NADINE BLOCH AND LISA SCHIRCH

SNAP
SYNERGIZING NONVIOLENT ACTION AND PEACEBUILDING

Making Peace Possible

Acknowledgments: The guide authors and the United States Institute of Peace would like
to thank the following individuals for their help with reviewing and strengthening this guide:
Steve Chase (International Center on Nonviolent Conflict), Sarah Thompson (The King
Center), Scovia Arinaitwe (Solidarity Uganda), Althea Middleton-Detzner (PeaceTech Lab),
Rosemary Kabaki (Nonviolent Peaceforce), Monica Brasov-Curca (Activate Labs), members
of the Alliance for Peacebuilding Working Group on Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding,
and Jeff Helsing, Colette Rausch, Elie Abouaoun, Alison Milofsky, Rosarie Tucci, and Miran-
da Rivers (United States Institute of Peace).
The authors would also like to thank Maria Stephan and Tabatha Thompson (both of the
United States Institute of Peace) for their substantive contributions, tireless guidance, and
assistance in developing this guide.

United States Institute of Peace Press

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ISBN: 978-1-60127-741-1
SNAP
SYNERGIZING NONVIOLENT ACTION AND PEACEBUILDING

NADINE BLOCH AND LISA SCHIRCH

SNAP: SYNERGIZING NONVIOLENT ACTION AND PEACEBUILDING

About This Guide
This action guide seeks to build bridges between
peacebuilding and nonviolent action prac­ti­tion­ers so that
methods are used strategically and effectively on the
path t­ oward conflict transformation. It shows how
dialogue, direct-­action skills, and approaches can be
synergized to advance justice and sustainable peace.
This guide is for trainers, facilitators, and other prac­ti­tion­
ers serving the many organizers, activists, mediators,
negotiators, and peacebuilders who want to learn more
about how to integrate nonviolent action and
peacebuilding strategies in their work.
­Table of Contents
A Primer on Strategic Nonviolent Action
and Peacebuilding Pro­cesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
What Is Conflict Transformation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
What Is Nonviolent Action?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
What Is Peacebuilding? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Notes������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 15

SNAP: Introducing an Action Guide for Synergizing

Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Is Combining Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding a New Idea?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
From Separation to Synergy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Who Are We to Write This Guide? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Who Is This Guide For? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
How Is the SNAP Guide Or­ga­nized?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Making This Common Practice: How to Maximize Learning in a
Training or Workshop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Notes������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������28

Unit 1: Synergize for Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Learning Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Front Line Story: Liberia Mass Action for Peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
The Curle Diagram: How Do Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Fit Together?. . . . . . . . . 34
How Does the Curle Diagram Illustrate the Roles of Nonviolent Action
and Peacebuilding?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
What Happens When ­There Is No Synergy between Nonviolent Action and
Peacebuilding Skills? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
What Are Obstacles to Greater Synergy between Nonviolent Action and
Peacebuilding ­Today? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
 Who Needs to Be Involved?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Can We Energize the Synergy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Beyond the Page #1: Sequencing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Methods . . . . . . . . 41
Beyond the Page #2: Ideal Community/Village Exercise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Unit 2: Start Strategically for Successful

Conflict Transformation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Learning Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Front Line Story: U.S. Civil Rights Movement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
What Are the Components of Strategic Planning?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
How Does Strategic Planning Help Activists and Peacebuilders Build a More
Sustainable, Just Peace?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Beyond the Page #1: The Blanket Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Unit 3: Dialogue to Defuse Interpersonal

Conflict and Support Co­ali­tion Building . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Learning Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Front Line Story: Chile’s “No” Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Beyond the Page #1: Practice Building Alliances and Co­ali­tions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Beyond the Page #2: Using Hassle Lines to Practice Defusing Difficult Situations. . . . . . . . . 66
Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Unit 4: Facilitate to Develop

Group Goals and Consensus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Learning Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Front Line Story: Curbing Police Corruption in Uganda. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Beyond the Page #1: Facilitation and Group Decision-­Making Role Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Unit 5: Assess to Build

Awareness and Better Strategy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Learning Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
The Six Key Assessment Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

4 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

1. WHO Are the Key Stakeholders and Where Do They Stand on the Conflict?. . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Beyond the Page #1: Spectrum of Allies and Opponents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Beyond the Page #2: Stakeholder Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
2. WHY Are the Key Actors Motivated to Drive Vio­lence or Mitigate Conflict?. . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Beyond the Page #3: Positions, Interests, and Needs Onion Analy­sis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
3. WHAT Is Driving or Mitigating the Conflict?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Beyond the Page #4: Tree Analy­sis Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
4. HOW Are Key Actors Using Power to Drive or Mitigate Conflict?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Beyond the Page #5: Power Analy­sis Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Beyond the Page #6: Pillars of Support Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
5. HOW Do You Identify Moments of Vulnerability and Moments of Opportunity?. . . . . . . . . 98
Beyond the Page #7: Past Analy­sis Time Line Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
6. WHERE Is the Conflict Taking Place? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Beyond the Page #8: Connectors and Dividers Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Unit 6: Set SMARTT Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Learning Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Front Line Story: Danish Re­sis­tance to Nazi Occupation, 1940–45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Beyond the Page #1: Strategic Planning Pyramid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

Unit 7: Innovate and Sequence

Nonviolent Action Tactics to Build Power. . . . . . . . . . . 116
Learning Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Front Line Story: Otpor!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Widen Participation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Beyond the Page #1: Best Action, Worst Action Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Beyond the Page #2: Strategic Points of Intervention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Beyond the Page #3: Choosing Tactics Planning Sheet and Comparison Matrix . . . . . . . . . 132
Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Unit 8: Sequencing Nonviolent Action and

Negotiation Tactics for Sustainable Solutions. . . . . . 138
Learning Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Front Line Story: The Jasmine Revolution and the Tunisian Quartet Peace Pro­cess . . . . . . . 141

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 5

 Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Beyond the Page #1: Negotiation Simulation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Beyond the Page #2: Sequencing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding
Methods in Tunisia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Unit 9: Bringing It All Together:

Strategic Planning Time Lines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Learning Objectives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Front Line Story: 2006 Democracy Movement in Nepal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Beyond the Page #1: Prioritize Targets or Key Stakeholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Beyond the Page #2: Synergizing Strategic Planning Time Line. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

6 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

A Primer on Strategic
Nonviolent Action and
Peacebuilding Pro­cesses
This action guide makes the case that both nonviolent action and peacebuilding approaches—­direct action
and dialogue—­are necessary to transform violent conflict and increase the likelihood that groups w
­ ill achieve
their goals. This unit provides a primer on nonviolent action and peacebuilding so that we may begin to
understand how they can be integrated in the conflict transformation process.

What Is Conflict Transformation?
For our purposes, conflict transformation is an umbrella The path to transforming conflict is neither linear nor
term for the pro­cesses that change or transform violent straightforward. Peacebuilding methods like dialogue,
conflict into nonviolent conflict, where individuals use mediation, and negotiation may be needed as activists
vari­ous institutional and extra-­institutional channels and begin to or­ga­nize and build movements, and nonviolent
a variety of nonviolent methods to address root c­ auses action tactics like mass protests and strikes may be
and build a just and sustainable peace. needed to help negotiators use conflict resolution
methods to bring a more just, rights-­respecting peace
­People advance a just and sustainable peace using agreement over the finish line.
dif­fer­ent methods. Some f­avor institutional methods,
like elections and court cases. For example, h
­ uman This guide does not address the entire scope of conflict
rights ­lawyers ­will focus on l­egal strategies and rule of transformation. The point of this guide is to show
law systems, and high-­level peacebuilding specialists specifically how p
­ eople can use nonviolent action and
may focus on diplomatic solutions to conflict. Extra-­ peacebuilding approaches in tandem to transform
institutional methods, like nonviolent action and local conflict and achieve a more just and sustainable peace.
peacebuilding efforts such as intergroup dialogue, work Dif­fer­ent approaches are necessary at dif­fer­ent times
outside of formal institutions. For example, community and in dif­fer­ent contexts.
leaders may employ traditional councils to resolve
neighborly disputes, and grassroots activists may
or­ga­nize a boycott to hold a com­pany to account for
polluting local ­water sources. ­We’ll return to ­those
concepts l­ater in the guide.
 ­TABLE 1.

Types of Change
KIND OF CHANGE WHERE IT PLAYS OUT
Individual and internal work: self-­awareness of one’s identity, sources of
Personal change power, skills, attributes, knowledge

Relational change Interactions between ­people; dialogue and communications

Societal shifts in values—­away from domination and vio­lence and t­oward

Cultural change partnership, justice, equity, and nonviolent approaches

Institutional shifts away from harmful structures, institutions, laws,

Structural change and regimes

Adapted from John Paul Lederach, Preparing for Peace: Conflict Transformation across Cultures
(New York: Syracuse University Press, 1995).

WHAT KINDS OF CHANGE ARE WE planning pro­cesses for addressing each of ­these
TALKING ABOUT? dimensions of conflict transformation.
This action guide is relevant to individuals, organ­
izations, and movements aiming to achieve just and Moving from personal to structural changes requires
sustainable peace in their socie­ties and communities. challenging, and often confronting, the structural
That requires four types of change, as shown in ­table 1. barriers (e.g., exclusionary policies, corruption, institu-
tional discrimination) that marginalize or repress indi-
In practice, this means that ­those that seek to create viduals and groups. It entails developing pro­cesses to
positive change, or changemakers, focus on personal resolve inevitable conflicts in both the short and the
reflection and growth, building organ­izations and long term, and it requires integrating nonviolent action
diverse co­ali­tions, modeling fair and participatory and peacebuilding approaches and techniques into a
internal decision-­making pro­cesses, and addressing successful strategy.
structural injustices. This guide identifies strategic

What Is Nonviolent Action?
Nonviolent action is a method of advancing social, “civil re­sis­tance,” “nonviolent re­sis­tance,” or “nonviolent
po­liti­cal, and economic change that includes tactics of direct action.”
protest, noncooperation, and intervention designed to
shift power in a conflict without the threat or use of Nonviolent tactics attempt to change the status quo for
vio­lence. ­These methods are nonviolent in that they do a variety of purposes, including harmful ones. H
­ ere,
not include the threat or use of injurious force to ­others. however, we are referring only to nonviolent action
Nonviolent action is also known as “­people power,” grounded in a re­spect for universal h
­ uman rights that

8 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 Nonviolent action methods, like t­ hose shown in t­ able 2, can take a
­variety of forms to help build awareness and shift power.

aims to build more just and inclusive socie­ties. It differs enable a more just and peaceful society.1 History
from nonviolence as a principled way of life that rejects shows that the success of nonviolent action is not
vio­lence for moral or ethical reasons. dependent on the kind of regime or opponent (auto-
cratic, demo­cratic, or violent) that is faced but rather
Nonviolent action is grounded in a par­tic­u­lar under- relies more on the capacity and skills of
standing of power. Regimes, governments, and non- ordinary ­people. 2
state actors (corporations, militant groups, terrorists)
rely on the consent and obedience of ordinary p
­ eople WHAT ARE THE METHODS OF
in order to rule or wield power. Understanding this is NONVIOLENT ACTION?
key to a “social view” of power, in comparison with a Some methods protest, disrupt, or interrupt the pres­ent
“hierarchical” lens that sees only the top dog with power structure, while ­others reward it or build alterna-
power. When the p
­ eople who make up the organ­ tives to it. Some methods confront the system with, for
izations and institutions that support the regime or example, symbolic protests or consumer boycotts.
other power holders refuse to obey or withdraw their Other methods build power by providing ser­vices and
consent and cooperation from that system by engaging governance. In 1972, Gene Sharp identified 198 methods
in mass civil re­sis­tance, the opponent’s power can be of social, economic, and po­liti­cal nonviolent action;3
undercut, disrupted, and even disintegrated. ­today a new cata­log of nonviolent re­sis­tance methods
is ­under way—­with hundreds of new
The strength of nonviolent action is that it builds and methods identified.4
shifts power by heightening awareness and participa-
tion in the pro­cess of applying social, economic, and WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT SUCCESSFUL
po­liti­cal pressure, so that power­ful groups cannot NONVIOLENT ACTION?
ignore the needs and interests of other groups in Data in Why Civil Re­sis­tance Works5 show that nonvio-
society. The weakness of nonviolent action is that lent campaigns have been more than twice as effective
balancing power and creating pressure for change as violent campaigns. When we use the term nonviolent
alone may not lead to sustainable changes. campaign, we are referring to a series of observable,
continual nonviolent tactics in pursuit of a goal.
Nonviolent action requires courage and a willingness ­Successful nonviolent campaigns do the following:
to take risks. It is not weak or passive. It is an active
engagement and a power­ful way for ­people to advance Support mass participation: Successful nonviolent
their rights, freedom, justice, and self-­determination—­ campaigns choose tactics that enable more
without the use of vio­lence. While it is true that violent ­people to participate; they are on average eleven
warfare or terrorist attacks can disrupt or destroy a times larger than campaigns that use vio­lence.
regime or an institution, ­t hese do not commonly lead Larger numbers of participants strengthen the
to peace or justice. Nonviolent methods, however, power and legitimacy of a nonviolent campaign or
can challenge unjust institutions in ways that can movement, increase the power and make it more

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 9

 ­TABLE 2.

Nonviolent Action Methods
NATURE OF METHODS
Nonviolent Methods PENALTY/CONFRONTATIONAL REWARD/CONSTRUCTIVE
Category (NEGATIVE) (POSITIVE)
(General Be­hav­ior)
Protest Appeal
Expression
Action that is primarily communicative with Action that is primarily communicative
(Saying Something) the intent to criticize or coerce with the intent to reward or persuade
Noncooperation Refraining
Acts of Omission
Refusal to engage in expected be­hav­ior Halting or calling off disruptive actions or
(Not ­Doing Something) by acts of omission expression to reward or persuade
Acts of Commission Disruptive Intervention Creative Intervention
(­Doing or Creating Direct action that confronts another party Modeling competing be­hav­iors and
to stop, disrupt, or change their be­hav­ior constructing competing institutions
Something)

Source: Michael Beer, “Revisiting the Methods of Nonviolent Action,” International Center on Nonviolent Conflict Blog Post
(forthcoming 2018).

difficult to crush or infiltrate a campaign or nonviolent activists over repressive opponents,

movement, and lay the groundwork for and encouraging loyalty shifts or defections from
ongoing involvement. the authority’s supporters.

Maintain nonviolent discipline: Successful nonviolent Invest in planning: Successful nonviolent campaigns
campaigns use tactics that leverage power while and movements engage in ongoing strategic
maintaining nonviolent discipline. Keeping actions planning that harnesses assessment, sequencing,
nonviolent increases participation and reduces escalation, and innovation of tactics to lead to a
the potential for infiltration and the likelihood of successful end game. Planning encourages
repression by authorities. Such repression often creativity, imagination, connectivity, and sustain-
backfires when movements maintain nonviolent ability. The more groups unite around goals and
discipline—­moving bystanders to sympathize with innovate tactically, the more likely they are to win.

