The gilets jaunes movement: Learning about politics in and through practice?

From November 2018, for several months, French politics and media were dominated by the so-called “gilets jaunes” [yellow vest] movement. Initially aimed at protesting against the rise in fuel prices, this social movement developed through roadblocks, the permanent occupation of roundabouts, and weekly demonstrations in major French cities. Through its atypical features, the gilets jaunes movement prompts us to further investigate the sociology of politicization, social movements, and how people “learn” activism. The aim of this debate is to bring together researchers (Z. Bendali, R. Challier, M. Della Sudda, and O. Fillieule) who have conducted field surveys on the actions and organization of the movement. The data gathered help us to understand the practical ways in which collective action and politicization are learned in and through participation in the gilets jaunes movement.