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Table 2 Comparison of litigation and petitions

From: "Selective firming" of the self-boundary: social movements and the reshaping of the state-individual relationship during China’s transformation: A case study of a collective litigation caused by demolition in City B

 

Litigation

Petitions to upper-level governments

Framing logic

Rights based on laws

Grievance attributed to administrative problems

Forms of appeal

United appeal

Fragmental appeals

Procedures to appeal

Clear since it is stated in procedural laws

No clear procedure in text

Controllability and predictability of outcome

Controllable procedure; unpredictable outcome

Totally out of control and unpredictable

Impact on social stability

Beneficial to social stability

Jeopardizes social stability

Relationships between the two parties of the protest

Equal and independent

Subordinate and affiliated

Self-concept

Boundary-firm self

Boundary-permeated self

State-individual relationship

Egalitarian

Subordinate