Dynamics of moral outrage : an analysis of the persistence and transformation of the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill movement

Abstract

The significance of networked social movements has been increasingly recognized in social movement studies. Prominent examples include the Arab Spring, France’s Yellow Vests Movement, Black Lives Matter, and Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement. These movements were extensively organized using digital media and featured numerous incidents of violence and protester injuries, which evoked significant emotional responses among supporters. Previous research has predominantly examined how digital media are used for collaboration or explored the relationship between online activities and protest participation, while the role of violence in mobilization has been less frequently addressed. Similarly, emotional analyses in social movements have focused on the ways in which emotions facilitate or suppress participation and the development of movements, yet their interaction with digital media has remained underexplored.

To address this gap, emotional mobilization within networked social movements was investigated in this study, with the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill (AntiELAB) Movement serving as a case study. Through process tracing, including interviews, observations, and post-event analysis, the role of emotions in shaping coordinated collective action was re-examined. The transition from emotional responses to event-driven mobilization and the emergence of coordinated actions were analyzed, and the internal mechanisms that shaped and sustained the movement were identified.

It was found that the Anti-ELAB Movement was primarily characterized as an eventdriven emotional mobilization process. Moral outrage over alleged police brutality served as a moral and emotional catalyst, driving supporters to engage in protest projects and form spontaneous organizations to initiate collective action. It was also observed that boycott actions were secondary phenomena, emerging as a result of several emotional mechanisms. Individual responses to perceived pro-government entities—whether businesses or public figures—were amplified on digital platforms such as the LIHKG forum, leading to targeted boycotts.

This thesis contributes to social movement studies by proposing a refined theory of emotional mobilization. It was demonstrated that emotional responses to recurring violent incidents, rather than strategic planning, were the primary drivers of the AntiELAB Movement. Mechanisms such as relational emotion elicitation, the formation of contentious projects, spontaneous organization, and online boycott mobilization were examined, enhancing understanding of the role of emotions in networked social movements. This research further complements existing perspectives by illustrating how emotions significantly influence the organizational forms and dynamics of such movements.