Mobilizing against the disadvantaged: unraveling the dynamics of anti-minority collective action

Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10463283.2025.2498283

Extant research on collective action has investigated how both advantaged and disadvantaged group members mobilise to support the rights of minority status groups. More recent research has begun to examine what might lead advantaged group members to engage in actions that aim to harm disadvantaged groups and protect and/or promote their advantaged group’s status and interests. This review aims to define “anti-minority collective action” by critically discussing existing conceptualisations in the literature and to investigate its social psychological drivers. In light of the evidence, we argue that anti-minority collective action may be largely motivated by social psychological processes similar to those identified in broader collective action research (such as pro-minority collective action), yet existing collective action models may not fully capture what leads advantaged group members to act collectively against the disadvantaged. We further provide future directions that address critical gaps in this emerging literature and discuss the potential implications of these actions within broader social change dynamics.