Making Meaning from Disorder: Public Understandings of Riots as Discursive-Mediated Events

Introduction: Riots are a recurring element of social and political resistance, yet their communicative dimensions are often underexplored in social theory. This study addresses this shortcoming by introducing the concept of riots as discursive-mediated events. We present a new theoretical and analytical framework to explore how different groups and social institutions negotiate the interpretation and meaning of riots. Materials and methods: Our theory of riots draws on media and discourse studies to examine how public understanding and institutional representations are constructed. The theoretical model, which includes seven analytical categories, treats riots as discursive-mediated events and explores how meaning is created and contested across different levels of communication. We apply this model to the 2021 Capitol riots in Washington, D.C., as a preliminary case study. Results: Our analysis highlights the discursive aspects of the 2021 Capitol riots, showing how protesters, the public, and institutional elites negotiate meanings influenced by ideologies, media, and symbols. It also demonstrates how riots generate sociopolitical capital through communication, shaping public discourse and challenging power by creating and contesting meanings in the public sphere. Discussion: Our theoretical and analytical framework contributes to a more thorough understanding of riots as discursively mediated phenomena. This is particularly relevant given the growing prevalence of riots as a form of political and civic expression on a global scale.