Forum: A Coup At the Capitol? Conceptualizing Coups and Other Antidemocratic Actions

Abstract The term “coup” has been used to describe a diverse range of events. Although recent decades have seen the academic study coups focus on an increasingly narrow type military intervention in politics, general public, governments, and international organizations frequently apply coup label broader set antidemocratic actions. This was dramatically illustrated after overrunning US Capitol Building January 6, 2021, when discussions event led debates about whether or not it constituted coup. More than mere matter semantics, describing as can analytical, normative, practical implications. scholars this forum explore challenges inherent distinguishing from other types actions, highlight gaps between popular conceptions term, identify ways which productively contribute public around contentious