Abstract

Riots such as the one in London 2011, are not merely some random isolated instances of vandalism, looting or unrest. Rather, riots like these are an effective manifestation of protest against the contemporary European politicaland economic system. The London riots sought to express the psychological, economic, financial and political grievances faced by individual protestors from various socio-economic strata of the UK. The objective is to remove the misconceptions (and the popular view) that the recent rising instances of protests in Europe are targeted at particular policies of certain governments where such unrest takes place. Instead, it is argued that these protests highlight a wider range of social issues and are intricately linked to the themes of consumerism, capitalism, urban governance, and effects of globalization, particularly in the UK. Hence, in an overarching comparative view, these riots are to be seen as a part of the global social movements.