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Canvas Core Curriculum: a Guide to Effective Nonviolent Struggle

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Canvas Core Curriculum: a Guide to Effective Nonviolent Struggle CANVAS CORE CURRICULUM: A GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE NONVIOLENT STRUGGLE STUDENTS BOOK by CANVAS printed and published in Serbia 2007 CANVAS Curriculum Introduction Before you is a wealth of knowledge about the planning, conduct, and Srdja Popovic, Slobodan Djinovic, Andrej Milivojevic, Hardy Merriman evaluation of strategic nonviolent conflict. This curriculum guide will be a and Ivan Marovic valuable companion to new and experienced activists, as well as to others who wish to learn about this subject. CANVAS Core Curriculum: A Guide to Effective Nonviolent Struggle Copyright 2007 by CANVAS. All rights reserved. The authors combine classic insights about nonviolent conflict with new ideas based on recent experience. The result is a synthesis that pushes the Published in Serbia, 2007. limits of what we thought nonviolent strategies were capable of achieving. The material covered includes time-tested analyses of power, different ISBN 978-86-7596-087-4 methods of nonviolent action, and ways to create a strategic plan for developing and mobilizing a movement. In addition, the authors include new material about how to: Publisher: Centre for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies (CANVAS) • chart a movement’s history and progress (Chapter 8) Masarikova 5/ XIII, Belgrade, Serbia, www.canvasopedia.org • use marketing, branding, and effective communication techniques in a movement (Chapters 9 and 10) Graphic design and illustrations: Ana Djordjevic • address the effects of fear on a movement’s members (Chapter 13) • develop security measures within a movement (Chapter 14) Photo on cover: Igor Jeremic • manage a movement’s material resources, human resources, and time (Advanced Chapters 2-4) Throughout these topics, the authors emphasize pragmatic learning and draw on their own experience applying these ideas in their own struggles. The result is a versatile resource and an excellent training tool. Produced and printed in Serbia by Centre for Applied Nonviolent Action Activists using this resource will likely want to study and adapt it in ways that and Strategies (CANVAS) in 2007. best serve the specific goals, needs, and opportunities of their circumstances. Non-profit purpose statement: CANVAS and the authors confirm that the This is entirely appropriate. This impressive text should not be seen as a purpose of this project is educational and not for profit. formula for how to wage nonviolent struggle, but rather a set of ideas that can help people think about and analyze nonviolent conflict. Combining it with other resources on this subject, or adapting parts of it for one’s own circumstances, will help to increase people’s capacity for engaging in nonviolent resistance even further. We applaud this curriculum and recommend to all activists that they explore and apply it, as best suits their causes, organizations and campaigns. 2 3 CANVAS CURRICULUM INTRODUCTION SIGNERS NAME COUNTRY AFFILIATION NAME COUNTRY AFFILIATION Mubarak Awad Palestine Founder, Nonviolence International Douglas A. John- USA Executive Director, Center for Victims of son Torture Salka Barca Western Western Saharan activist and Outreach Bernard Lafayette USA Civil Rights leader, professor, and director, Sahara Coordinator for the Sahara Fund Center for Nonviolence and Peace Stud- Kevin Clements Australia Professor and Director, Australian Centre ies, University of Rhode Island for Peace and Conflict Studies Akanete Ta’ai Lauti Tonga Director, Friendly Islands Human Rights & Owen Daka Zambia Director, Pacific Regional Governance Pro- Democracy Movement Inc. gram and Member of the United Nations François Marchand France Co-founder and President, Research Treaty Bodies State Party, Reports Writing Institute on the Nonviolent Resolution of Committee, Papua New Guinea Conflicts (IRNC) Alieu Darboe Gambia Governance Manager, ActionAid Interna- Doug McAdam USA Professor of Sociology, Stanford Univer- tional, Gambia sity, and author of Freedom Summer Jargalsaikhan Mongolia Director of Blue Banner Lorenzo Nava Italy EU Commission Trainer of Youth in co-op- Enkhsaikhan eration with Eastern Europe and Caucasus Ela Gandhi South Founder, Gandhi Development Trust; Luisa Ortiz Perez Mexico Founder, NOVA-Mexico (Non Violence in Africa Founder, Centre for Nonviolence, Durban Action) University of Technology; Former mem- Levan Ramishvili Georgia Founder, Liberty Institute (Georgia) ber, South African Parliament Fatemeh Iran Professor and former Iranian legislative Kurt Schock USA Associate Professor of Sociology & Global Haghighatjoo (Majlis) member Affairs, Rutgers University, Newark, and Hauwa Ibrahim Nigeria Human rights lawyer, Yale University author of Unarmed Insurrections: People Fellow Power Movements