Conceptual, methodological and contextual challenges in studying collective action: recommendations for future research

The global rise in social protest movements has forced collective action scholars in various disciplines to think about theoretical models that can comprehensively explain phenomena related to protest participation and mobilization. Despite recent advances in collective action literature, we argue that collective action scholars in social psychology still face a) conceptual challenges, associated with lack of attention to content and multiplicity of identities, b) methodological challenges, such as overreliance on self-reports and limited qualitative and mixed-method studies on collective action, and c) contextual challenges, related to an insufficient emphasis on structural and political contexts in which protest movements emerge. In this review article, we discuss each of these challenges in detail and suggest recommendations for how each challenge can be addressed in future research. We hope this paper will provide a roadmap for future research by offering critical reflections regarding how collective action is typically studied in social psychology.