The Emotacycle (previously emotathons)
The best definition I can come up with at present for the emotacycle is this: a sequence of relatively predictable events and decisions by social movement actors (individual and group) to engage in ritualistic and familiar actions (marches, protests, camps) that allow for the performance/release/management of certain kinds of emotions, regardless of whether they ultimately achieve the stated goals of the individuals and groups.
BUT SEE DISCLAIMERS HERE.
See also Issue Attention Cycles