What Is Peacebuilding?
Peacebuilding is an umbrella term used to describe a cipled negotiation, mediation, and collective prob­lem
wide range of efforts by diverse actors in government solving. High-­level peacebuilding led by the United
and civil society. Peacebuilding addresses conflict at Nations (UN) or nation-­states includes official diplomacy
the community, regional, or national level through and conflict prevention efforts to solve deep-­rooted
participatory pro­cesses that involve dialogue, prin- ­drivers of conflict. Locally led peacebuilding efforts

10 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 Peacebuilding methods highlight the importance of relationship building
and creative prob­lem solving.

include dialogue programs and other community-based deep multileveled, sequential pro­cess using principled
efforts to reduce conflict and improve relationships and negotiation techniques ­will enable a community to build
the quality of life. a broad consensus on the way forward. The Colombia
peace pro­cess, which culminated in a landmark peace
A peacebuilding approach does not back away from accord last year, featured the active involvement of
conflict or tension. It is “hard on the prob­lems, but victims’ groups, w
­ omen’s groups, and other civic actors.
soft on the p
­ eople,” meaning that it encourages indi-
viduals to distinguish between a person’s beliefs and The strength of peacebuilding is that it uses inclusive
actions and the h
­ uman dignity of the person. P
­ eople pro­cesses to develop solutions that satisfy the inter-
can criticize ideas and be­hav­iors while maintaining ests of all groups. Peacebuilding pro­cesses like
re­spect for the person. Such an attitude is the prerequi- community-­led dialogue can be helpful within a
site for building strong and sustainable relationships nonviolent campaign or movement to help build strong
and trust. co­ali­tions. Dialogue and negotiation are also helpful to
develop creative solutions and negotiate a sustainable
Formal peacebuilding pro­cesses require structures for outcome between a nonviolent movement and exter-
wide participation and deep discussion of the under­ nal stakeholders. The weakness of peacebuilding
lying interests and grievances that fuel conflict. Public pro­cesses is that dialogue and negotiation are often
participation is an essential component for achieving a in­effec­tive if ­there is a significant power imbalance
sustainable outcome. between groups.

Half of all peace agreements fail. Elite-­led state-­to-­state WHAT ARE THE METHODS OF PEACEBUILDING?
or high-­level peace pro­cesses that limit or exclude The UN and many scholars and prac­ti­tion­ers use the
public participation and interests are more likely to fail term peacebuilding to refer to a wide spectrum of
than t­ hose that put the ­people—or society—at the activities to transform conflict, including community and
center of the pro­cess. Research on all peace agree- economic development, participatory governance, and
ments reached in the post–­Cold War period found that programs to bring groups together across the lines of
the involvement of civil society actors, including conflict to find sustainable solutions.
religious groups, w
­ omen’s groups, and h
­ uman rights
organ­izations, reduced the risk of failure by 64 ­percent.6 In this action guide, we focus mostly on dialogue and
negotiation peacebuilding pro­cesses. Negotiation is a
A comprehensive peace pro­cess requires a careful look pro­cess where two or more ­people or groups pursue
at who participates, what issues are on the ­table, and their self-­interests. In principled negotiation, stakehold-
how to structure the pro­cess. In short, a comprehensive ers communicate with each other to address interests
peace pro­cess requires creating structures for wide that may be incompatible, and they identify under­lying
participation and deep discussion of under­lying inter- needs and interests to develop creative solutions that
ests and grievances that fuel conflict. Only a wide and meet the fundamental needs of all groups.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 11

Negotiation begins with dialogue. Dialogue is a way of and are seen as legitimate by key groups. Peace
talking that encourages active listening and honest but negotiations that include only armed actors may
respectful speaking. The goal of dialogue is to improve be seen as legitimizing the use of violent
understanding and relationships between ­people or strug­gle to achieve po­liti­cal power. A peace
groups. Dialogue and negotiation tend to be most pro­cess that includes empowered and legitimate
productive when groups recognize their interdepen- civil society representatives is more likely
dence and desire to maintain a relationship in the to succeed.
long run.
Sustainability: Peace pro­cesses that involve active
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT SUCCESSFUL public participation are more likely to address a
PEACEBUILDING PRO­CESSES? range of f­actors fueling conflict. Addressing root
Comprehensive peacebuilding pro­cesses have at least ­causes and finding a po­liti­cal solution can prevent
three interrelated benefits: the recurrence of violent conflict.

Broad buy-­in: Peacebuilding pro­cesses are more In conclusion, this unit provides foundational knowl-
likely to succeed if ­there is public support for edge of nonviolent action and peacebuilding so that we
them. Lack of public support is a key characteris- can better understand how they can work synergistically
tic of failed peace agreements. together to transform violent conflict and build just and
peaceful socie­ties. The Circle of Principles (figure 1) below
Legitimacy: Dialogue and negotiation are more helps visualize how the principles of effective nonviolent
effective if stakeholders hold roughly equal power action and peacebuilding reinforce one another.

FIGURE 1.

Circle of Principles

Sustainability Mass
Participation

Nonviolent
Legitimacy
Discipline

Broad Buy-In Planning

12 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Resources
PEACEBUILDING BEST PRACTICES
• Abu- ­Nimer, Mohammed. Nonviolence and Peace Building in Islam: Theory and Practice. Gainesville: Univer-
sity Press of Florida, 2003.

• Amaral, Liliana, and Nell Bolton. Laletek Proj­ect Manual: Strategic Community Peacebuilding in Practice.
Baltimore, MD: Catholic Relief Ser­vices Timor-­Leste, 2013.

• Anderson, Mary B. Do No Harm: How Aid Can Support Peace—or War. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 1999.

• Barnes, Catherine. “Owning the Pro­cess: Public Participation in Peacemaking: South Africa, Guatemala and
Mali.” Accord 13 (2002): 14–73.

• Fortna, V
­ irginia Page. Peace Time: Cease-­Fire Agreements and the Durability of Peace. Prince­ton, NJ:
Prince­ton University Press, 2004.

• Lederach, John Paul. Building Peace: Sustainable Reconciliation in Divided Socie­ties. Washington, DC:
United States Institute of Peace Press, 1997.

• Mac Ginty, Roger. International Peacebuilding and Local Re­sis­tance: Hybrid Forms of Peace. New York:
Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.

• Paffenholz, Thania. Civil Society and Peacebuilding. Geneva: Gradu­ate Institute Centre on Conflict, Develop-
ment, and Peacebuilding, 2009.

• Schirch, Lisa. The L

­ ittle Book of Strategic Peacebuilding. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2004.

• Westendorf, Jasmine- ­Kim. Why Peace Pro­cesses Fail: Negotiating Insecurity ­after Civil War. Boulder, CO:
Lynne Rienner, 2015.

NONVIOLENT ACTION RESOURCES
• Ackerman, Peter, and Jack DuVall. A Force More Power­ful: A C
­ entury of Nonviolent Conflict. New York:
Palgrave Macmillan, 2000.

• Beautiful Trou­ble (blog). Accessed December 22, 2017​.­ http://­beautifultrouble​.­org​/­.

• Chenoweth, Erica, and Maria J. Stephan. Why Civil Re­sis­tance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent
Conflict. New York: Columbia University Press, 2011.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 13

• “Civil Re­sis­tance and the Dynamics of Nonviolent Movements.” United States Institute of Peace Global
Campus (online course). Accessed November 20, 2017​.­ https://­w ww​.­usipglobalcampus​.­org​/­training​- ­overview​
/­civil​-­resistance​/­.

• “Global Nonviolent Action Database.” Swarthmore College. Accessed January 2, 2018​. ­https://­nvdatabase​

.­swarthmore​.­edu​/­.

• “Handbook for Nonviolent Campaigns: Second Edition.” War Resisters’ International. Accessed January 2,
2018​.­ https://­w ww​.­wri​-­irg​.­org​/­en​/­pubs​/­NonviolenceHandbook.

• “Nonviolence and Peace Movements: Crash Course World History 228.” YouTube video, 12:48, posted by
Crash Course, March 13, 2015. Accessed January 2, 2018​.­ https://­www​.­youtube​.­com​/­watch​?­v​=­eP​-­mv5IjFzY.

• “198 Methods of Nonviolent Action.” Albert Einstein Institution. Accessed June 29, 2018. https://­w ww​
.­aeinstein​.­org​/­nonviolentaction​/­198 ​-­methods​- ­of​-­nonviolent​-­action​/­.

• Sharp, Gene. The Politics of Nonviolent Action. 3 vols. Boston: Porter Sargent, 1973.

• Waging Nonviolence (blog). Accessed January 2, 2018​.­ https://­wagingnonviolence​.­org​/­.

14 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Notes
1. “Do Civil Re­sis­tance Movements Advance Democ­ratization?,” International Center on Nonviolent Conflict,
accessed June 29, 2018, https://­w ww​.­nonviolent​- ­conflict​.­org​/­blog ​_ ­post ​/­civil​-­resistance​-­movements​
-­advance​- ­democratization​/­.

2. Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan, Why Civil Re­sis­tance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent
Conflict (New York: Columbia University Press, 2011).

3. Gene Sharp, Politics of Nonviolent Action, Part Two: The Methods of Nonviolent Action, ed. Marina Finkel-
stein (Boston: Porter Sargent Publishers, 1973).

4. Michael Beer, “Nonviolent Action Methods,” International Center on Nonviolent Conflict Blog Post
(forthcoming 2018).

5. Chenoweth and Stephan, Why Civil Re­sis­tance Works.

6. Desiree Nilsson, “Anchoring the Peace: Civil Society Actors in Peace Accords and Durable Peace,” Inter­
national Interactions 38, no. 2 (April 1, 2012): 243–66, https://­doi​.o
­ rg​/­10​.­1080​/­03050629​.­2012​.­659139.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 15

SNAP
Introducing an Action
Guide for Synergizing
Nonviolent Action and
Peacebuilding
Boycotts and protests, or dialogue and negotiation? Pressure or engagement? Which approaches,
and in what sequence, are most effective for transforming conflict and building just and peaceful
socie­ties? Scholars, activists, organizers, and peacebuilders have been grappling with t­ hese
questions for de­cades. This is the core idea of this action guide: nonviolent action and
peacebuilding pro­cesses achieve more success when they are intentionally used together rather
than separately.
Is Combining Nonviolent Action and
Peacebuilding a New Idea?
Yes and no. In 1971, feminist nonviolent activist Barbara negotiations and conflict transformation. Mennonite
Deming wrote “Revolution and Equilibrium” asserting peace practitioner John Paul Lederach elaborated on
that activists needed “two hands of nonviolence.” One Curle’s Diagram in the 1980s and 1990s. He also
hand is held palm facing out, to say “stop the injustice!” acknowledged that the fields and practices of peace-
The other hand is offered as if to shake someone’s building and nonviolent action had developed in
hand. Notable nonviolent activists such as Mohandas parallel, with the “resolutionaries” separate from the
Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. also advocated “revolutionaries.”1 Lisa Schirch began teaching a course
this two-­handed approach. They supported the use of combining strategic nonviolent action and peacebuild-
strategic nonviolent tactics to shift power while also ing and published a book on this topic in the early
reaching out a hand to dialogue or negotiate 2000s.2
with adversaries.
In 2017, the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict
Successful nonviolent activists have been using published Powering to Peace: Integrated Civil Re­sis­
dialogue and negotiation for many years. At the same tance and Peacebuilding Strategies, a special report by
time, the most effective peacebuilding pro­cesses Veronique Dudouet to explore this intersection. 3 That
­were successful in large part thanks to the support of same year, the United States Institute of Peace pub-
nonviolent movements. lished a report by Anthony Wanis-­St. John and Noah
Rosen titled Negotiating Civil Re­sis­tance.4 The reports
In Liberia, Tunisia, Guatemala, Colombia, South Africa, shared a key conclusion: the synergy between the
Nepal, and many other places, positive social and strategies and skills of nonviolent action and peace-
po­liti­cal change occurred as a result of a combination of building can strengthen the efforts of ­people working
nonviolent action and peacebuilding pro­cesses. This for social justice, po­liti­cal freedom, ­human rights,
guide does not “invent” this synergy. Rather, it seeks to inclusion, and environmental sustainability. This action
address the challenges that arise when nonviolent guide follows this hypothesis: a combination of non­
activists and peacebuilders encounter barriers or violent action and peacebuilding processes can shift
“stalemates” with one approach. Nonviolent activists power and increase awareness to enable a sustainable
recognize the need for so-­called peacebuilding skills. outcome to conflicts between groups. You need both to
Peacebuilders recognize the need for shifting power address the injustices that fuel violent conflict and to
dynamics. Yet, both fields do not fully draw on the skills rebuild the relationships necessary to achieve sustain-
and strategies each can offer the other. This guide able peace.
begins to address that challenge.
Before we go any further, let’s redefine our terms:
Quaker activist and peace scholar Adam Curle drew the
Curle Diagram in 1971 to show how the tools of commu- • Nonviolent action is a way for ordinary ­people
nity organ­izing and nonviolent direct action ­were to exert power collectively without the threat
necessary to shift power and enable productive or use of vio­lence. Sometimes referred to as

18 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 “civil re­sis­tance,” it is a means of harnessing the facilitators, conflict coaches, trainers, negotia-
collective strength of or­ga­nized ­people through tors, and mediators who advocate for peace-
nonviolent tactics such as demonstrations, building pro­cesses. In this guide, the term
strikes, boycotts, and protection strategies peacebuilding refers to skills and pro­cesses
and building alternative institutions to achieve that build relationships between groups to
social, po­liti­cal, and economic goals. foster greater awareness of the conflict issues
and potential solutions.
• Nonviolent organizers and activists are
strategists, campaigners, trainers, tactical • Conflict transformation is an umbrella term for
experts, skilled professionals, and o
­ thers who the pro­cesses that change or transform
harness nonviolent action to make violent conflict into nonviolent conflict, where
social change. individuals use vari­ous institutional and
extra-­institutional channels and methods to
• Nonviolent movements are fluid groups of address root ­causes. Conflict transformation
­people, organ­izations, co­ali­tions and net- includes both nonviolent action and peace-
works that use nonviolent collective action to building pro­cesses to address societal
advance change- ­oriented goals. prob­lems and improve relationships between
conflict stakeholders. Nonviolent activists and
• Nonviolent campaigns describe the sequenc- peacebuilders are all changemakers, p
­ eople
ing of nonviolent action methods by groups to who foster change.
advance specified goals. Campaigns typically
have a clearly defined beginning, m
­ iddle, • Power is the ability to influence o
­ thers to get a
and end. par­tic­u­lar outcome. Governments and interna-
tional institutions often support peacebuilding
• Peacebuilding is a means of transforming pro­cesses to address root ­causes and e
­ ither
conflict to develop sustainable, just solutions prevent or respond to violent conflict. How-
and institutions. Though often used as an ever, power imbalances can make negotiation
umbrella term to refer to many diverse efforts, and other peace pro­cesses in­effec­tive.
the field of peacebuilding tends to emphasize Nonviolent action mobilizes ­people to work
relationship-­based and problem-­solving together through tactics that shift power and
pro­cesses such as dialogue, negotiation, and empower communities. Once power is more
mediation pro­cesses that engage diverse balanced, peace pro­cesses are more likely to
stakeholders. Peacebuilders are dialogue find sustainable outcomes.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 19

From Separation to Synergy
Some view nonviolent action and peacebuilding as effective methods from each field are considered on
separate, incompatible, or contradictory skill sets. the path ­toward conflict transformation. Instead of
Nonviolent action focuses on shifting power to achieve viewing nonviolent action and peacebuilding as
victory against an (often) oppressive or unresponsive opposing methods of change, this guide illustrates how
opponent. Peacebuilding pro­cesses seek to build both approaches support each other on the pathway
relationships, increase awareness of under­lying inter- ­toward change.
ests, and discover potential solutions. Each approach
has its own history, community of practice, lit­er­a­ture, Some synergy has already begun, as many ­people
and education and training programs. Nonviolent action working “on the ground” in many dif­fer­ent settings
and peacebuilding are most often taught separately in intuitively use both sets of skills in their work to
both popu­lar and academic settings. ­transform their socie­ties—­often to g
­ reat practical effect.
­Others who self-­identify as ­either peacebuilders,
This action guide seeks to reduce the separation and activists, or organizers are beginning to become
create a synergy for both peacebuilding and nonviolent interested in learning more about “synergizing non­
action prac­ti­tion­ers so that the most strategic and violent action and peacebuilding” strategies and skill sets.

