Mobilising in a (former)-red subculture industrial district: the case of the No-Keu permanent assembly

The article contributes to the understanding of the impact of capitalism on social movements that mobilise against environmental pollution. While research on the topic has looked especially at global trends in capitalist development, the analysis switches attention to the specific local forms of economic development. It does so by focusing on the so-called district economy and related local political subcultures, looking at their decline in particular. Based on interviews and document analysis, the empirical investigation of a protest campaign in Tuscany, Italy, against the illegal disposal of dangerous industrial waste and the alleged collusion of members of the local political and economic elite with organised crime demonstrates the effects of the degeneration of the local model of development. The article explores challenges and opportunities for contentious politics in defining not only the grievances but also the networked organisational structure, the politicised collective frames and the eventful repertoire of protest.