The Scent of Resistance: Sensory Grievances, Strategic Attribution, and the Global Rise of Petroprotests

• In Event: Repair, Resistance, Renewal: Sociological Solutions to Wicked Problems

Abstract

Environmental harm often shapes political behavior, yet communities living near extractive sites often remain quiet due to uncertainty about pollution sources and long‑standing economic dependence on the industry. My study examines what helps people break through that quiet, asking whether the sensory and easily recognizable features of petroleum pollution—especially sulfur dioxide (SO₂)—push communities to act directly against the oil sector or simply heighten broad political frustration. Drawing on work in collective action and environmental sociology, I argue that the distinct smell and physical effects of SO₂ create a form of “embodied evidence” that is hard to dismiss. When people can directly sense the pollutant, they are better able to connect their daily experiences to nearby refineries and oil operations, even when companies attempt to obscure responsibility. To test this argument, I run a global grid‑cell analysis covering 72 months (2019–2024) and more than 4.4 million observations. The study pairs satellite‑based TROPOMI SO₂ readings with a machine‑learning‑validated dataset of over 21,000 petroleum‑related protests worldwide. Using temporally aligned logistic regression models, I find that SO₂ exposure consistently raises the likelihood of targeted petroprotests, with the effect growing stronger over the following two months. In contrast, sharp spikes in SO₂ reduce general, non‑sector‑specific protest activity in the short term. This split pattern shows that people are not simply reacting with unfocused anger when pollution worsens. Instead, when the source of harm is easy to identify and linked to a specific industry, communities direct their limited time and energy toward actions targeting the oil sector rather than unrelated grievances.

Author

• Saber Khani, Boston College