the resources available to mount collective public sphere challenges to the powerholders of Mexico’s partial democracy. i Table of Contents Table of Contents ..................................................................................................... ii Abbreviations ................................................................................................................. viii ................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1 What are the issues? ........................................................................................... 1 Significance of research ....................................................................................... 4 Research purpose ................................................................................................ 6 Research questions .............................................................................................. 8 1.5.1 In relation to recent social movements involved in non-institutional contentious politics in Mexico, how have human rights discourses and uses of digital and social media enabled and constrained these mobilization processes? ...................................................... 8 1.5.2 What was the role of human rights discourse in claims-making in the social mobilizations challenging powerholders and pursing social change? ................................... 8 1.5.3 How has the use of digital and social media featured in the practice and significance of these social mobilization processes? ............................................................. 9 1.5.4 How did movement practices relate to changing digital news media environment and to digital counter-attacks and threats? .......................................................................... 9 1.5.5 What does the research mean for our understanding of civil society, the role of social media, the state, and censorship in contemporary Mexico? .................................... 10 Context .............................................................................................................. 10 Research approach ............................................................................................ 14 Personal experience motivating research .......................................................... 15 Scope and limitation of research ....................................................................... 17 Structure of thesis ............................................................................................. 18 Summary Findings ............................................................................................. 19 ............................................................................................................... 22 Literature review ................................................................................................... 22 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 22 Democracy, civil society and the contested public sphere .................................. 22 ii 2.2.1 Democracy .......................................................................................................... 22 2.2.2 Civil society and active citizenship ...................................................................... 27 2.2.3 Public sphere, deliberation and contestation ..................................................... 31 Human rights discourse ..................................................................................... 34 2.3.1 Emerging human rights norms, practice and justification .................................. 35 2.3.2 Transnational activism versus local context in construction of human rights .... 37 2.3.3 Human rights, injustice, victims, voice and agency ............................................. 41 Understanding social movements ...................................................................... 44 2.4.1 Collective behaviour, rationality and structural determinants ........................... 45 2.4.2 Framing theory .................................................................................................... 47 2.4.3 New social movements (NSM) ............................................................................ 49 2.4.4 Emotions ............................................................................................................. 51 2.4.5 Actors and practices. ........................................................................................... 52 Networks, technology and communications ...................................................... 54 2.5.1 Mainstream media, digital media, the public sphere and movement practices . 55 2.5.2 Citizen journalism, alternative media and independent digital news platforms 58 Digital and social media in social movements practice ....................................... 60 2.6.1 Reducing resource costs of organizing protest ................................................... 60 2.6.2 Social media as interactive emancipatory technology ........................................ 60 2.6.3 Digital and social media and emotional engagement ......................................... 61 2.6.4 Connective vs collective action ........................................................................... 63 2.6.5 Security threats ................................................................................................... 64 Conclusion ......................................................................................................... 65 ............................................................................................................... 68 Socio-political context ............................................................................................ 68 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 68 Socio-political context and consolidation of a partial and violent democracy ..... 68 PRI corporatism, the neoliberal turn, civil society and partial transition ............ 71 The failures of the PAN transition governments ................................................. 73 The ‘war on drugs’, violence and political process ............................................. 74 The return of the PRI and gathering indignation ................................................ 76 Human rights crisis and the victims .................................................................... 77 The role of international human rights discourse in the transition process ........ 80 Plural civil Society, social movements and human rights NGOs .......................... 83 iii Media and new media environment .................................................................. 88 lnternet access, social media and information plurality ..................................... 91 Digitally networked activism ............................................................................. 94