Fear, hope and social emergency.: The Confederation of Popular Economy Workers and the mobilization of San Cayetano (2011-2016)

Abstract

On August 7, 2016 -San Cayetano's Day- the Confederation of Workers of the Popular Economy (CTEP), together with Barrios de Pie and the Classist and Combative Current (CCC), called for a massive mobilization to demand the passing of the social emergency law. The popular movements, grouped under the slogan "Peace, Bread, Land, Housing and Work", united in a sort of procession the more than thirteen kilometers that separate the church of Liniers -symbol of popular religiosity linked to the patron saint of labor- with the Plaza de Mayo -political center par excellence-. The article proposes an alternative and complementary approach to classical theories in the study of social movements. In line with the so-called "affective turn" in the social sciences, we highlight the role of emotions in social mobilization. We identify in fear and hope affective motivations that enable collective action, as well as the interrelation between the political and the religious, two spheres commonly considered separately.