State and Territorial Mobilisation: The Case of Socio-Territorial Movements during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Shanghai, China

How were social movements mobilised during a strict lockdown and a public health crisis? Using a state-centred perspective and introducing the concept of Socio-Territorial Movement, this paper critically explored the mobilising structures and the political processes of social movements based on neighbourhood communities during the COVID-19 Pandemic lockdown in Shanghai that began in April 2022. It involved qualitative analysis of a series of interviews and secondary materials. By examining the dynamic power relations of the lockdown community and the political process of social movements, this paper found that the rise and decline of state power significantly induced the territorial mobilising structure. The disjuncture between COVID-19 control strategics and logistics is the major motivation for people to participate in territorial movements. It illustrated both the enormous political potential and limitation of territorial mobilisation in the political context of China.