Transforming grief to social mobilisation:The case of the Association of Tempi Victims 2023

This article investigates the politicisation of maternal grief in the aftermath of the 2023 Tempi train disaster in Greece, which resulted in 57 deaths and revealed deep systemic failures in railway safety and state accountability. Focusing on the Association of Tempi Victims 2023, founded predominantly by bereaved parents, the article explores how moral shock and personal loss catalysed the transformation of private grief into collective political agency. Employing qualitative methods including multi-sited digital ethnography, archival research, and critical discourse analysis, the study examines the Association’s multifaceted activism: from legal action and petitions to public commemorations and alliances with institutional actors like the European Parliament and Bar Associations. The analysis situates the Association’s efforts within the global tradition of maternal activism, highlighting the emotional and symbolic power of maternal loss as a frame for social mobilisation and resistance against state impunity. The findings demonstrate how affective citizenship and emotional resistance can create new communities of solidarity and contest official narratives that reduce systemic failures to “human error.” Furthermore, the article underscores the significance of digital platforms and transnational alliances in amplifying grassroots movements. By articulating demands for justice, accountability, and transformative legal reform, the Association challenges dominant state discourses, fosters public engagement, and contributes to broader movements for social transformation. Ultimately, this study offers critical insights into the intersection of grief, citizenship, and activism, illustrating how collective mourning is mobilised as a resource for enduring struggles against impunity and for the pursuit of justice.