Leadership, digital mobilization, and movement outcomes: Evidence from the July 2024 student uprising in Bangladesh

The July 2024 student uprising marked a critical turning point in Bangladesh's political landscape, yet empirical evidence on its underlying drivers remains limited. This study examines how leadership dynamics, resource mobilization, and digital framing shaped movement outcomes, including collective identity, public opinion, and quality-of-life concerns. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected via a structured survey administered to 386 university students selected purposively. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed through SPSS 26. The findings indicate that leadership strength (r = 0.274, p < .001; Φ = 0.442, p < .001), leadership influence (ρ = 0.307, p < .001), and social media effectiveness (r = 0.320, p < .001; Φ = 0.465, p < .001) were the strongest associated with movement outcomes. In contrast, financial resources and media fairness exhibited weak or non-significant associations. These results challenge classical assumptions of Resource Mobilization Theory by demonstrating the primacy of leadership networks, digital engagement, and value-oriented framing over material resources. The study contributes to social movement outcomes by highlighting digitally mediated mobilization in postcolonial contexts and by suggesting avenues for future research on the long-term political impacts.