Who Are We to Write This Guide?

We are two activists, trainers, teachers, and facilitators Beautiful Trou­ble: A Toolbox for Revolution (2012,
who have long explored how to synergize nonviolent O/R Books), Beautiful Rising: Creative Re­sis­tance
action and peacebuilding. ­Here is a ­little bit of informa- from the Global South (2017, O/R Books), We Are
tion about each of us. Many, Reflections on Movement Strategy from
Occupation to Liberation (2012, AK Press), and
Nadine Bloch is currently training director for Beautiful author of the special report Education & Training in
Trou­ble and an innovative artist, nonviolent Nonviolent Re­sis­tance (2016, U.S. Institute of
practitioner, po­liti­cal or­ga­nizer, direct-­action Peace). Check out her column on the blog Waging
trainer, and puppetista. Her work explores the po- Nonviolence, “The Arts of Protest.”
tent intersection of art and politics, where creative
cultural re­sis­tance is not only effective po­liti­cal Lisa Schirch is research director for the Toda Peace
action but also a power­ful way to reclaim agency Institute and se­nior policy advisor with the Alliance
over our own lives, fight oppressive systems, and for Peacebuilding. From 1995 to 2017, she taught a
invest in our communities—­all while having more graduate-­level course on combining strategic
fun than the other side. She is a contributor to nonviolent action and strategic peacebuilding at

20 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 the Summer Peacebuilding Institute and served Peacebuilding Planning (2014), Schirch provides
as a research professor at the Center for Justice assessment and strategic planning tools. Schirch
and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite Univer- frequently takes to the streets and the blogo-
sity. Her book Strategic Peacebuilding (2004) sphere to work for social justice.
provides a conceptual framework for recognizing
the role of nonviolent action in peacebuilding. We have also been working with a variety of colleagues
Her book Ritual and Symbol in Peacebuilding in the two fields who are seeking greater synergy
(2005) and her article “Strategic Arts-­Based between nonviolent action and peacebuilding strate-
Peacebuilding” (2008) explore the role of the arts gies and greatly appreciate their support. They have
in nonviolent action. In Dialogue on Difficult helped us develop this action guide in several ways, by
Subjects (2007), Schirch and coauthor David participating in trial runs of training activities, comment-
Campt explore the role of dialogue in nonviolent ing on the content and structure of the guide, and
social movements to address racism and other contributing to the reading and writing of drafts.
social prob­lems. In Conflict Assessment and

Who Is This Guide For?

This guide is for experienced trainers interested in • The w
­ omen’s empowerment proj­ect organiz-
serving the many organizers, activists, mediators, ers who realize that existing laws obstruct
negotiators, and civil society professionals who see the ­women’s participation in po­liti­cal dialogue,
need for more training in how to integrate nonviolent negotiation, and decision making, and that
action and peacebuilding strategies. While many “we need to build awareness and power for
experienced trainers know e
­ ither the field of nonviolent ­women’s rights” through dramatic
action or the field of peacebuilding, few know both nonviolent action
fields. Users of this guide might include the following:
• The anticorruption activists who are asking
• The leaders of nonviolent activist groups who “how do we translate public demands for
realize that “all we are ­doing is focusing on transparency and accountability into laws and
street action, and we need more orga­ governance institutions that are enforced and
nizational strength in order to win or be v­ iable sufficiently supported?”
in the longer term”
• The rule of law task force members who have
• The members of negotiation teams who reached an impasse in addressing police
realize that “pressure generated through bribery and realize that “we need community
nonviolent mass action can challenge power members to both dialogue directly with the
differences and strengthen our police and press for change through non­
negotiating leverage” violent action in the community”

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 21

 • The donors who see that their investments in violent action to raise public awareness of
development are undermined by poor gover- predatory governance”
nance practices and recognize that “we need
to support communities that are using non- The trick, of course, is to find a variety of ways to make
this synergy common practice.

How Is the SNAP Guide Or­ga­nized?

Transforming conflict requires strategy. Units 1, 2, 5, The action guide started with a primer to provide basic
6, and 9 provide a strategic framework that helps information about the fields of nonviolent action and
highlight the synergy of nonviolent action’s ability to peacebuilding. Unit 1 provides a detailed overview of
build power with peacebuilding skills that foster the synergy between nonviolent action and peace-
greater awareness of the issues and interests of building. The guide illustrates this complementarity in
all groups. several case studies.

Three units in this guide focus on typical peacebuilding Unit 2 highlights key princi­ples and ele­ments of strat-
skills. Dialogue skills in unit 3 enable changemakers to egy, necessary for all conflict transformation. Improving
defuse conflict and build co­ali­tions. Facilitation skills in strategy is an overarching organ­izing theme for
unit 4 aid in the development of group pro­cess. Nego- the guide.
tiation skills in unit 8 help groups find creative solutions
with adversaries. Unit 3 explores the skills needed for building diverse
co­ali­tions, a common characteristic of successful
Unit 7 of this guide focuses on how to choose non­ nonviolent movements. Communication skills such as
violent tactics that w
­ ill shift power. active listening, defusing anger, and effective dialogue
are central to the field of peacebuilding.
The sequence of the units follows a basic outline of
good strategy. In real­ity, activists, organizers, and Unit 4 addresses the challenge of facilitating effective
peacebuilders know that ­there is no straight line to meetings and making decisions in groups. ­These
success—­change moves more like a helix with peaks peacebuilding skills are helpful for building group
and valleys, achievements and setbacks. Also, this cohesion and decision-­making capacity. Honing t­ hese
action guide does not pretend to be all inclusive. For skills can help changemakers build stronger co­ali­tions
example, we do not do a deep dive on communications and address internal conflicts.
and messaging or changing ­legal systems. Rather, it is
intentionally selective in an effort to create an acces- Unit 5 introduces conflict assessment exercises from
sible, reasonably sized guide. (­There are additional both fields. Good assessment is necessary for good
materials in the “Resources” section of each unit.) strategy. In par­tic­u­lar, inclusive and diverse participation

22 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

in the conflict assessment pro­cesses helps ensure that Each unit can stand on its own to create an
the analy­sis is reflective of the lived experiences of ­individual short training session, or units can be com-
dif­fer­ent ­people in society. bined as a framework for creating longer one-­to
four-­day training sessions or multiple weekly sessions.
Units 6 and 7 identify more advanced strategic planning A typical unit includes the following:
skills to better integrate nonviolent action and peace-
building approaches. While many groups like to jump • Learning Objectives
ahead to the fun and exciting stage of choosing non­
violent direct-­action tactics, this often results in in­effec­ • Front Line Story
tive tactics that are not explic­itly linked to strategy.
• Key Concepts: basic information
Unit 8 returns to a focus on how to sequence and
synergize nonviolent action and peacebuilding pro­ • Beyond the Page: exercises to help a group
cesses. It explores the concept of “negotiation ripe- practice skills and apply knowledge
ness” and how to determine when to use nonviolent
action to build power, when to use dialogue to • Resources
strengthen coalitions and public support, or when to
negotiate with adversaries to find a sustainable solu- This action guide is useful in both formal and informal
tion. Negotiation in this context is critical to winning training settings. In addition to the “Resources” section
allies, channeling direct action into concrete outcomes, at the end of each unit, you can find a glossary of
and consolidating victories. When and if a nonviolent terms at the end of the guide. For access to f­ree
movement has successfully shifted and gained negoti- supplemental SNAP materials and resources, please
ating power, principled negotiation strategies can help contact snap@usip​.­org.
prepare a group to achieve tangible wins.
We, of course, would love to hear from you and learn
Unit 9 reviews the sequencing of nonviolent action and from your experiences using SNAP in your workshops
peacebuilding methods to maximize their effectiveness. and training programs. If you have suggestions or
It helps changemakers develop planning time lines to would like to share your experiences, please e-­mail
operationalize and implement their integrated strate- snap@usip​.­org. We also thank you for your creativity,
gies, using skills emphasized earlier in the guide, in commitment, and contribution to effective social
order to achieve their goals. change and conflict transformation.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 23

Making This Common Practice
How to Maximize Learning in a Training or Workshop
We recommend that you use training approaches make it easy for you to design and lead (and train
grounded in experiential learning and a participatory ­others to lead) workshops and extended programs on
framework that builds on and synthesizes knowledge synergizing nonviolent action and peacebuilding
and skills that already exist in the room while accommo- strategies and skills. If you are less experienced but
dating a variety of learning and communication styles. motivated and daring, this guide should help you offer
Experiential5 and Popu­lar Education6 techniques educational experiences of value to your organ­izations
encourage deeper engagement with the concepts and and movements. Contact snap@usip​.­org for some
often more meaningful and empowering participation in helpful basic training tips in using this guide, as well as
the learning pro­cess. some other basic resources on good group facilitation
and training.
If you are already skilled in adult education and training
in a Popu­lar Education approach, this guide should

24 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

KEY REMINDERS FOR USING THIS GUIDE

Build Bold Spaces
We consider this an advanced guide as many of the
exercises are written for experienced facilitators or
trainers in leading workshops with diverse audiences on
complex issues. Current best practices in training
emphasize the importance of preventing unhealthy social
norms and oppressions through building a healthy
community framework for the work that you w
­ ill be d
­ oing
if you use this guide.

Invest in setting up a space that is open to bold sharing

but not tolerant of racism, sexism, or other oppressive
ways of interacting. We believe the work itself can offer
significant benefits in the h
­ ere and now if grounded in
this way.

Invest in solid facilitators/trainers who can

• take advantage of “learning moments,”

• equalize participation in the group to access the

knowledge in the room,

• use a variety of teaching methods that honor a

broad spectrum of learning styles, and

• communicate and build a commitment to the

strategic importance of training and education in
nonviolent movements.7

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 25

 Prioritize the Debrief
Often, the most impor­tant work in an exercise (and ­there
are many in this guide!) is done in the debrief or
evaluation section. One format is the “Quick and Dirty
Debriefing Framework” that can work in very ­little time or
can serve as a scaffolding for deep pro­cessing, based on
the three “F’s”:

• FEELINGS: Encourage participants to pro­cess

their feelings by asking, “How did that feel?”

NOTE: If the exercise brought up intense energy

or trauma, this may need to be handled more
formally before being able to move on to
thinking about what happened or what
was learned.

• FACTS: Ask “What happened?”

NOTE: This section is about learning what

­people experienced from dif­fer­ent perspectives
in the group, not about establishing “facts” per
se. In a role play, it is often very eye-­opening to
some, that one group of participants (e.g.,
role-­playing police) would have experienced
something very dif­fer­ent from another group
(e.g., role-­playing protesters).

• ­FUTURE: Ask “What lessons/learnings/aha

moments can we take with us?”

NOTE: This is the essence of taking the

experience forward or into the f­ uture beyond
the workshop.

26 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Resources
• Bloch, Nadine. Education and Training in Nonviolent Re­sis­tance. Special Report 394. Washington, DC:
United States Institute of Peace, October 2016.

• “A Brief History of Folk Schools.” Folk School Alliance. Accessed December 8, 2017​.­ http://­w ww​.­peoples
education​.­org​/­a​-­brief​-­history​- ­of​-­folk​-­schools​/­.

• “Popu­lar Education.” Intergroup Resources. Accessed December 8, 2017​.­ www​.­intergroupresources​.­com​

/­popular​- ­education​/­.

• “What Is Experiential Education?” Association for Experiential Education. Accessed November 13, 2017​. ­
http://­w ww​.­aee​.o
­ rg​/w
­ hat​-­is​- ­ee.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 27

Notes
1. John Paul Lederach, “Revolutionaries & Resolutionaries: In Pursuit of Dialogue,” Conciliation Quarterly  8,
no. 3 (1989): 87.

2. Lisa Schirch, The L

­ ittle Book of Strategic Peacebuilding (Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2004).

3. Veronique Dudouet, Powering to Peace: Integrated Civil Re­sis­tance and Peacebuilding Strategies, vol. 1
(Washington: DC: International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, April 2017).

4. Anthony Wanis-­St. John and Noah Rosen, “Negotiating Civil Re­sis­tance,” Peaceworks, no. 129
(July 2017): 5–20.

5. “What Is Experiential Education?,” Association for Experiential Education, accessed November 13,

2017, http://­w ww​.­aee​.­org​/­what​-­is​- ­ee.

6. “Popu­lar Education,” Intergroup Resources, accessed December 8, 2017, www​.­intergroupresources​.­com​

/­popular​- ­education​/­.

7. Nadine Bloch, Education and Training in Nonviolent Re­sis­tance (Washington, DC: United States Institute
of Peace, 2016), https://­w ww​.­usip​.­org​/­sites​/­default ​/­files​/­SR394 ​- ­Education​-­and​-­Training​-­in​- ­Nonviolent​
- ­Resistance​.­pdf.

