Innovative claims-making and media diffusion: the case of Mexico City’s anti-monuments

Abstract

Since 2015, seven large metal structures, termed ‘anti-monuments’ (antimonumentos), have been placed by various civil society actors in Mexico City. Each commemorates a distinct grievance linked to claims of state culpability or inaction. They are atypical of other protest tactics in that they have largely been tolerated by public actors and, seemingly, celebrated by the news media. This study aims to determine the extent to which media coverage has reproduced their claims and contributed to their perceived legitimacy. To answer these questions, the research is theoretically informed by literature from critical policy analysis and social movement studies. While the case study uses a variety of methods, the core empirical analysis relies on qualitative content analysis of 72 articles published by Mexican newspapers since the emergence of the phenomenon (2015-2020). The findings are divided into three principal categories: visibility of claims, resonance, and legitimacy. The results indicate that, in contrast to coverage of other protest actions, the anti-monuments have been profoundly successful in diffusing their claims and gaining favourable media coverage. Although the literature suggests that the media is unlikely to favour the transmission of collective action frames, this tactical innovation was able to unlock a formula for effective media uptake. The text concludes with a discussion of plausible explanatory factors and the broader social and policy implications of these observations. This research is of relevance beyond the case itself and could serve to inform theorization on the relationship between contested claims-making and media diffusion.