Purpose

This research explores how protest events can change and develop over time, through an analysis of stakeholder perceptions of the EXIT festival in Serbia. In doing this, it builds on previous research into protest events from a critical events studies perspective and has implications for the management and understanding of events linked to social movements.

Design/methodology/approach

This research took a neo-institutionalist perspective and is based on 18 stakeholder interviews, which were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Purposive sampling in the highly-networked city of Novi Sad, Serbia, allowed for the inclusion of diverse participants from politics, NGOs, media and the festival itself.

Findings

The findings reveal that the EXIT festival has departed significantly from its original protest roots. Although it is now perceived as part of the dominant political culture in Serbia, it still has the potential to campaign on issues of relevance to the region, which is unrealised. This research demonstrates that the neo-institutionalist perspective can offer fresh insights for research into protest events. Taking this perspective suggests practical implications for the managers of events with protest roots and for social movements seeking to use protestival-style methods to achieve social change.

Originality/value

This paper provides a new theoretical perspective on protest events and proposes a new model that can be used in future research into protest events that persist over time. It also suggests implications for the management and development of protest events within social movements.

中文翻译：

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作为机构的抗议活动：利益相关者对塞尔维亚 EXIT 节角色转变的看法

目的

本研究通过分析利益相关者对塞尔维亚 EXIT 节的看法，探讨抗议事件如何随时间变化和发展。在这样做时，它建立在以前从关键事件研究的角度对抗议事件进行的研究的基础上，并且对管理和理解与社会运动相关的事件具有影响。

设计/方法/途径

这项研究采用了新制度主义的视角，基于 18 位利益相关者的访谈，并使用反思性主题分析对其进行了分析。在高度网络化的塞尔维亚诺维萨德市进行的有目的的抽样允许包括来自政治、非政府组织、媒体和节日本身的不同参与者。

发现

调查结果表明，EXIT 音乐节已经大大偏离了其最初的抗议根源。尽管它现在被视为塞尔维亚主流政治文化的一部分，但它仍然有可能就与该地区相关的问题开展竞选活动，而这一点尚未实现。本研究表明，新制度主义视角可以为抗议事件的研究提供新的视角。从这个角度来看，对于具有抗议根源的事件的管理者以及寻求使用抗议式方法实现社会变革的社会运动来说，具有实际意义。

原创性/价值

本文提供了抗议事件的新理论视角，并提出了一种新模型，可用于未来对持续存在的抗议事件的研究。它还对社会运动中抗议事件的管理和发展提出了启示。