For his thesis, James Wayman ’25 began at the intersection of his two academic passions: Latin American politics and social movement theory. Inspired by courses with Professors Anita Isaacs and Steve McGovern, Wayman, a political science major and Spanish minor, set out to explore how grassroots movements resist democratic backsliding and found a powerful case study in Guatemala’s anti-corruption movement. His thesis, “Resistance Through Resilience,” examines nearly a decade of mobilization against government corruption and authoritarianism.
With Isaacs as his advisor, Wayman identified Guatemala’s recent history as a compelling example of both the fragility and the strength of democratic movements. “We settled on Guatemala’s anti-corruption movement, in part, because this was a contemporary example of a movement emerging, declining, and successfully resisting democratic backsliding,” he says. Isaacs’s expertise in the region also opened doors for Wayman to conduct interviews with organizers and participants, bringing a personal and emotional dimension to his research.
Drawing on those interviews and political theory, Wayman analyzed how resources, political opportunities, and framing strategies influence a movement’s ability to succeed. He found that movements need sustained access to people, expertise, legitimacy, and support from transnational networks. They’re also more likely to thrive when governments avoid repression and elites are divided. Most critically, he says, they must speak to diverse communities with messages that unify rather than divide. In Guatemala, that meant “a fight of the people against corruption in their government, a fight to challenge the injustice of their lived experiences.”
Wayman’s thesis offers both theoretical and practical insights, which he hopes will allow it to serve as a resource for those “on the ground, fighting for their rights.” The Guatemalan case, he noted, shows that resilience–especially in the face of state violence–is often rooted in relationships with Indigenous communities, grassroots groups, international allies, and advocacy networks.
Wayman says his thesis experience has helped prepare him for his planned career in law. Conducting field interviews, analyzing policy, and developing arguments throughout the thesis process sharpened both his writing and his interpersonal skills, all tools he’ll bring with him into the legal world.
A first-generation college student and a Chesick and QuestBridge scholar, Wayman spent the last two years working as a Civic Engagement Associate at Haverford’s Center for Peace and Global Citizenship. During his senior year, he interned with the New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia through the CPGC’s Philadelphia Justice and Equity Fellowship, another program where he applied his research and advocacy skills.