The article contributes to current debates in political sociology by proposing a more nuanced understanding of how parties and movements interact — not as opposites, but as interwoven players in complex protest arenas.

This concept helps us go beyond the visibility of party flags and slogans, and instead look at the interactional and strategic logic that shapes protest cycles.
It highlights how institutional actors co-create contentious arenas — not just react to them.

The article argues that contentious politics is not shaped solely by public mobilisations, but also through less visible interactions — where parties operate strategically to shape arenas of protest.

The result: protest arenas that appeared spontaneous and grassroots were, in many cases, steered by institutional actors. This calls for a rethinking of the party–movement divide.

Why Portugal?
Unlike Spain (Podemos) or Greece (Syriza), Portugal didn’t produce a new anti-austerity party. Instead, existing left-wing parties leveraged protest moments to reinforce their position — without claiming visible ownership.

I propose the concept of backstage partyisation to capture how parties strategically shape protest arenas while remaining publicly invisible. They mobilise affiliated groups, set agendas, and broker alliances.

Drawing on 1344 protest events and 23 in-depth interviews, I analyse how political parties operated behind the scenes during the 2010–2014 anti-austerity cycle.

Scholarship has long focused on the visible role of parties in protest: sponsoring events, joining marches, waving flags. But this only tells part of the story.

Hi, Kyle! Many thanks! I hope you are doing well!