Contestatory Publics

Abstract

Contestatory publics refer to the arena of confrontational claim-making which demands responsiveness and accountability to decision-makers. They are confrontational as far as they aggressively lay blame on parties they consider to be the cause of their suffering. Beyond critique, they also offer alternative visions for reconstruction by drawing on their experiences as communities who suffered from the disaster. The repertoire used in their contestations are visceral. In protests, public displays of grief, and emotional speeches, the weight of claims are established through performances of mourning and indignation. For contestatory publics, misery has a productive political power. This chapter focuses on the case of People Surge, a network of peasants, fisherfolk, urban poor communities, students, and members of religious organizations which led protest action in exceptionally challenging circumstances.