What Is Civil Resistance?
Civil resistance – the strategic use of nonviolent tactics such as strikes, boycotts, sit-ins, mass demonstrations, and civil disobedience to affect political, social, or economic change – is being increasingly acknowledged as a pragmatic and effective way to wage a struggle against oppressions, injustice, and autocracy.
This method of struggle is not new, however. For hundreds of years, ordinary people have exercised civilian-based power to protect and defend human rights, overthrow brutal dictators, gain independence, and establish democratic self-rule. Watch this introductory video to get glimpse into the rich history of civil resistance and then dig a little deeper by exploring some of the case studies and interviews.
Additional Resources:
- DuVall, Jack. Core Dynamics of Civil Resistance (video). Fletcher Summer Institute, 2010.
- Shock, Kurt. Nonviolent Action and It’s Misconceptions: Insights for Social Scientists (pdf).
- United States Institute of Peace. Strategic Nonviolent Conflict: Lessons from the Past, Ideas for the Future (pdf).
Your Assignment:
Check out the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict’s library of nonviolent conflict summaries. Pick one conflict to read (ideally one in which you are not familiar). Then post a comment on this page describing a specific nonviolent tactic the movement used and how it applied pressure and affected some type of political, social, or economic change.
Peace Learner 