28 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

UNIT 1

Synergize for Success

CONTENTS

Front Line Story: Liberia Mass Action for Peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Beyond the Page #1: Sequencing Nonviolent Action and

Peacebuilding Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Beyond the Page #2: Ideal Community/Village Exercise. . . . . . . . . . 43

Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, participants ­will be able to:

Identify how nonviolent action is both distinct from and complemen-

tary to negotiation or other peacebuilding pro­cesses to achieve
po­liti­cal, economic, and social changes or reforms

Identify how peacebuilding pro­cesses are helpful to build relation-

ships both within a nonviolent movement and between diverse
stakeholders in the wider conflict

Construct a diagram that includes peacebuilding and nonviolent

methods that could increase awareness of key issues and shift
power in ways necessary for effective negotiation
 1
UNIT

Synergize for Success
Conflict transformation requires a wide variety of tasks, such as taking action in the streets,
building relationships and recruiting new members to the movement, analyzing information and
developing strategies for effective action, and sitting down with adversaries to brainstorm ways to
satisfy each other’s interests. Yet most movements and peacebuilding pro­cesses e
­ ither de-­
emphasize or lack t­ hese complementary skill sets. Nonviolent activists know how to engage in
nonviolent conflict and motivate ­people to take joint public action, but they may have less
experience in facilitating a delicate meeting featuring diverse groups and opinions. Peacebuilders
may excel at dialogue or negotiation strategies to solve complex prob­lems, but they may get stuck
when one group has far more power than another group, making “getting to yes” that results in a
fair and just resolution difficult or impossible.

This unit describes how a synergy between nonviolent action and peacebuilding pro­cesses
improves the chances of success. The Curle Diagram illustrates this synergy to translate nonviolent
tactics into effective pressure to bring groups to the negotiation ­table. And a case study illustrates
what synergy between nonviolent action and peacebuilding looks like in practice.
 FRONT LINE STORY

Liberia Mass Action for Peace

Social change in Liberia would not have taken place without a combination of nonviolent action,
dialogue, and negotiations in a peace pro­cess.

A series of civil wars in Liberia between the government and armed rebel groups fighting for control of
the country brought devastation to the civilian population. During the Second Liberian Civil War,
community organizers went door-­to-­door recruiting w
­ omen to join a group that would become known as
­Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace (WLMAP) in 2003. The group brought together Muslim and
Christian ­women who mobilized their efforts and used vari­ous nonviolent tactics to call for an end to the
vio­lence.

The w
­ omen dressed in white clothing during weekly protests, implemented a sex strike, and held a
public candlelight vigil. They eventually secured meetings with President Charles Taylor and rebels from
the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia,
getting both sides to agree to attend peace talks in Ghana.

The Liberian ­women raised money and sent a del­e­ga­tion to Accra to continue applying nonviolent
pressure on the warring parties during the negotiations. They staged a sit-in at the building where the
negotiations ­were taking place, blocking the doors to prevent anyone from leaving ­until a settlement
was reached. The leader of WLMAP, Leymah Gbowee, even threatened to take off her clothes, an act
that would bring shame to the men and prevented guards from removing the w
­ omen.

The Liberian ­women became a widely recognized po­liti­cal force against vio­lence and Taylor’s
regime. Their per­sis­tent actions led to the government and the rebels signing a ceasefire agreement
and Taylor’s resignation, signaling an end to a fourteen-­year civil war. The ­women remained active
throughout the peace pro­cess, working to register ­people in dif­fer­ent parts of the country to vote. In
2006, Liberians elected Africa’s first female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who served two terms
as president. The combination of nonviolent action and negotiation effectively brought an end to the
civil war in Liberia.

Adapted from the Global Nonviolent Action Database.

32 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Key Concepts
No single pro­cess or tactic on its own is likely to bring about sustainable change. A combination of nonviolent
actions (strikes, vigils, boycotts) and peacebuilding pro­cesses (dialogue, negotiation, mediation) is more likely to
transform conflict, create social change, and build a more just and sustainable peace.

HOW CAN NONVIOLENT ACTION HOW CAN PEACEBUILDING PRO­CESSES HELP

HELP PEACEBUILDING PRO­CESSES NONVIOLENT ACTION BE MORE EFFECTIVE?
BE MORE EFFECTIVE? Peacebuilding methods like negotiation, mediation, and
Nonviolent action is often essential where power dialogue are critical for helping establish next steps and
asymmetries between the conflict parties make suc- translate movement goals into sustainable change.
cessful negotiation or dialogue less likely. ­Silent vigils, Peacebuilding approaches can help:
petitions, sit-­ins, and symbolic protests can increase
awareness of issues, shift incentives, and help “ripen” • Build diverse co­ali­tions and alliances neces-
conflicts for resolution. Nonviolent action can help: sary for successful movements, including
communicating with key p
­ eople who may be
• Increase awareness of the key issues, begin- opposed to an issue to change sides
ning with community organ­izing to raise
awareness within a group, then raising • Negotiate with power holders to achieve
awareness of larger numbers of p
­ eople u
­ ntil concrete gains and translate mass action into
­there is broad recognition of the need for specific policy, l­egal, and other needed
social change changes or reforms

• Shift power between groups so that the • Prepare movements and po­liti­cal activists to
needs and interests of all groups can be met appropriately communicate and effectively
govern with diverse constituents
• Raise the urgency of ending violent conflict
and integrate the voices of the marginalized
or t­ hose excluded from formal or informal
peace pro­cesses

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 33

The Curle Diagram
How Do Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Fit Together?
It is pos­si­ble for nonviolent action or peacebuilding about the issues at stake and empower ­people to
pro­cesses to bring about changes on their own. But become agents of change.
often it is the synergy of both pro­cesses that addresses
the roots of conflict and builds inclusive, just socie­ties. Overt or “open” conflict: In this stage, ­there is greater
public awareness of conflict. Nonviolent action
Conflict transformation is an art, not a science, and the can bring conflict into the open and increase
specific steps are dependent on a deep understanding public awareness to persuade or pressure other
of the par­tic­u­lar context. Sometimes groups start by groups to bring about social change by helping to
negotiating and then realize that power is unbalanced, shine a light on group grievances and changing
and a power­ful government is not negotiating in good the incentive structures of other groups.
faith. Nonviolent action may follow such an
unproductive negotiation. Conflict settlement: Nonviolent movements also shift
power. Once power is more balanced, and
This guide uses adaptations of what is known as the awareness of the conflict is widespread, conflict
“Curle Diagram,” which originates from Quaker non­ settlement becomes more likely. Sometimes
violent activist and peacebuilder Adam Curle. As illus- balanced power between groups may simply
trated in figure 2, conflict transformation often passes persuade a group to change a policy or practice,
through a variety of phases. or a group may be forced to yield power, allowing
other groups to achieve their goals. More often,
The Curle Diagram includes four blocks of activity. The change happens as the group with more power
diagram may look linear, but conflict transformation is accommodates the interests of other groups in
not a step-­by-­step pro­cess. It might be helpful to society. Most of the time, conflict settlement
imagine the arrow ­here as a helix moving forward but happens through the use of peacebuilding
visiting a variety of phases. The four stages of the Curle techniques such as dialogue, mediation, or
Diagram refer to the following: negotiation to create a detailed agreement on
how the conflict ­will end and how new policies,
Latent or “hidden” conflict: Conflict transformation structures, and leadership ­will be put in place.
often begins with addressing a situation where
­there is latent conflict. For example, some groups Sustainable peace and justice: Conflict transforma-
may be experiencing marginalization or discrimi- tion pro­cesses strive to achieve a sustainable
nation, preventing their advancement in society. In peace and justice, illustrated in the upper left-­
­these cases, ­there may be a low public awareness hand corner of the diagram. Sustainable peace is
of conflict and some groups have more power pos­si­ble when the negotiations address the root
than o
­ thers. Conflict transformation in this stage ­causes of a conflict and policies and institutions
starts with community organ­izing, co­ali­tion are in place that protect basic h
­ uman rights and
building, and capacity building to inform ­people promote inclusive governance.

34 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 FIGURE 2.

Curle Diagram
Conflict Transformation Process
Violence and Injustice Peace and Justice

Conflict Settlement: Sustainable Peace

Balanced Power

Tactics create pressure and Justice:

usti
on group in power to Principled negotiation
ipled negoti
otiation
convert, persuade, or addresses main ininterests
nte
accommodate interests
ests groups.
of all group
of other groups through
ough
negotiations or
mediation.
tion
Latent Conflict: Overt Confli
Conflict:
Community organizing, Nonviolent action to
coalition building, public
broaden pub
capacity building,
ing, awareness
are and balance
conscientization,
on power between groups;
pow
conflict assessment,
assessment human rights monitoring
Unbalanced Power

early warning and to deepen understanding

preventive diplomacy
diplom of the problem; and
and
nd dialogue to peacekeeping and
increase
ease awareness of protection of civilian
the need
n for change. programs to reduce
level of violence.

Low Awareness of Issues High Awareness

How Does the Curle Diagram Illustrate

the Roles of Nonviolent Action
and Peacebuilding?
The Curle Diagram illustrates two basic forces: increas- Peacebuilding’s primary focus is on building relation-
ing awareness of the issues and balancing power ships and raising awareness of the interests and needs
between groups. Both are necessary for sustainable of all groups, the structural root c­ auses, the interdepen-
peace and justice. dence between groups, and potential solutions. While
some peacebuilding pro­cesses also pay attention to
Nonviolent action’s primary focus is on shifting and power dynamics, in general the field of peacebuilding
balancing power between groups. While some non­ places less emphasis on power than on building
violent movements also practice peacebuilding skills of awareness and relationships.
dialogue, facilitation, and negotiation, ­these tend to
receive less emphasis in nonviolent action training.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 35

WHY DO PEACEBUILDING PRO­CESSES NEED WHY DOES NONVIOLENT ACTION NEED
NONVIOLENT ACTION? PEACEBUILDING PRO­CESSES?
Negotiation and peace pro­cesses are rarely successful Nonviolent movements require skills in building rela-
if ­there is a large imbalance of power. If one group has tionships and developing solutions. Peacebuilding
far more power than another, the group with more pro­cesses can reinforce successful nonviolent move-
power may not feel it is necessary to change and may ments in three main ways:
not negotiate in good faith. Nonviolent action can
reinforce successful peace pro­cesses in three 1. Peacebuilding skills help build stronger
main ways: nonviolent movements and co­ali­tions: Internal
conflict within a nonviolent movement and
1. Nonviolent action shifts power: Nonviolent ethnic, religious, class, and gender divisions
action mobilizes ­people to take joint action to within society are significant reasons why
increase their power and public legitimacy and movements fail. Successful nonviolent move-
to put pressure on conflict actors. When power ments build wide and diverse co­ali­tions. The
shifts, negotiation can be fruitful as all groups use of dialogue, facilitation, and negotiation
recognize the costs of the status quo and are skills to address internal conflicts, facilitate
more likely to participate in negotiation pro­ inclusive decision making, and build co­ali­tions
cesses in good faith. increases the likelihood of a successful
nonviolent movement.
2. Nonviolent action raises public awareness
and legitimacy: Nonviolent action brings 2. Peacebuilding pro­cesses use negotiation to
hidden or latent conflicts into the open and find sustainable outcomes: Nonviolent move-
increases public awareness of the legitimacy of ments that end where one group “wins” and
the prob­lems. Peacebuilding pro­cesses are the other “loses” create the conditions where
more likely to succeed when t­ here is wide the losing group may restart the conflict.
acknowl­edgment of the prob­lem and public Successful peace pro­cesses address the
commitment to address it. interests of all stakeholders through principled
negotiation. Peacebuilding skills can help
3. Nonviolent action can include creative nonviolent movement leaders link the power of
interventions: Nonviolent interventions can their movements to detailed policy proposals
promote self-­organizing and alternative struc- and high-­level negotiations that determine
tures to help the public imagine and build a long-­term implementation and
more peaceful and just f­uture. The interventions sustainable outcomes.
can also offer protection for peacebuilders,
negotiators, h
­ uman rights activists, journalists, 3. Peacebuilding pro­cesses can develop new
and o
­ thers to safely do their work. institutions and inclusive po­liti­cal pro­cesses:
Peacebuilding processes offer the opportunity
for re-­creating how social groups relate to each
other over the long term.

36 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

FIGURE 3.

The Gaps in Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Approaches

Community Make a NVA— No transition Long term or
Win a No
ID problem/ organizing— Training, demand tactics plan or unwilling sustainable change
change or institutional
injustice building planning of power to build to formally elusive, reversal
concession changes
awareness holders power negotiate to problem likely

Formal
Make a No plan to Win a Concessions
Awareness of negotiations No popular
ID INGO/NGO demand build power limited limited and
(humanitarian) only with support of
conflict involvement of power or unwilling to change or implementation
crisis approved settlement
holders take risk concession fails
stakeholders

What Happens When ­There Is No Synergy

between Nonviolent Action and
Peacebuilding Skills?
Nonviolent movements that do not use dialogue and attempt to address that conflict first through dialogue,
negotiation may achieve short-­term wins, but they may often facilitated by an NGO (nongovernment organ­
be unable to reach a settlement that delivers long-­term ization), and then through an official negotiation pro­cess
change. Some activists may assume the path to suc- between the adversaries. This narrative is also deficient.
cess looks something like this: a group identifies an Many times, negotiation pro­cesses are unsuccessful
injustice, organizes the community to respond, decides ­because one side holds more power than the other
on a few tactics to build their power, and hopefully side and does not want to give it up. Negotiation also
“wins” over their adversary. What is not shown in this tends to fail when it excludes key stakeholders like
narrative is that all too often t­ here is no sustainable ­women, youth, and other parts of civil society, and
“win” ­because ­there is no negotiated solution that when ­there is not sufficient public support for a
satisfies all stakeholders. negotiated outcome.

Peacebuilding narratives also map the path to suc- Figure 3 provides an example of the gaps in nonviolent
cess. Peacebuilders identify a conflict and often action and peacebuilding approaches.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 37

 FIGURE 4.

Revolution Meets Resolution
Revolution Meets Resolution Created By Lisa Schirch

Nonviolent Activist Peacebuilder Activist Peacebuilder

Peace and Justice

I believe in resolution! have to stick
I believe in revolution!
Peace! together! We need
Justice!
I reach out to build nonviolent activists
I demand change and
relationships with pressing for justice
resist the elite
people! AND peacebuilders
oppressors! We must
We can all be winners! building relationships!
win and they must
lose!

This comic strip was created at MakeBeliefsComix.com. Go there and make one yourself!

What Are Obstacles to Greater Synergy

between Nonviolent Action and
Peacebuilding ­Today?
In short, t­ here is often a lack of strategic planning. “activist peacebuilder” would look like to illustrate the
Dif­fer­ent moments in the conflict transformation pro­ coming together of nonviolent action and
cess call for dif­fer­ent tactics and methods. However, not peacebuilding perspectives.
every­one is aware of the full range of tactics and
strategies they can employ, and they may not have the ­Table 3 illustrates some of the common ground, differ-
time, the skill set, or both to integrate them. T
­ here is ences, and even tensions between the fields of non­
also a ­human tendency to ste­reo­t ype and seek comfort violent action and peacebuilding. While many ­people use
with the individuals and approaches we are most both nonviolent action and peacebuilding pro­cesses
familiar with, creating further hurdles to working to- and recognize the need for t­ hese dif­fer­ent approaches,
gether. Figure 4 provides an example of what an ­there are real differences as illustrated in table 3.

