Bringing Together Multiple and Diverse Forms of Resistance to Innovation: A Rhetorical Approach to the Anti-5G Movement

Numerous resistance or contestation movements exhibit a surprising ability to bring together individuals with very different sensibilities and arguments that may be contradictory. Rooted in a study of a resistance movement against 5G technology, this article helps to better understand the phenomenon...

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Main Authors: Louis Vuarin, David Massé
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Association International de Management Stratégique (AIMS) 2025-04-01
Series:M@n@gement
Subjects:
Online Access:https://management-aims.com/index.php/mgmt/article/view/8750/19371
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author Louis Vuarin
David Massé
author_facet Louis Vuarin
David Massé
author_sort Louis Vuarin
collection DOAJ
description Numerous resistance or contestation movements exhibit a surprising ability to bring together individuals with very different sensibilities and arguments that may be contradictory. Rooted in a study of a resistance movement against 5G technology, this article helps to better understand the phenomenon whereby multiple and heterogeneous resistances come together within the same movement by showing the role played by rhetoric. We analyse the great diversity of arguments in 5G resistance, focussing on four main lines that structure the arguments, and we shed light on an ‘argument decentring’ phenomenon where, although they may not adopt the arguments advanced by other opponents, some actors leverage the resulting controversy to legitimate their own discourse and increase the credibility of their own lines of argumentation. By considering rhetoric as a mechanism that aggregates resistance movements, this study contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms and effects of argument heterogeneity, in particular online or on social media.
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publisher Association International de Management Stratégique (AIMS)
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spelling doaj-art-90f00c5c161a42fdb5aaba6d93d2cbf52025-08-20T03:49:08ZengAssociation International de Management Stratégique (AIMS)M@n@gement1286-46922025-04-0128174810.37725/mgmt.2025.87508750Bringing Together Multiple and Diverse Forms of Resistance to Innovation: A Rhetorical Approach to the Anti-5G MovementLouis Vuarin0David Massé1EM Normandie Business School, Métis Lab, Caen, Francei3-SES, Télécom Paris, CNRS, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, FranceNumerous resistance or contestation movements exhibit a surprising ability to bring together individuals with very different sensibilities and arguments that may be contradictory. Rooted in a study of a resistance movement against 5G technology, this article helps to better understand the phenomenon whereby multiple and heterogeneous resistances come together within the same movement by showing the role played by rhetoric. We analyse the great diversity of arguments in 5G resistance, focussing on four main lines that structure the arguments, and we shed light on an ‘argument decentring’ phenomenon where, although they may not adopt the arguments advanced by other opponents, some actors leverage the resulting controversy to legitimate their own discourse and increase the credibility of their own lines of argumentation. By considering rhetoric as a mechanism that aggregates resistance movements, this study contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms and effects of argument heterogeneity, in particular online or on social media.https://management-aims.com/index.php/mgmt/article/view/8750/193715grhetorical approachresistance to innovationargument decentring
spellingShingle Louis Vuarin
David Massé
Bringing Together Multiple and Diverse Forms of Resistance to Innovation: A Rhetorical Approach to the Anti-5G Movement
M@n@gement
5g
rhetorical approach
resistance to innovation
argument decentring
title Bringing Together Multiple and Diverse Forms of Resistance to Innovation: A Rhetorical Approach to the Anti-5G Movement
title_full Bringing Together Multiple and Diverse Forms of Resistance to Innovation: A Rhetorical Approach to the Anti-5G Movement
title_fullStr Bringing Together Multiple and Diverse Forms of Resistance to Innovation: A Rhetorical Approach to the Anti-5G Movement
title_full_unstemmed Bringing Together Multiple and Diverse Forms of Resistance to Innovation: A Rhetorical Approach to the Anti-5G Movement
title_short Bringing Together Multiple and Diverse Forms of Resistance to Innovation: A Rhetorical Approach to the Anti-5G Movement
title_sort bringing together multiple and diverse forms of resistance to innovation a rhetorical approach to the anti 5g movement
topic 5g
rhetorical approach
resistance to innovation
argument decentring
url https://management-aims.com/index.php/mgmt/article/view/8750/19371
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