As part of a forthcoming series of talks and workshops on protest I am trying to find out what people think 'a political action' to mean.

It's a broad term and I've got this theory that 'a political action' is political when someone defines it as political. So, for example, a lot of anti-veal campaigners didn't define their struggle as political. Anti-Huntingdon Life Science activists however, have often defined their actions as political. In one way there is no difference - they both have the effect of highlighting a campaign to the public and bring greater knowledge of animal suffering. Yet, on the other hand they are different because of the way that these different groups choose to define themselves.

Anyway, before I disappear into a hole of my own making, I'll stop. Does anyone out there have any suggestions to make to this?