38 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 ­TABLE 3.

A Comparison of Nonviolent Action and

Peacebuilding Approaches
NONVIOLENT ACTION PEACEBUILDING
Achieving a just, peaceful society with an absence of structural and
Shared goal direct vio­lence
Working ­toward change without using vio­lence ­because of a pragmatic
Shared means to achieve
belief that peacebuilding and nonviolent action methods are more
goal strategic and/or moral than violent methods 
Emphasis on empowerment of Emphasis on engaging all
Ethical orientation marginalized groups to promote stakeholders in a conflict to hear
justice and speak truth to power their interests and needs
Extra-­institutional methods Both institutional and extra-­
including (a) nonviolent protest and institutional methods including (a)
persuasion, (b) noncooperation, official high-­level diplomacy,
(c) intervention and nonviolent negotiation, and mediation in
protection, and (d) developing new po­liti­cal pro­cesses and structural
Methods parallel nonviolent institutions and reforms; (b) midlevel “Track II”
systems unofficial dialogue and develop-
ment pro­cesses; and (c) local level,
grassroots dialogue
and development
Grassroots communities and their Multitrack including grassroots
allies and global networks, as well communities and religious,
as an increasing number of the business, government, military, and
Agents of change mainstream or initially unallied other sectors
groups and individuals who join in
movement activities
Involve more ­people in working for Involve key ­people or influencers
change by demonstrating their working for change by solving
collective power to demand prob­lems together to develop
Theory of change change, to withdraw their support mutually satisfying solutions to
from unjust systems, or to protect address root ­causes of vio­lence
­others from vio­lence
Identifies allies or opponents or Identifies stakeholders based on
adversaries based on their ­whether they have a stake in the
Terminology affiliation with the movement and relevant issues and uses language
uses language of shifting power of win-­win solutions and
and winning campaigns transforming relationships

Adapted from Veronique Dudouet, Powering to Peace: Integrated Strategies of Civil Re­sis­tance and Peacebuilding
Strategies, vol. 1 (Washington, DC: International Center on Nonviolent Conflict Special Report, April 2017).

Who Needs to Be Involved?

As illustrated in the Curle Diagram, conflict transforma- be changed. In other words, we need “key p
­ eople” with
tion requires a combination of “insiders,” who work the power to make official policy changes and “more
inside the systems and institutions that should be ­people” in the public or “civil society” who are willing to
changed, and “outsiders,” or t­ hose who do not have dialogue, or­ga­nize, advocate, and press for changes
close ties to the systems and institutions that should from the outside. More often than not, insiders have

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 39

 ­TABLE 4.

Stakeholder Involvement
ESSENTIAL INVOLVEMENT
INSIDER/ OUTSIDER/
OFFICIAL  UNOFFICIAL/
SITUATION KEY ­PEOPLE MORE P
­ EOPLE INSTITUTION MOVEMENT
Nonviolent action to shift power balance in order
✔ ✔
to bring authorities to the negotiation ­table
Negotiation and diplomatic peacebuilding
pro­cesses in order to develop creative options for ✔ ✔
sustainable solutions to the conflict 
A comprehensive campaign that uses the synergy
of both institutional and extra-­institutional
pro­cesses (e.g., securing voting rights for ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
marginalized group through protest and
­legal implementation)

access to institutionalized forums for prob­lem solving Liberian ­women. ­Table 4 illustrates the emphasis for
and policy making. Outsiders have access to communi- involvement in the sectors of “key p
­ eople” versus
ties and can or­ga­nize social groups to influence ­those “more ­people” and “insiders” versus “outsiders.”
on the inside, as demonstrated in the case of the

Can We Energize the Synergy?

Instead of seeing nonviolent action and peacebuilding made it pos­si­ble for w
­ omen to exert a power­ful influ-
approaches to conflict transformation as being op- ence on male leaders in both government and the
posed, or somehow better or worse, it might be more armed rebel groups to reach a ceasefire in
helpful to see them as existing on a strategic spectrum their negotiations.
of conflict transformation methods. Each method is
appropriate and useful at certain phases of a campaign, In many or most cases, it is beneficial to understand
movement, or peace pro­cess. The methods have both nonviolent action and peacebuilding pro­cesses, to
comparative advantages. have both sets of skills or “tools in your toolbox” so that
you can use the right tool at the right time. That way—­
In Liberia, both nonviolent action and peacebuilding whether you are challenging exclusionary policies,
pro­cesses brought about conflict transformation that addressing corruption that is fueling vio­lence, or
led to a more just and sustainable peace agreement. implementing a peace agreement to end a violent
Peacebuilding pro­cesses helped build a wider co­ali­tion conflict—­you can use both approaches synergistically
of groups, including Muslim and Christian w
­ omen. This to achieve maximum impact.

40 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Beyond the Page #1
Sequencing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Methods
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 4. In a large group, discuss the
• Reflect on and identify the ele­ments of following questions:
nonviolent action and peacebuilding pro­
cesses that contributed to the end of the A. How and why did each nonviolent tactic
Liberian civil war and a demo­cratic transition. play a role in social change? How did the
­women sequence their tactics? What did
SETUP: each tactic achieve for the group? What
• Copy the chart on the following page (use a impact, if any, did each tactic have on the
larger font for groups of more than six). Cut balance of power between groups?
apart the dif­fer­ent stages of the Liberia story.
B. At what points did negotiation take place
• Use string or strips of tape on the floor, t­able, internal and external to the campaign?
or wall to create the POWER and AWARE-
NESS lines in the diagram. C. What ­else could have happened? ­Were
­there alternative sequences or activities
HOW IT IS DONE: that may have made sense or delivered
1. Give one piece of the story to dif­fer­ent p
­ eople alternative outcomes? What was the role of
or subgroups in the training session. culture in the campaign?

2. For the facilitator: Color code or note on each D. If not already addressed: Did the group’s
paper where you think each piece belongs in sequencing differ from what happened in
the diagram in a nonobvious way so you can Liberia? What might have been the impact
rearrange l­ater if needed. ­these differences had on the pro­cess
or outcome?
3. Ask each person or subgroup to place their
piece of the story on the diagram to sequence
the story as they think it might have happened.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 41

 Representatives of ­Women’s Mass Action for Peace Muslim and Christian ­women take off their jewelry,
meet with Liberian president Charles Taylor and dress in plain white clothes, and demonstrate in the
pressure him to join peace talks in Ghana. streets of the capital city Monrovia.

Liberian president Charles Taylor resigns, and the

Liberian ­women hold a sit-in to surround the peace
peace pro­cess sets a timetable for ­free
talks between the rebels and the government.
demo­cratic elections.

Liberian ­women use a sex strike to pressure their

Liberian ­women hold a candlelight vigil in Monrovia.
partners to support peace.

Liberian ­women register p

­ eople, especially ­women and Muslim and Christian ­women decide to work together
young ­people, to vote throughout Liberia. for peace, despite a history of interreligious tension.

When police come to arrest the ­women blocking the

Community organizers in Liberia go door-to-door doors to the negotiations in Ghana, Liberian ­women’s
recruiting ­women to join a group that would come to leader Leymah Gbowee threatens to remove her
be known as ­Women’s Mass Action for Peace. clothing, an act that would bring shame to the
men involved.

The rebels and the government negotiate a ceasefire

Liberians elect the first female president in Africa.
in Ghana.

ANSWERS

1. Community organizers in Liberia go door-to- 6. Representatives of W

­ omen’s Mass Action for
door recruiting ­women to join a group that Peace meet with Liberian president Charles
would come to be known as ­Women’s Mass Taylor and pressure him to join peace talks in
Action for Peace. Ghana.

2. Muslim and Christian ­women decide to work 7. Liberian w

­ omen hold a sit-in to surround the
together for peace, despite a history of interre- peace talks between the rebels and the
ligious tension. government.

3. Muslim and Christian ­women take off their 8. Liberian president Charles Taylor resigns, and
jewelry, dress in plain white clothes, and the peace pro­cess sets a timetable for f­ree
demonstrate in the streets of the capital city of demo­cratic elections.
Monrovia.
9. When police come to arrest the ­women
4. Liberian ­women use a sex strike to pressure blocking the doors to the negotiations in
their partners to support peace. Ghana, Liberian ­women’s leader Leymah
Gbowee threatens to remove her clothing, an
5. Liberian ­women hold a candlelight vigil in act that would bring shame to the men
Monrovia. involved.

42 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 10. The rebels and the government negotiate a 12. Liberian w
­ omen hold another candlelight vigil
ceasefire in Ghana. in Monrovia.

11. Liberian ­women register ­people, especially 13. Liberians elect the first female president
­women and young p
­ eople, to vote throughout in Africa.
Liberia.

Beyond the Page #2

Ideal Community/Village Exercise
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ing something from the community (­water, fossil
• For groups not as familiar with nonviolent fuels, land, ­etc.). The facilitators ­will be making
actions or peacebuilding, this exercise ­will several visits to each community. They should
offer a first taste and provide a framework for be upbeat and offer what­ever they think the
the discussion of nonviolent action and groups want to hear—­money, jobs, ­future—
conflict transformation through ­regardless of what would actually be happen-
shared experiences. ing (i.e., taking away their land).

SETUP: • Visit #1: The facilitator introduces him/

• You ­will need crayons, markers, and large herself and says how happy they are to
sheets of paper; props such as a hat, tie, or have found the perfect location for their
jacket; name tags; and two or more facilita- next expansion. The facilitator should not
tors, if pos­si­ble, or recruit participant(s) stay too long or say too much.
depending on the size of group.
• Visit #2: The facilitator ­either points to or
HOW IT IS DONE: draws right on the community map the
1. Divide up into small groups (four to six people) location they want, which could be the
and give each group large sheets of paper and nicest spot in town. The facilitator keeps
crayons or markers. Ask them, “What would their talk positive as they engage the
you like to see in an ideal community or community. Again, this should be a
village?” Encourage them to draw their ideas quick visit.
about food, school, recreation—­the sky’s
the limit! • Visit #3: At this point, the facilitator may
escalate and take some of the community
2. When communities have taken shape on the by actually tearing off some of the com-
paper, the facilitators transform into CEOs of a munity map for your factory, plant, mall, or
multinational corporation interested in extract- what­ever. They can also continue to mark

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 43

 up the community if they are not ready to • Facts: What happened—­did communities
escalate to tearing off a piece of the map. win or lose? What did they try—­tactics?
Was ­there a strategy? Did the communi-
• The facilitator continues tearing away ties interact in any way or just manage on
paper in small amounts and talking about their own? What could have been dif­fer­
the advantages of development. They ent? W
­ ere ­there identifiable phases of the
should try to pace their paper snatching re­sis­tance work? Did you get to any kind
so that it allows the community time to of dialogue or negotiation?
or­ga­nize and fight back. Groups with
more activists w
­ ill be able to tolerate • ­Future: What lessons or experience can
faster snatching, whereas “beginners” w
­ ill you take away from this game?
need the facilitator to go slowly. The Strategic learnings?
facilitator should try not to create despair
or “win” too quickly. 4. The exercise can be replayed if groups want to
try their hand at resisting again.
• The facilitator continues to draw/take
away paper u
­ ntil the group has or­ga­nized (Adapted from a Ruckus Society/Training for Change
sufficiently against them and has experi- tool adapted by Karen Ridd in Thailand, 1995, from a
enced re­sis­tance or some type of game led by Pom, Thai student and grassroots environ-
nonviolent action. mental activist, 1994)

3. End the game and debrief:

• Feelings: How did it feel when the

business person visited your communi-
ties? In the beginning, ­later?

44 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Resources
• “Can Integrating Civil Re­sis­tance and Peacebuilding Strategies Improve Movement Effectiveness?” Inter-
national Center on Nonviolent Conflict (webinar). October 27, 2017​.­ https://­www​.­nonviolent​-­conflict​.o
­ rg​/­can​
-­integrating​-­civil​-­resistance​-­peacebuilding​-­strategies​-­improve​-m
­ ovement​-­effectiveness​/.­

• Dudouet, Veronique. Powering to Peace: Integrated Strategies of Civil Re­sis­tance and Peacebuilding
Strategies, vol. 1. Washington, DC: International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, April 2017.

• “Exploring the Intersections between Peacebuilding, Nonviolent Social Movements, and Civilian Protection.”
Alliance for Peacebuilding. Accessed June 8, 2018​.­ http://­w ww​.­allianceforpeacebuilding​.­org​/­site​/­wp ​- ­content​
/­uploads​/­2013​/­08​/­2016 ​-­AfP​-­Annual​- ­Conference​_ ­Peacebuilding​- ­Nonviolent​-­Social​- ­Movements​-­and​- ­Civilian​
-­Protection​_ ­FINAL​.­pdf.

• Finnegan, Amy, and Susan Hackley. “Negotiation and Nonviolent Action: Interacting in the World of Conflict.”
Negotiation Journal 24, no. 1 (January 2008): 7–24.

• Hodenfield, Tor. “Keeping Up the Pressure: Enhancing the Sustainability of Protest Movements.”
CIVICUS (2017).

• Schirch, Lisa. The L

­ ittle Book of Strategic Peacebuilding. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2004.

• “­Table of Contents.” Creative Co­ali­tions Handbook, Crisis Action. Accessed December 20, 2017​.­ 
https://­crisisaction​.­org​/­handbook ​/­contents​/­.

• Wanis​-­St​.­ John, Anthony, and Noah Rosen. “Negotiating Civil Re­sis­tance.” Peaceworks, no. 129
(July 2017): 5–20.

• Weber, Thomas. “Gandhian Philosophy, Conflict Resolution Theory and Practical Approaches to Negotia-
tion.” Journal of Peace Research 38, no. 4 (July 2001): 493–513.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 45

UNIT 2

Start Strategically for Successful

Conflict Transformation

CONTENTS

Front Line Story: U.S. Civil Rights Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Beyond the Page #1: The Blanket Game. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, participants ­will be able to:

Understand strategy and planning as critical components of

transforming conflict

Identify the key ele­ments of strategic planning in a six-­step process

Recognize how strategic planning can support the appropriate

sequencing of nonviolent action and peacebuilding methods to
achieve conflict transformation goals
 2
UNIT

Start Strategically
for Successful
Conflict Transformation
Strategic planning is necessary for any group that wants to rely on more than luck and good
intentions to achieve its goals. Strategy takes creative thinking and organ­izing. It means not just
taking to the streets or the negotiation t­ able and hoping for the best. A good strategy lays out a
carefully planned set of actions and contingencies and anticipates the actions of other conflict
parties. Effective strategic planning should integrate a wide variety of nonviolent action and
peacebuilding tools and approaches.