in Nondemocracies Rudy Jaafar Lebanon Co-founder of Nahwa al-Muwatiniya (a Jenni Williams Zimbabwe Founder, Women of Zimbabwe Arise political reform NGO in Beirut, Lebanon) (WOZA) Mkhuseli Jack South Businessman and former anti-apartheid Stephen Zunes USA Professor of Politics, University of San Africa youth leader Francisco and editor of Nonviolent Social Movements 4 5 explanation of content 1. EXPLANATION OF CONTENT III. Organizational and operational considerations: Nonviolent movements are faced every day with stresses This book is divided into 20 lessons. The content covers three aspects of strategic non- BASIC COURSE in the areas of leadership (Lesson 11), fear-management violent conflict: (Lesson 13), and avoiding contamination (Lesson 14), so I. Theory and its applications: The goal of these they need to be prepared. They also need to be tactically lessons is to provide a concrete framework for people III innovative and choose issues and actions that put their to understand how nonviolent action works. First, all opponents in dilemmas (Lesson 12). Finally, management movements start with the desire for change, so we offer ORGANIZATIONAL of key resources (material resources, human resources, AND OPERATIONAL a methodology to help groups develop their vision for CONSIDERATIONS time, and knowledge) are critical to operating a nonvio- lent movement or campaign. The advanced campaign what they want to achieve (Lesson 1). We then address 128 how nonviolent movements can gain the power to management package (Lessons A2, A3, A4, and A5) ad- BASIC COURSE achieve that vision. By emphasizing that political power dresses these issues. comes from people’s ongoing consent and obedience to their society’s political, economic, and social systems, 2. THE BASIC AND ADVANCED COURSES I it becomes clear that nonviolent movements can gain power and create change by shifting people’s consent In order to meet the needs of diverse audiences, the content of these lessons is divided THEORY AND ITS APPLICATION and obedience patterns (Lesson 2). In order to do this, into “Basic” and “Advanced” courses. nonviolent resisters must understand the roles that key 10 11 organizations and institutions (which we call “pillars of I. Basic Course (3-5 days): support”) play in their society (Lesson 3), what people’s ADVANCED COURSE motivations are for consent and obedience (Lesson 4), TARGET GROUP: People who are not deeply familiar with how nonviolent movements produce change in society theoretical and strategic thinking about nonviolent ac- (Lesson 5), and the tactics and methods that nonviolent tion. movements have at their disposal (Lesson 6). I CONTENT: 15 lessons. A 5-day course usually will cover all II. Planning considerations: There is rarely victory PLANNING 15, while a 3-day course may cover between 6-9 lessons, for nonviolent movements without a strategic plan. CONSIDERATIONS depending on the experience level of the attendees and BASIC COURSE Therefore, an understanding of basic strategic principles the techniques of presentation employed. (Lesson 7) as well as tools and techniques to analyze their past and current situation (Lesson 8 and Lesson A1) II. Advanced Course (3-7 days): II is important as movements develop their strategic plans. ADVANCED COURSE An essential part of those plans will be communications. TARGET GROUP: People who have already been exposed PLANNING How do movements effectively communicate what they to the basic course, and/or are interested in topics cov- CONSIDERATIONS stand for? Developing effective messages and analyz- II ered by the advanced course. ing audience segments (Lesson 9) and understanding the tools and types of targeted communications (Lesson CONTENT: 5 time-consuming lessons, which emphasize ORGANIZATIONAL AND OPERATIONAL 10) are essential. Targeted communication is one of the CONSIDERATIONS planning and organizational considerations, as well as most important parts of any movement’s strategic plan. knowledge transfer processes. 6 7 BASIC COURSE: ADVANCED COURSE: INTRODUCTION TO STRATEGIC NONVIOLENT CONFLICT I PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS I THEORY AND ITS APPLICATION A1 • Planning Methodologies: The Strategic Estimate 182 1 • The First Step: The Vision of Tomorrow 12 2 • Power in Society: Models and Sources of Power 20 II ORGANIZATIONAL AND OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS 3 • Pillars of Support 30 4 • Obedience 44 A2 • Managing a Movement: Material Resources 204 5 • Activating Nonviolent Power: A3 • Managing a Movement: Human Resources 214 Mechanisms of Change in Nonviolent Action 56 A4 • Managing a Movement: Time Management 226 6 • Activating Nonviolent Power: A5 • Managing a Movement: Methods of Nonviolent Action 66 Transferring Nonviolent Skills and Knowledge 238 II PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS ANNEX 1 7 • Strategy and Principles of Nonviolent Struggle 82 Methods of Nonviolent
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