From revolt to revolution: exploring motivating factors of Bangladesh’s July 2024 uprising

This study examined the motivating factors behind Bangladesh’s July 2024 uprising, which initially began as a protest against the civil service quota system and subsequently evolved into a nationwide revolutionary movement. Employing Reflexive Thematic Analysis, the research draws on protest narratives, media reports, and activist statements to identify the key dynamics that shaped the uprising’s trajectory. Findings revealed six interrelated themes: structural grievances, rooted in corruption, inequality, and authoritarian governance; the emergence of youth identity as a generational force for change; the role of emotions, including anger, hope, and fear, in sustaining mobilization; the strategic framing processes that expanded sectoral demands into systemic challenges; aspirations for democracy and justice; and online-offline mobilization cycle which gave the movement future-oriented legitimacy. The study contributed to scholarship on contentious politics by demonstrating how grievances, emotions, identity, and framing interact to transform protests into revolutionary moments. It also highlighted the methodological value of Reflexive Thematic Analysis in capturing the meaning-making processes of social movements. While limited by reliance on textual data and focus on immediate events, the research underscores broader implications for theory, policy, and activism. It shows that ignoring youth grievances risks fueling systemic unrest, whereas youth-driven mobilizations can catalyze democratic renewal in semi-authoritarian contexts.