This is the first of four units on strategic planning. Starting strategically means first identifying a
vision of the f­ uture and your mission in relationship to that vision as part of a six-­step planning
pro­cess. L
­ ater units w
­ ill flesh out remaining steps, including conducting assessments, setting
SMARTT goals, choosing tactics, and creating implementation time lines.
 FRONT LINE STORY

U.S. Civil Rights Movement

The U.S. civil rights movement (1942–68) held a vision of a desegregated United States where all
­people had the right to vote, rooted in the values of racial equity, h
­ uman rights, and justice. The mission
of the civil rights movement at this time was to restore universal suffrage in the southern United States
and overturn ­legal segregation.

An assessment of points of intervention revealed that segregated businesses and public assets like
lunch c­ ounters, transportation, and schools ­were particularly vulnerable to public pressure. Based on
this information, the movement launched specific campaigns to meet specific goals: desegregation of
lunch c­ ounters, bus seating, and other segregated public spaces. The movement’s overall strategy was
to turn public opinion against institutionalized racism, impose economic costs on businesses upholding
segregation, and secure substantive reform in U.S. law. T
­ hese goals would require combined strategic
steps of vari­ous tactics, such as litigation, the use of mass media, boycotts, and demonstrations, as well
as sit-­ins and other forms of civil disobedience.

Hundreds of thousands more participated in a wide variety of tactics, including marches, boycotts, and
voter registration drives throughout the U.S. South.

Or­ga­nized mass nonviolent tactics helped expose the national racial segregation crisis and leverage
this knowledge into widespread or­ga­nized confrontations and interventions. T
­ hese actions brought key
­people, including business ­owners and elected officials, to negotiating ­tables across the southern
United States. In turn, the movement catalyzed an intervention by the federal government to
overturn segregation laws in southern states, move the passage of the national Voting Rights Act of
1965 in Congress, and end ­legal discrimination in housing, education, and employment.

Adapted from “The U.S. Civil Rights Movement (1942–1968),” International Center on Nonviolent
Conflict, accessed June 29, 2018, https://­w ww​.­nonviolent​- ­conflict​.­org​/­the​-­us​- ­civil​-­rights​-­movement​
-­1942​-­1968​/­.

48 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Key Concepts
WHAT IS STRATEGIC PLANNING? and justice to structure our strategy discussion (see
As Antoine de Saint-­Exupery wrote, “A goal without a figure 5). To move from latent conflict to sustainable
plan is just a wish.” Strategy is generally considered to peace and justice, you need good strategy.
be a way to achieve specific goals u
­ nder conditions of
uncertainty. Strategic planning is a way to chart how to The rest of this guide contains units focused on ele­
achieve a goal through clear action steps and ments of strategic planning to support functions such
ongoing assessment. as assessing conflict, building power and capacity, and
maximizing participation and inclusion in both non­
WHAT DOES STRATEGIC PLANNING HAVE TO DO violent action and peacebuilding pro­cesses.
WITH CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION?
Strategic planning in the SNAP context means deter-
mining when and how to use relevant nonviolent action
and peacebuilding methods to achieve specific conflict
transformation goals. For illustrative purposes, we use
the Curle Diagram and its focus on power, awareness,

FIGURE 5.

Curle Diagram: Latent Conflict

Conflict Transformation Process
Violence and Injustice Peace and Justice

Conflict Settlement: ainab Peace

Sustainable
Balanced Power

and Justice:
Justice

Latent Conflict: Overt Conflict:

Community organizing,
coalition building,
capacity building,
conscientization,
on,
Unbalanced Power

conflict assessment,
sment
early warning
arnin and
preventive
r diplomacy
and dialogue to
increase awareness of
crease awa
the need for change.

Low Awareness of Issues High Awareness

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 49

 Good strategy naturally includes a synergy of nonviolent action and
peacebuilding pro­cesses.

What Are the Components of

Strategic Planning?
General components of strategic planning include six community capacity building and
steps (shown in figure 6): vision and values, mission outreach support.
development, assessment, goal setting, strategic steps,
and tactical implementation. Strategic steps (objectives): The plan for HOW you
­will achieve your goals and move closer ­toward
Vision: The broadest description of what ideal condi- your vision. Includes identifying specific non­
tions would exist in your desired, transformed, violent tactics and articulating an actionable
sustainable ­future. theory of change.

Values: The princi­ples and deeply held beliefs that Implementation or action plans: Identifying WHAT
are the framework for building the desired vision tactics or activities ­will be done, by WHOM and
of the f­uture world; ­these are included in by WHEN, and WITH what resources/bud­get.
the vision. Action plans can turn into very detailed accounts
of how strategies ­will become real activities
Mission: Your group’s specific purpose or reason for or tactics.
existing—­what you want to do to advance the
vision you hold. Theory of change: A theory of change links t­ hese
seven steps together. It is a strategic narrative that
Assessment: A systematic evaluation of all the f­actors explains how your strategy ­will achieve your goal.
that could have an impact on reaching your vision The following sentence is an example of a theory
through your stated mission. Usually includes of change: Local farmers in Ghana w
­ ill be able to
analy­sis of internal orga­nizational strengths and make more money from their crops if they work
weaknesses, as well as external threats together to form their own farming cooperative
and opportunities. and refuse to work with international corporations.
[Your goal] ­will happen if [the target] does [action
Goals: Specific and mea­sur­able ­things you want to that brings about goal] and they w
­ ill be induced
accomplish—­defining how much you w
­ ill accom- to do this by [tactic/approach]. Change is, of
plish by when. Most goals fall into three main course, never guaranteed. But being explicit in
categories: internal orga­nizational development, naming how your theory of change w
­ ill influence
external programmatic work, and network/ your goals is the first test of your proposal. You

50 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 If (the target) is influenced by (tactic/approach) to do (an action), then
(your goal) w
­ ill happen.

FIGURE 6.

Strategic Planning Pyramid

Vision & Values

Mission

Assessment

SMARTT Goals

Strategic Steps

Implementation Plans and Tactics

could also state this as an if-­then statement: If (the For specific examples, see the “Beyond the Page”
target) is influenced by (tactic/approach) to do (an exercise on page 51 where ­there is a guide to
action), then (your goal) w
­ ill happen. ­developing the Strategic Planning Pyramid.

How Does Strategic Planning Help

Activists and Peacebuilders Build a
More Sustainable, Just Peace?
“If you d
­ on’t know where ­you’re g
­ oing, you’ll end up pro­cess, they tend to be a primary focus for activists
someplace ­else.” and peacebuilders alike. But if you have not first
―Yogi Berra identified goals and mapped out a way to achieve
them, even the most engaging tactic ­will not get you
Since tactics are often more immediately gratifying than closer to where you want to go. Worse, you may
conducting an assessment or strategic planning squander your limited resources in the pro­cess.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 51

 For example, repeatedly holding marches or rallies that do not attract
new participants, fail to influence the opponent’s be­hav­ior, and put
­participants at risk may be strategically unwise. Similarly, continuing to
pursue negotiations or national dialogue pro­cesses that exclude key
groups and reinforce power asymmetries is unlikely to yield results.

This is where the strategic planning and assessment common as ­people tend to do what they know or have
pro­cesses come in. They are frameworks that help you done before.
better understand your situation and use your re-
sources to develop a strategy that applies the appropri- Planning also enables organizers to be more intentional
ate tools from both the nonviolent action and the about choosing peacebuilding approaches or non­
peacebuilding tool kits to achieve goals. violent tactics. For example, it may make strategic
sense to use lower-­risk and less-­resource-­intensive
Strategic plans and assessments can also help in the tactics in contexts where ­there are attacks on non­
learning and evaluation pro­cess. Critical to effective violent movements. It means prioritizing activities based
peacebuilding and nonviolent action is active learning. on available resources. Given that resources are often
You need to be able to adjust and correct course as limited, planning pro­cesses that link ends to means, that
needed, based on the results of rigorous evaluation identify tangible goals, and that evaluate the dif­fer­ent
and assessment. D
­ oing the same ­thing over and methods of action based on likely impacts are essential
over again and expecting dif­fer­ent results is to being an effective activist or peacebuilder.

Beyond the Page #1

The Blanket Game
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: • To talk about group dynamics in decision
Facilitator instructions: DO NOT SAY ­THESE OBJEC- making, personal participation, and
TIVES BEFORE THE GAME! implicit bias

• To distinguish between strategy, goals, • To experience and talk about the importance
and tactics of communication

52 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

SETUP: achieve the goal, and the tactics ­were the
• Place a blanket or sheet on the floor that w
­ ill par­tic­u­lar ways the group implemented
hold the number of ­people who are participat- the strategy.
ing (standing close to each other).
• Group dynamics: How did you all figure
HOW IT IS DONE: out what to do? Who made decisions?
1. Have the group stand on the blanket (groups of Who was listened to? Who was ignored?
eight to twenty-­five ­people work best). Use a Did any issues surface?
blanket the appropriate size for the number of
­people (they should be slightly packed onto • Communication: Did every­one know
the blanket). what was g
­ oing on? When it was happen-
ing? Before? ­After? Insights on communi-
2. Then, pres­ent them with The ­Great Turning cation? Styles/pro­cess? How ­were
Challenge. The top of the blanket represents communication and dialogue skills used?
the troubled pres­ent, and the face-­down side
represents our desired f­uture. In order to reach • On a personal level: How did you partici-
the desired, improved f­uture, they need to flip pate? Did you take a leadership role? A
the blanket over. Every­one must make it to the follower role? Did you actively participate
other side. No one may leave the blanket, lean in finding a solution, or not? Why?
on walls, and so on. Beyond the obvious team
challenge, this framework can help a group • ­Future: What did you learn from the
focus overtly on the need for collective action exercise that you can apply in the f­uture
to make social change (for what it is worth, it is to strategic planning? Are there any
a very doable task). insights or applications to your profes-
sional work? How do you and fellow
3. ­After the group successfully completes the workmates function ­under stress?
task, help the group debrief and reflect on the
experience. Make sure to give some space for The following variations for the Blanket Game can be
any immediate reactions or feelings. And undertaken when the group has more time:
remember, even if you do not manage to flip
the blanket without losing anyone, you w
­ ill still 1. Social learning emphasis: Use a timer and time
learn a lot from the pro­cess. the group as the members try to turn the
blanket over. A
­ fter debriefing, ask if they would
• Feelings: How did this exercise feel? like to do it again. Again, time them. Groups ­will
What emotions did you experience? Did always do better the second time around, and
you feel heard? ­Were your needs met? this can open up a conversation about social
learning—­that once ­people figure something
• Facts: What actually happened? What out they are able to repeat or replicate it
was the goal? The strategy? The tactic(s)? more efficiently.
In this case, the goal was given by the
facilitator (flip the blanket over), the 2. Introduce a power­ful opponent: ­After ­running
strategy was the method devised to through the exercise once (or twice if you have

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 53

 FIGURE 7

Blanket Game Solution

A B

timed it), run through the game again with one tactical choice: Persuasion? Dialogue? Negotia-
addition: explain that while most ­people want a tion? Use of nonviolent action (pick the person
better f­uture world (represented by flipping the up or surround them)? Set a time limit on this
blanket), some benefit from the unjust status version, as it is unlikely to achieve success
quo and do not want t­ hings to change. Ask for without a fixed endpoint. (Another lesson!)
a volunteer to act as a privileged power elite
member who wants to stall or stop the ­great SOLUTION
turning to a more just and equal world. This Twist the blanket from one corner and move p
­ eople
person can easily derail change (e.g., by onto the “new” side as t­ here is room. See part
touching their foot on the floor). Debriefs h
­ ere A of figure 7, with every­one on the blanket, and
­will open up conversations about real-­world part B, as the blanket is twisted and p
­ eople can
campaign decisions on timing, sequencing, and move onto the reverse side.

54 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Resources
• Bond, Becky, and Zack Exley. Rules for Revolutionaries: How Big Organ­izing Can Change Every­thing. White
River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Publishing, 2016.

• Brown, Adrienne Maree. Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds. Chico, CA: AK Press, 2017.

• “Campaignstrategy​.­Org—Resources​.­” Accessed December 8, 2017​.­ http://­w ww​.­campaignstrategy​.­org​

/­resources​.­php.

• Djinovic, Slobodan, et al. A Guide to Effective Nonviolent Strug­gle. Serbia: Center for Applied Nonviolent
Action and Strategies, 2007.

• Engler, Mark, and Paul Engler. This Is an Uprising: How Nonviolent Revolt Is Shaping the Twenty-­First
­Century. New York: Nation Books, 2016.

• Hampton, Henry. Eyes on the Prize: Amer­i­ca’s Civil Rights Years 1954–1965 (PBS, 2010).

• “The King Philosophy.” The Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change. Accessed Decem-
ber 22, 2017​.­ http://­w ww​.­thekingcenter​.­org​/­king​-­philosophy.

• Moyer, Bill. “The Movement Action Plan: A Strategic Framework Describing the Eight Stages of Successful
Social Movements.” History Is a Weapon. Accessed December 20, 2017​.­ http://­w ww​.­historyisaweapon​.­com​
/­defcon1​/­moyermap​.­html.

• ———. The Practical Strategist: Movement Action Plan (MAP) Strategic Theories for Evaluating, Planning, and
Conducting Social Movements. Social Movement Empowerment Proj­ect, 1990.

• “Organ­izing: ­People, Power, Change.” Adapted from the work of Dr. Marshall Ganz and resources from the
Leading Change Network and the New Organ­izing Institute. Accessed December 8, 2017​. ­https://­w ww​
.­aclunc​.­org​/­docs​/­organizers ​_ ­handbook​.­pdf.

