5th Module - Strategising for Nonviolence

From Peacebuilding

Strategising for Nonviolence

Whilst social movements can gain strength from the passion, focus and cohesion of their members, the ability to strategise their actions can also significantly increase their effectiveness. Nonviolent theorists and movements have developed a number of frameworks that a group can use to build its own strategy. Here we present some of these frameworks, although it should be borne in mind that these are not prescriptive and any group can develop its own strategy in its own way. Simplicity and participation are the two key elements: rather than studying elaborate frameworks to develop “the perfect strategy”, it’s better to use simple tools that anyone can understand. It’s also best to do things together. Activists will become active if they play a part in decision making.

Online:

• Helvey, Robert L., On Strategic Nonviolent Conflict: Thinking About the Fundamentals, Boston: The Albert Einstein Institution, 2004 (USIP, 2002), http://www.aeinstein.org/organizations1c31.html.

“On Strategic Nonviolent Conflict delves into the question of how to build a strategy for nonviolent struggle. Covering a variety of topics – such as ways to identify a movement’s objectives, preparing a strategic estimate for a nonviolent struggle, and operational planning considerations – this publication contains insights on the similarities between military and nonviolent strategy. […] Additional topics covered in the book include psychological operations and propaganda, contaminants that may affect the efficiency of a nonviolent movement, and providing consultations and training for members of movements and organisations.” (from the introduction).

• Lakey, George, Strategising for A Living Revolution, http://www.nonviolence.org.au/downloads/living_revolution.pdf.

In this paper George Lakey proposes a strategic framework for nonviolent struggle, broken down into five stages: cultural preparation; organisation-building; confrontation; mass political and economic non-cooperation; and parallel institutions. Lakey draws from Otpor’s experience in Serbia and bases the framework on Sharp’s theory of power. This is a very useful paper, especially as it provides concrete examples from a successful struggle for change.

• Moyer, Bill, The Movement Action Plan: A Strategic Framework Describing the Eight Stages of Successful Social Movements, http://www.nonviolence.org.au/downloads/movement_action_plan.pdf. See also this article by the same author.

• Sharp, Gene, The Importance of Strategic Planning in Nonviolent Struggle, http://www.nonviolence.org.au/downloads/strategic_planning.pdf.

• Sharp, Gene, From Dictatorship to Democracy – A Conceptual Framework for Liberation, http://www.nonviolence.org.au/downloads/dictatorship_to_democracy.pdf.

Activities you can use when working on this section include:

• The Ideal Community. This gives the group social action challenges to tackle and gets them to strategise their actions. Sub-groups have to visualise their ideal community and are asked to draw it. Once the dream is complete, a major corporation gets into the picture and horribly spoils it. Each group has to develop and strategise a realistic, feasible campaign to preserve their community.

• Brainstorm and Prioritise. This is an easy tool to help a group to strategise its actions. It should be used with an existing and active group that is working for nonviolent social change and has a clearly stated goal. It should not be used with a group of participants from different walks of life who only got together for the workshop and will go their separate ways afterwards.

• From Us to Them. The activity works like this: two halves of a pie serve to represent “Our side” (those who want change), and “Their side” (those who don’t want change and resist it). Between them and us are various groups with different standpoints on the desired change (slices of the pie). Identifying these groups, understanding them and their standpoints and how to influence them, is crucial in terms of success.

• Pragmatic, Principled, Reformist and Revolutionary. Using Robert J. Burrowes matrix of pragmatic, principled, reformist and revolutionary approaches to nonviolence, this activity explores participants’ beliefs about these different approaches to nonviolence.