Disadvantaged Communities, Sudden Threats, and the Founding of Social Movement Organizations: The Case of Anti-Mafia Organizations.

This article investigates how disadvantaged communities contribute to protest activities and the founding of social movement organizations (SMOs), focusing on the role of sudden threats as catalysts. Using quantitative data from anti-Mafia mobilizations in Palermo, Italy (1983–2011), the study finds that murders of anti-Mafia figures—considered sudden threats—increase protest events particularly in disadvantaged communities, though SMO creation is generally less likely in these areas. However, protests significantly enhance SMO founding, with this effect being stronger in disadvantaged communities. An experimental study on racism in policing in the United States supports these findings, highlighting anger as a key mechanism linking sudden threats, protest willingness, and support for SMO creation. Overall, the research suggests that sudden threats activate latent grievances in disadvantaged groups, enabling them to play a distinct and important role in social mobilization and organizational founding.