Riots

Riots are inherently political, not only in the moment of their eruption but also in the social drama that follows as interested parties contest [Page 1552]conflicting interpretations of the events. Some street battles that resemble riots superficially are not typically considered riots at all, in part because dominant narratives have assigned to them alternate political definitions, for example, as uprisings, insurrections, rebellions, revolts, or revolutions. Ordinarily, what comes to mind when thinking of riots in the United States are race riots from the time of Reconstruction through ...