• “­People Power Manual.” The Change Agency. Accessed December 20, 2017​.­ http://­w ww​.­thechangeagency​
.­org​/­campaigners​-­toolkit ​/­training​-­resources​/­people​-­power​-­manual​/­.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 55

UNIT 3

Dialogue to Defuse Interpersonal

Conflict and Support Co­ali­tion Building

CONTENTS

Front Line Story: Chile’s “No” Campaign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Beyond the Page #1: Practice Building Alliances and Co­ali­tions. . . . 64

Beyond the Page #2: Using Hassle Lines to Practice Defusing

Difficult Situations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, participants ­will be able to:

Identify how communication skills and dialogue can foster greater

participation in conflict transformation

Identify nonverbal and verbal forms of communication necessary to

defuse hostility and find solutions to challenging conflicts

Identify the characteristics of active listening, paraphrasing, and

respectful engagement

Practice how to use dialogue and communication to build co­ali­tions

and develop consensus on group goals, strategy, and tactics
 3
UNIT

Dialogue to Defuse
Interpersonal Conflict
and Support Co­ali­tion
Building
Peacebuilding methods, including interpersonal communication and dialogue, can help defuse
interpersonal conflict and strengthen internal dynamics within groups. T
­ hese skills can help to
widen support and build co­ali­tions between groups and recruit o
­ thers to join a nonviolent
movement. This unit provides a practical understanding of the communication and dialogue
skills that can enhance activists’ and peacebuilders’ abilities to do their work effectively
and strategically.
 FRONT LINE STORY

Chile’s “No” Campaign

General Augusto Pinochet came to power in 1973 ­after a military coup ousted the demo­cratically
elected Chilean president Salvadore Allende. U
­ nder Pinochet’s rule, thousands of po­liti­cal opponents
­were assassinated, tortured, and dis­appeared. In 1983, during the country’s economic crisis, trade ­union
leaders or­ga­nized the growing dissent to the regime into public re­sis­tance actions. They used
slowdowns, cacerolazas (noise brigades), lightning or flash protests (short, spontaneous actions that
dispersed before police could arrive), strikes, and many other tactics. ­Women used cultural dance and
created arpilleras (tapestries) to document the regime’s brutality, communicate with the outside world,
and raise money to support the opposition. All t­ hese nonviolent tactics helped solidify the broad civil
re­sis­tance movement and build a strong co­ali­tion that would bring about a power-­shifting national
referendum.

The Catholic Church, which avoided directly opposing the regime, was able to open up po­liti­cal space
while Pinochet was in power to make room for organ­izing and protection for victims of ­human rights
abuses. The Cardinal of Santiago also made efforts to mediate between reformers and the government.

In an attempt to legitimize his regime, Pinochet held a national plebiscite in 1988 to extend his rule for
another eight years. However, the public overwhelmingly voted no, forcing the dictator to step down.
A diverse co­ali­tion made up of Chilean popu­lar movements, ­labor ­unions, the Catholic Church, and
other groups was a driving force b
­ ehind Pinochet’s defeat. The co­ali­tion was built by ­people with
the skills and willingness to dialogue and negotiate with other groups, despite the groups having
differing views on several issues. Some groups wanted an entirely new constitution, while ­others only
wanted Pinochet to leave office. Some groups supported Allende, Pinochet’s pre­de­ces­sor, and ­others
­were initially in f­ avor of Pinochet and opposed Allende. While ­there was significant diversity in the
co­ali­tion, they ­were all able to agree on one goal: ending Pinochet’s presidency and transitioning to
demo­cratic rule.

The plural views of the opposition ­were represented in the “No” side’s use of a rainbow as its main
symbol. The co­ali­tion cut across ideological and po­liti­cal lines to successfully delegitimize the regime.
The groups registered 7.5 million p
­ eople to vote in the plebiscite, despite Pinochet’s use of widespread
repression and torture to maintain control of the country. Another part of the campaign involved tele­vi­
sion programs and advertisements in which members of the opposition used a fifteen-­minute daily
broadcast to expose Pinochet’s h
­ uman rights abuses and bring awareness to the breadth of opposition
to the regime.

58 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

The co­ali­tion of diverse groups, which also included military defectors, the international community, and
businesses, was key to the success of the “No” campaign and helped Chile transition to democracy.

Adapted from “Chile: Strug­gle Against a Military Dictator (1985–1988),” International Center on
Nonviolent Conflict, accessed June 8, 2018, https://­w ww​.­nonviolent​-­conflict​.­org​/­chile​-­struggle​-­against​-­a​
-­military​-­dictator​-­1985​-­1988​/­.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 59

 Both activists and peacebuilders need to be able to actively listen and
communicate respectfully to build understanding and relationships with
a variety of p
­ eople to accomplish their goals.

Key Concepts
HOW ARE COMMUNICATION AND DIALOGUE F. To make collective decisions through inclusive
SKILLS USED IN NONVIOLENT ACTION and engaged participatory pro­cesses
AND PEACEBUILDING?
The tools of communication and dialogue have long G. To communicate with each other in ways that
been the driving force of peacebuilding approaches show re­spect, and to build a culture where
around the globe. Nonviolent movements also have a each individual and group feels respected and
long history of using t­ hese skills, a reminder that ­these listened to, which in turn increases the chance
two fields have similar origins and many points they w
­ ill feel owner­ship and commitment to the
of connection. pro­cess and cause

Peacebuilders and nonviolent activists can use commu- H. To communicate or negotiate with key ­people,
nication and dialogue skills in ­these ways: power elites, or opposition representatives,
including authorities or government officials
A. To educate and inspire ­people and reach out to (unit 8 ­will address this point)
potential allies or uncommitted individuals to
be supportive of the issue WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT BUILDING
CO­ALI­TIONS TO SUPPORT A SUSTAINABLE AND
B. To build relationships and trust with ­people in JUST PEACE?
communities and strengthen their capacity to Successful nonviolent movements require the active
do collaborative work participation of large numbers of p
­ eople, which in turn
requires building broad co­ali­tions, like the one that led
C. To defuse tense situations within a group or to victory in Chile’s “No” campaign. Similarly, peace-
between insiders and outsiders building pro­cesses that engage diverse groups and
stakeholders are more likely to succeed than ­those that
D. To understand each other’s interests and are purely elite-led or exclusive in nature.1 Communica-
identify common ground while acknowledging tion, dialogue, and negotiation skills are impor­tant to all
the diversity in any group the activities in the first block of the Curle diagram (see
figure 5).
E. To identify and prioritize goals

60 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

HOW DOES INTERNAL GROUP CONFLICT HOW DOES DIALOGUE HELP BUILD INTERNAL
IMPACT SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND UNDERSTANDING AND COHERENCE?
PEACEBUILDING EFFORTS? Dialogue is “a sustained interaction among groups to
Nonviolent activists and peacebuilders often seek to learn from each other and transform relationships, as
address oppressive systemic issues. Yet, t­ hese issues they address practical and structural issues in society.”2
are often as prevalent within ­these groups as in the It is a way of talking that encourages active listening
socie­ties at large. Racism, sexism, classism, and other and honest but respectful speaking. The goal of
forms of social oppression can drive conflict within an dialogue is to improve understanding and relationships
organ­ization even as it works ­toward ending that between ­people or groups that are in conflict or differ in
oppression in the wider society. their approach to addressing a prob­lem. Unlike negotia-
tion, dialogue does not aim for an immediate solution to
It is impor­tant to overcome internal issues ­because it a prob­lem. Instead, dialogue is useful when ­there are
­will better position the organ­ization or movement for dif­fer­ent experiences and perceptions between groups.
success if its work is not bogged down in internal Dialogue creates the space to talk about prob­lems in a
conflicts. Advancing the long-­term goals and objectives place where every­one is committed to listening to each
of negotiations and peace pro­cesses requires listening other and trying to understand dif­fer­ent points of view.
to constituent groups and engaging them in meaningful
dialogue. Furthermore, when groups embody the ideals Dialogue is dif­fer­ent from debate (as shown in
they are promoting, they are more likely to be seen as ­table 5). In a debate, participants ­either consciously or
legitimate by other groups in society, by the opponent, unconsciously believe that t­ here is only one right way
and by the international community. to believe or act. When ­people believe they alone hold
the w
­ hole truth, it may lead them to think ­there is no
Many nonviolent movements are made up of need to listen to o
­ thers, other than to figure out how to
smaller autonomous or self-­organizing “affinity overpower their position. Dialogue requires participants
groups.” ­These are small groups of p
­ eople who make to keep their minds open to the pro­cess of learning and
decisions together and support each other in carry­ing changing through hearing another’s point of view.
out an agreed upon tactic to achieve a common goal.
The affinity group is one place to use dialogue as a Dialogue can be both formal and informal. Anyone
means to listen to and empower each member. It is a can use dialogue skills informally to ease discussions
place to address issues of power and privilege within on difficult subjects. You can find an overview of some
the group and recognize the interconnections between of ­these skills below. To do a deeper dive, check out
racism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of USIP’s new dialogue tool kit. 3
systemic oppression. Building trust within the group is
key to being able to tackle prob­lems effectively. While WHAT ARE THE CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF
the term affinity group is fairly unique to nonviolent NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS?
movements, the idea is somewhat parallel to “working Some communication experts estimate that
groups” or “caucus groups” that function in peacebuild- 60–80 ­percent of communication is nonverbal.4 That
ing pro­cesses as supportive small groups that meet on means each person communicates with o
­ thers primarily
the sidelines of a negotiation or dialogue to discuss and through facial expressions, body posture, and eye
pro­cess decisions and events. movements. Researchers have found that some p
­ eople
are much better at reading nonverbal cues than o
­ thers.
Emotional intelligence is a term used to describe how

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 61

 ­TABLE 5.

Comparison of Debate and Dialogue

DEBATE DIALOGUE
The goal is to “win” the argument by affirming one’s The goal is to understand dif­fer­ent perspectives and
own views and discrediting other views. learn about other views.
­People listen to others to find flaws in their arguments. P
­ eople listen to others to understand how their
experiences shape their beliefs.
­People critique the experiences of ­others as distorted ­People accept the experiences of ­others as real
and invalid. and valid.
­People appear to be determined not to change their ­People appear to be somewhat open to changing their
own views on the issue. understanding of the issue.
­People speak based on assumptions made about the ­People speak only about their own understanding
other’s positions and motivations. and experience.
­People oppose each other and attempt to prove each ­People work together ­toward common understanding.
other wrong.
Strong emotions like anger are often used to intimidate Strong emotions like anger and sadness are appropriate
the other side. when they convey the intensity of an experience
or belief.

Source: Lisa Schirch and David Campt, The ­Little Book of Dialogue for Difficult Subjects: A Practical, Hands-­On
Guide (Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2007).

someone may be feeling by “reading” their ­faces and angry or violent confrontation. ­Table 6 provides some
bodies to understand what they are trying to communi- of the key skills needed to practice active
cate. The ability to interpret and employ culturally listening effectively.
appropriate eye contact, facial expressions, and body
language is especially impor­tant when communicating HOW CAN DIALOGUE AND COMMUNICATION
across cultures since postures and physical expres- TECHNIQUES BE USED TO DEFUSE HOSTILITY
sions may have dif­fer­ent meanings in dif­fer­ent cultures. AND AGGRESSION?
Want to determine your own emotional intelligence Understanding what escalates and what defuses
to interpreting nonverbal communication? Take the aggression can be helpful in managing relationships
emotional intelligence quiz listed in the and communication (see ­table 7 for examples). Peace-
Resources section. builders tend to use methods that defuse hostility and
aggression. Nonviolent actors may engage in activities
WHAT ARE THE CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF that escalate conflict and create tensions, but the goal
VERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS? should not be to create animosity or to use personal
Both listening and speaking require verbal communica- attacks. Understanding when, where, and how to
tion skills, including active listening and paraphrasing. escalate conflict, without instilling hostility, is impor­tant
Active listening is an impor­tant skill ­because it helps to successful conflict transformation.
­people feel their concerns are heard and acknowl-
edged. When p
­ eople feel heard, they are less likely to A tool to help activists and peacebuilders
repeat themselves, yell or shout, or be very angry. ­remember skills and actions to safely engage with
Active listening is an essential skill for defusing an and/or defuse hostility and aggression is a mnemonic

62 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

­TABLE 6.

Key Skills for Active Listening

Identify—­Try to identify the feelings or emotions of the
Empathize—­Put yourself in the other person’s shoes
speaker, the meaning of their message, and the
and try to understand how that person feels.
specific content they are trying to communicate.
Validate—­Affirm to the other person that their Paraphrase—­Restate in your own words what you
experience is valid, even if you have had a dif­fer­ent heard a person say, including the feelings and meaning
experience. of their message.
Gather information—­Attempt to understand more about
Clarify—­Ask questions to get more information.
the situation.

Stay calm—­Take a deep breath and keep breathing slowly. Try to center yourself and calm your body’s reactions to
the situation. 

­TABLE 7.

Defusing Hostility and Aggression

­ ACTORS THAT ESCALATE METHODS OF DEFUSING
F
HOSTILITY + AGGRESSION HOSTILITY + AGGRESSION
Limited choices: Offer a way out: help the other person save face by
being cornered without a way of escaping ­doing one or more of the following:
and “saving face” • reassure an aggressive person that their concerns
are legitimate
• offer the option to pursue the issue in a dif­fer­ent
setting (off the street)
• refrain from openly judging the person’s be­hav­ior
Use asymmetrical posturing: Use symmetrical posturing: nonaggressive,
when one person or group has or is perceived to have nonchallenging body language
more power than another
Use ostentatious symbols of power: Show re­spect: acknowledge local customs, leadership,
physical postures that proj­ect power, such as and ethical/moral norms
­sunglasses, high-­tech equipment, expensive vehicles,
contextually extravagant lifestyles, uniforms, guns, or
other symbols of wealth and power
Refusal to acknowledge the other side Acknowledge the equal humanity of all and the
or their point of view legitimacy of their concerns or point of view

Listening only to defend Listen to understand the other person rather than to
your own point of view defend your own position

Focus on ­people rather than prob­lems Disagree with ideas, not with ­people: be hard on the
prob­lem and soft on the ­people
Be stubborn Share your willingness to be cooperative

Demand to solve the Call for a time-­out so that every­one can calm
prob­lem immediately themselves down and reflect on the issues

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 63

 ­TABLE 8.

The 6 D’s of Assertive Intervention

Direct intervention:
 − Use open, nonthreatening body language, hands vis­ib­ le and empty
 − Use active listening
 − Lower volume, slow movement
 − Do not touch angry ­people or police
 − Use appropriate content, be flexible, sing or chant
Delay: Wait it out, if that is an option; put time on your side
Distract: Direct attention elsewhere
Delegate: Work with a buddy or allies
Distance: Put space between you and the prob­lem
Document: Let ­people involved know you are filming, from a safe distance if pos­si­ble

Source: Beautiful Trou­ble.

called the 6 D’s of Assertive Intervention, shown in kind of trust and relationships that are key to building
­table 8. co­ali­tions, solving prob­lems, and transforming con-
flicts. The following exercise gives individuals the
Dialogue, active listening, and other forms of interper- opportunity to apply some of the dialogue concepts
sonal communication are critical tools for activists and we have presented to dif­fer­ent coalition-­and
peacebuilders alike. They are essential for building the alliance-­building scenarios.

