Crowds
Laurie Taylor explores the origins of our fear of crowds. Why do we tend to regard the 'multitude' as dangerous? Also, is crowd cohesion critical to the success of protests?
Laurie Taylor talks to the writer, Dan Hancox, about the part that crowds play in our lives and how they made the modern world.
From Notting Hill carnival-goers and football matches to M25 raves and violent riots, what do we know about the madness of the multitude? Also, Lisa Mueller, Associate Professor of Political Science at Macalaster College, Minnesota, asks why protests succeed or fail. Examining data from 97 protests, she finds that more cohesive crowds are key. Drilling down into two British protests, Occupy London and Take Back Parliament, protesters who united around a common goal won more concessions than ones with multiple aims.
Producer: Jayne Egerton
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Guests and further reading
- Dan Hancox, writer
Multitudes: How Crowds Made the Modern World (Repeater Books)
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-, Associate Professor Political Science at Macalester College 听in Saint Paul, Minnesota,听St Paul, USA,听
Broadcasts
- Tue 25 Feb 2025 15:30蜜芽传媒 Radio 4
- Sun 2 Mar 2025 06:05蜜芽传媒 Radio 4
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