Independent, self-organized research costs money… We want to ensure the funding of the infrastructure of the Institute for Protest- und Social Movement Studies. For this, we need your support!
Support Independent Social Movement Research
Protests are ubiquitous – from neighborhood initiatives against bypassing streets to revolts in authoritarian regimes, from far-right marches to graffiti-covered walls. Despite the evident importance of protests and social movements for democracy, research on the topic is poorly structured. When protests are discussed publicly, clichés and a short-sighted perspective are widespread. There is often a lack of sound knowledge and contextualization of current events. The Institute for Protest and Social Movement Research (Institut für Protest- und Bewegungsforschung – ipb) aims to fill this gap.
We understand research on protests as public science. To this end, we organize ourselves in a network of over two hundred researchers and participate in public debates – for example, in the Movement Talks (Bewegte Gespräche), at our annual conferences, through the media, and in the freely accessible ipb working papers.
Together, we conduct short-term research projects such as surveys with demonstrators, but also longer-term projects like “Mapping #NoG20,” in which we analyzed the escalation of violence at the G20 summit in Hamburg. We are not beholden to any client or institution, but rather pursue our own scientific interests with a sense of public responsibility.
Why donate?
The ipb operates differently from other scientific institutions. A large portion of our work is unpaid and voluntary. To coordinate this volunteer work and, where possible, transition it into paid positions, we need a continuously operating management team. Currently, the Institute is financed almost entirely by membership fees. This is just enough to cover basic administrative and coordination tasks.
We consider decentralized funding a particularly appropriate way of financing our work since it safeguards our accountability to activists and civil society actors as well as the broader public and the scientific community. Transparent and independent funding ensures we remain credible.
How can I donate?
The ipb is supported by the non-profit Association for Protest and Movement Research (Verein für Protest- und Bewegungsforschung e.V.). Donations made to the association can be claimed for tax purposes in Germany. If desired, we will gladly send you a donation receipt upon request, even for amounts under €200 per year.. We are especially grateful for regular donations, which allow us to plan for the long term. Even a few euros a month help us with this.
To set up a recurrant direct debit for donations, please send us an email with your bank details and desired intervals to info@protestinstitut.eu with the subject line “Donations for independent movement research”. We will then conveniently debit the desired amount from your account.
For a one-time or recurring donation via bank transfer, please specify in the transfer description (Verwendungszweck) “Donation for independent movement research” („Spende für unabhängige Bewegungsforschung“) as the purpose of payment. The transfer should be made to:
Verein für Protest- und Bewegungsforschung e.V.
IBAN: DE90 4306 0967 1147 0403 00
BIC: GENODEM1GLS
Bank: GLS Gemeinschaftsbank
As an alternative to donations, there is also the possibility of becoming a member and take part in shaping the work of the Institute.
Many thanks for your support!
The collage on this page is created by our colleague Beth Gardner. Many thanks to her for allowing us to use it!