Finn Klebe is a PhD student whose work focuses on a better understanding of different forms of collective action, the intersection of violent and nonviolent tactics, and varying inter-group relations. For his project, “Accomplice or Spoiler? Assessing the Impact of Violent Wings on Collective Action”, he examines the emergence of violent wings within contentious movements, their varying functions over time, as well as different levels of integration within complex movement networks. He is supervised by C&C members Kristin Bakke and Nils Metternich.
Theoretically, he argues that violent wings often emerge organically within movements, supported by more radical frames and tactics. However, their function pertaining to government concessions and the level of violence depends on the level of integration of such subgroups within movement networks. Precisely, the level of integration is driven by the demands of a movement constituency, the level of mobilisation, and the (lack of) access to institutions for the nonviolent parts of the movement over time.
He pursues a mixed-methods research design, employing both in-depth case studies as well as quantitative network analysis. Qualitatively, his collection of micro-level data (e.g. participant interviews, archival data) tries to shed new light on decision-making processes of activists when choosing contentious strategies and interacting with different subgroups. Making use of this micro-level data, he seeks to further leverage the different relations and levels of integration between movement members by utilising quantitative network analysis.
Prior to his current project, he worked on an article, which introduced a theoretical framework of cross-national diffusion of collective action. Additionally, he has also contributed to an analysis of varying responses to the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as worked on a project in collaboration with Democracy Reporting International (DRI) that monitored the social media landscape and potential threats to the integrity of the German federal elections 2021 online.