Rethinking Ethnic Mobilization: A Model and Three Theories of Sustained Minority Ethnic Mobilization

This article develops a conceptual framework for understanding sustained minority ethnic mobilization, using an A–B–C model to explain why some cases persist over time without subsiding or achieving core objectives. In critiquing dominant linear models of ethnic mobilization, I introduce three foundational theories of sustained minority ethnic mobilization: institutional, kin-driven, and structural. Each theory identifies a distinct mechanism through which mobilization endures despite changing political contexts and ongoing constraints. Together, the concept and accompanying theories offer a more flexible and temporally aware framework that challenges rigid assumptions and opens space for new empirical and comparative research on sustained minority ethnic mobilization.