Protest and Insecurity: Trends in the Global South since the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

The Russian invasion of Ukraine exacerbated supply shortages in global energy and food markets. These in turn led to price increases and food and energy insecurity for millions of people in the Global South. Protest may be a response to energy and food insecurity. As household expenses rise or the costs of business, such as farming or driving a truck, increase, people may protest as a way to express their grievances or to demand government support. Protest can be seen as a warning that people are facing serious hardship. It can also escalate into lethal forms of conflict, especially if protests are brutally repressed by the state.