From the Egyptian Revolution to Extinction Rebellion, the 2010s were marked by a global wave of spontaneous and largely structureless mass protests. Despite overwhelming numbers and popular support, most of these movements failed to achieve their aims, and in many cases led to worse conditions. James Butler joins Tom to make sense of the ‘mass protest decade’, sharing historical examples, theoretical approaches and first-hand experiences that help explain the defeats of the 2010s. Find further reading and listen ad free on the episode page: lrb.me/protestdecade Find the Close Readings podcast in Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, or just search 'Close Readings'. Sign up to the Close Readings subscription to listen to all our series in full: Directly in Apple Podcasts In other podcast apps Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.