Beyond the Page #1

Practice Building Alliances and Co­ali­tions
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: communication, dialogue, and negotiation
• Improve understanding of how to build skills in building alliances and co­ali­tions to
alliances and co­ali­tions. The following sce- foster greater participation in
narios provide an opportunity to experiment nonviolent campaigns.
with using communication, dialogue, and
negotiation skills. SETUP:
• You w
­ ill need space for groups of two p
­ eople
• To experience through a role play based on to role-­play.
the Chile Front Line story the importance of

64 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

HOW IT IS DONE: far-­left or­ga­nizer and the other play the role of center
1. Divide the participants into groups of two. or­ga­nizer. The center or­ga­nizer should approach the
far-­left or­ga­nizer with communication and dialogue
2. Ask each pair to work with one of the following skills from this lesson.
scenarios to practice the skills. The scenarios
are fictional but are based on the real-­life SCENARIO B: CATHOLIC CHURCH AND
dilemmas faced within the “No” campaign. ­LABOR UNIONS
The leaders of both the Catholic Church and the l­abor
3. Debrief in the large group. ­unions are concerned about Pinochet’s aggression
­toward ­those who oppose his policies. The Catholic
• Facts: What happened in each scenario? Church has hosted vigils for t­ hose whom the regime
What worked well and what did not? has “dis­appeared” and tortured. The ­labor u
­ nions are
focused on pursuing workers’ rights to or­ga­nize and fair
• Communication: What communication wages. The Catholic leaders want the “No” campaign to
strategies did you use? What did you emphasize that Pinochet needs to leave in order to end
notice about the verbal and nonverbal the torture and disappearances of Chilean civilians. The
communications your partner used? W
­ ere ­labor ­unions want to emphasize an economic message
they effective? of demo­cratic socialism, with greater attention to fair
wages. The Catholic leaders and ­labor u
­ nions disagree
• On a personal level: What part of the on the focus of the “No” campaign. In this hy­po­thet­i­cal
conversation was particularly challenging scenario, have one person play the role of Catholic
and how did you overcome it? leader and the other play the role of l­abor ­union leader.
The l­abor ­union leader should approach the Catholic
SCENARIO A: FAR LEFT AND CENTER leader with communication, dialogue, and negotiation
ORGANIZERS OF THE “NO” CAMPAIGN skills from this lesson.
Both left and center po­liti­cal parties want to oust
Pinochet, but they disagree on tactics. The far-­left SCENARIO C: THE “NO” CAMPAIGN AND
parties want to use a combination of street protests and THE MILITARY
sabotage of government property and antagonize the In e
­ very country ­there are f­amily relationships that cross
police and military. The center wants to focus only on the lines of conflict. In Chile, it is pos­si­ble that leaders in
large-­scale public protests with absolutely no property the “No” campaign would have had private, ­family
damage or aggression to police or military. The center connections to leaders in Pinochet’s military. In this
wants to make sure the movement has wide participation scenario, have one person play the “No” campaign
and tactics do not prevent public participation. If the far or­ga­nizer and the other play the role of a military leader.
left uses vio­lence, fewer p
­ eople w
­ ill participate or have Using the skills in this lesson, the “No” campaign
sympathy for the movement. The far left believes the or­ga­nizer approaches a Chilean military leader to
center is not radical enough and is too compromising understand ­whether it might be pos­si­ble for the military
with Pinochet’s forces. It believes only a combination of to defect to the side of the Chilean ­people in the event
coercive force and punishment w
­ ill bring down the of a “No” campaign win in the plebiscite.
state. In this scenario, have one person play the role of

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 65

Beyond the Page #2
Using Hassle Lines to Practice Defusing Difficult Situations
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: ­Here are some potential scenarios:
• Experience a simulation of conflict and
conflict intervention to identify and practice • Nonpo­liti­cal dog kicker: You are outside,
how to escalate and de-­escalate be­hav­ior; maybe on the street or in a park, and for some
discuss implications for general conflicts reason, you (one line of p
­ eople) are aggres-
sively kicking a dog. Perhaps the dog bit you,
• Create a common experience to ground a or perhaps you are angry about something
discussion on managing conflict ­else. The other line of p
­ eople wants you to
stop kicking the dog. Perhaps it is their dog
SETUP: you are kicking, or perhaps they just
• You ­will need a space large enough for pairs like dogs.
to stand and interact with each other.
• Disrupter versus listener: Every­one is at a
HOW IT IS DONE: community hearing. One line of p
­ eople is
Hassle lines are essentially mini role plays done in intent on disrupting the hearing (they are
lines with participants facing each other (or in c
­ oncentric activists, have made their phone calls, met
circles facing each other). with their elected officials, and feel that the
hearing is a sham—­which is why they want to
1. Have participants arrange themselves in two shut it down). The other line is a “regular”
parallel lines facing each other. Every­one citizen who came to the meeting to find out
should be standing directly across from what is ­going on. The citizen wants the
someone. Have participants shake hands with disrupter to be quiet so they can hear.
the person across from them to make sure that
they know who their partner is. (If it is an odd • Heckler versus protester: Every­one is at a
number, one of the facilitators can join the protest. One line is a heckler, intent on being
shorter line, or the odd person out can take nasty and aggressive ­toward the protester
observation notes.) (the other line). The protester just wants to
hold the rally and get the heckler/anti-­
2. Give a scenario for the role play once ­people protester to go away or stop.
are in their two lines. Assign roles, one to each
line of p
­ eople. Instruct folks to interact only • Angry, flipped-­out protester versus protester:
with the person they shook hands with and to Every­one is at a meeting or community
ignore o
­ thers around them. Each person w
­ ill be gathering. One line is a protester, and the
interacting with their partner according to other line is a protester who is losing it—­very
assigned roles. angry, upset, maybe incoherent, nasty.

66 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

• Unfriendly media versus activist: At a public • VERBAL: level of sound, noise; speed;
event, one line plays unfriendly, antagonistic content of conversation
media, and the other plays a protester.
• EMOTIONAL: relationship built? listening
3. Encourage p
­ eople to be theatrical and get into used? commonalities or
their roles: “The more you put into it, the more differences established?
you get out of it.” (Just like life!) Give them ten
seconds to get into character. 8. Offer a framework/mnemonic for assertive
intervention and de-­escalation if appropriate.
4. Say “Go!” and run the role play for 90–120 Ask participants to reflect on the “ABCD/E” of
seconds. Call out “Freeze!” or clap to stop the role play. W
­ ere you able to do each of the
the activity. following? Why or why not? How do communi-
cation and dialogue skills contribute to your
5. Shake it out, open up the circle, and debrief. ability to respond?
Some prompt questions in addition to the
Feelings? Facts? Forward? Series could include • A—­Assess the situation
the following: How did it feel to. . . . ? W
­ ere you
successful at. . . . ​(de-­escalating, escalating, • B—­Breathe and ground
achieving your goal, ­etc.)? What specific tools before responding
did you use? What did your partner try, and did
it work? What do you think they should • C—­Choose how you are ­going to respond
have done?
• D— ­De- ­escalate through your choices
6. Before the debrief loses energy, set up another
hassle line with new roles for each line, giving • E—­Escalate and consider the
each one the opportunity to be the assertive or potential consequences
aggressive role. Run two or three role plays as
you have time, and close by reviewing the 9. Offer the 6 D’s as a way to think about defusing
frameworks and tools listed below. hostility and aggression. See t­able 8.

7. ­Things to notice while the role play is happen-

ing, and then to highlight during the debrief:

• PHYSICAL: body posture/stance; what

hands, eyes are ­doing; rate and type
of movement

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 67

Resources
• Binnendijk, Anika Locke, and Ivan Marovic. “Power and Persuasion: Nonviolent Strategies to Influence State
Security Forces in Serbia (2000) and Ukraine (2004).” Communist and Post-­Communist Studies 39, no. 3
(2006): 411–29.

• “Designing Community-­Based Dialogue.” USIP Global Campus. Accessed January 29, 2018​. ­https://­w ww​
.­usipglobalcampus​.­org​/­training​- ­overview​/­dialogue​/­.

• Druskat, Vanessa Urch, and Steven B. Wolff. “Building the Emotional Intelligence of Groups.” Harvard Busi-
ness Review, March 1, 2001​.­ https://­hbr​.­org​/­2001​/­03​/­building​-­the​- ­emotional​-­intelligence​- ­of​- ­groups.

• “How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?” MindTools. Accessed February 27, 2018, https://­w ww​.­mindtools​.­com​
/­pages​/­article​/­ei​- ­quiz​.­htm.

• Moyer, Bill. “Four Roles of Social Activists.” Accessed December 10, 2017​.­ http://­w ww​.­paceebene​.­org​/­wp​
- ­content ​/­uploads​/­2016​/­11​/­moyer​_ ­roles​.­pdf.

• Patterson, Kerry, et al. Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, 2nd ed., abridged,
updated ed. New York: McGraw-­Hill Education, 2011.

• Schirch, Lisa, and David Campt. The L

­ ittle Book of Dialogue for Difficult Subjects: A Practical, Hands-­On
Guide. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2007.

• “Ten Reasons to Love Hassle Lines.” Waging Nonviolence. Accessed June 8, 2018​.­ https://­waging​nonviolence​
.­org​/­feature​/­ten​-­reasons​-­to​-­love​-­hassle​-­lines​/­.

• Wanis​-­St​.­ John, Anthony, and Noah Rosen. “Negotiating Civil Re­sis­tance.” Peaceworks, no. 129
(July 2017): 5–20.

• “Why Conflict Resolution Works.” Daisybrain (blog). December 25, 2016​.­ https://­daisybrain​.­wordpress​.­com​

/­2016​/­12​/­24​/­why​- ­conflict​-­resolution​-­works​/­.

• York, Steven. A Force More Power­ful. A Force More Power­ful Films, 2000.

68 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Notes
1. Desiree Nilsson, “Anchoring the Peace: Civil Society Actors in Peace Accords and Durable Peace,” Interna-
tional Interactions 38, no. 2 (April 1, 2012): 243–66, https://­doi​.­org​/­10​.­1080​/­03050629​.­2012​.­659139.

2. “Dialogue,” United States Institute of Peace, accessed November 16, 2017, https://­w ww​.u

­ sip​.­org​/­glossary​
/­dialogue.

3. “Peacemaker’s Toolkit.” Peacemaker’s Toolkit. Last modified February 26, 2012. Accessed July 23, 2018.
https://­www​.­usip​.­org​/­publications​/­2012​/­02​/­peacemakers​-­toolkit​.

4. Communication experts debate the exact percentage of nonverbal to verbal communication. While an exact
percentage is unclear, t­ here is wide agreement that nonverbal communication is significant.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 69

UNIT 4

Facilitate to Develop Group Goals

and Consensus

CONTENTS

Front Line Story: Curbing Police Corruption in Uganda. . . . . . . . . . . 72

Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Beyond the Page #1: Facilitation and Group Decision-­Making

Role Play. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, participants ­will be able to:

Identify how facilitation skills can help meetings run more effectively
to achieve group goals

Practice using facilitation skills to develop consensus on activist and

peacebuilders’ goals, tactics, and strategy
 4
UNIT

Facilitate to Develop
Group Goals
and Consensus
Who has not been at a meeting where p
­ eople interrupt each other, one person dominates the
conversation, or a group talks aimlessly without ever making a decision? Many suffer from meeting
fatigue. ­People lose interest in the work b
­ ecause they cannot seem to agree or get anything
done together.

Building on the interpersonal peacebuilding skills from the last chapter, this chapter provides an
introduction to using facilitation skills and pro­cesses in group gatherings. Facilitation is useful for
helping groups of p
­ eople dialogue with each other and find consensus. Activists, organizers, and
peacebuilders can use this lesson to understand how to facilitate and create opportunities for
productive and open dialogue with diverse groups to broaden their participation and enthusiasm.
 FRONT LINE STORY

Curbing Police Corruption in Uganda

In Uganda, corruption is not uncommon. Police have often been accused of demanding bribes,
extortion, and abuse of authority.

The nongovernmental National Foundation for Democracy and H

­ uman Rights (NAFODU) in Uganda
launched a “fight corruption” campaign that used radio programs, trained volunteer networks to monitor
corruption, and offered support to victims of police corruption.

As one part of the campaign, NAFODU facilitated meetings with high-­level police officials as well as
street-­level police officers and citizens. Through facilitated dialogue, citizens expressed their grievances.
They also learned that some police officers wanted to improve their institution’s image and find ways to
address corruption. ­These meetings ­were unique, as citizens do not usually have an opportunity to talk
with officials in an egalitarian setting where every­one has an opportunity to talk.

­These meetings began to win p

­ eople over to the campaign and increased the size of the campaign. Not
only did more citizens join b
­ ecause of particularly effective facilitated meetings. More police officers
also joined, providing more information, access, and the possibility for principled negotiation to develop
solutions to the prob­lems of police corruption.

Adapted from Shaazka Beyerle, Curtailing Corruption: ­People Power for Accountability and Justice
(Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2014): 187–201.

72 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Key Concepts
WHAT SUPPORTS SUCCESSFUL Social movements sometimes have power­ful charismatic
GROUP GATHERINGS? leaders who can mobilize a group with rousing chants or
Nothing kills enthusiasm for a group and its cause like compelling speeches. ­Others have efficient man­ag­ers that
disor­ga­ni­za­tion or long, unproductive group gatherings. can juggle many moving parts. Effective facilitators have
With attention to roles and pro­cess, meetings are much an additional set of skills. While facilitators do keep their
more likely to foster effective dialogue and be produc- eye on the agenda of a meeting, they have a larger goal
tive. By assigning vari­ous roles to participants, organiz- of empowering and helping ­people to communicate and
ers can achieve high-­functioning meetings that include hear each other. Good public speakers may be tempted to
participatory/collaborative decision making. Not all use their rhetorical skills to sway disparate p
­ eople to their
roles are required at e
­ very gathering, though larger points of view. But rather than convincing participants to
groups and more difficult subjects w
­ ill benefit from accept one point of view, good facilitators create a space
delegated roles and responsibilities (see ­table 9). where all points of view can be heard and shared.

WHAT ARE IMPOR­TANT FACILITATION SKILLS, Facilitators are similar to but also distinct from other
RESPONSIBILITIES, TASKS, AND TIPS? types of effective leaders. The role of the facilitator may
Facilitation is a learned skill. “Natu­ral leaders” or p
­ eople be the most impor­tant ele­ment of a successful dialogue,
who play impor­tant leadership roles in other activities as their role is dedicated to pro­cess, not to content.
may make excellent candidates for serving as facilita-
tors, but not always. Key competency skills of effective facilitators are shown
in ­table 10.

­TABLE 9.

Meeting Roles
ROLE RESPONSIBILITY
Agenda setter(s) Meet before the meeting; represent the diversity of ­people who ­will attend
Run or chair the meeting; encourage equalized participation of attendees; monitor time and
Facilitator(s) agenda; dedicated to the pro­cess, not the content of the meeting; encourage use of
cofacilitators when pos­si­ble
Notetaker Write/document discussions, commitments, and information
Public, large note taking on flip charts or overhead to capture key ideas; supports group in
Scribe following agenda, limits repetition, and guides meeting participation
Attends to ­people’s physical needs, including temperature of the room, food and drink, and
Hospitality/nurturer emotional support
Timekeeper Keeps time; helps meeting run smoothly

“Stack” tender Keeps a list or “stack” of ­people who would like to speak

Doorkeeper Welcomes ­people, especially latecomers, and brings them up to speed

Accessibility person Provides physical, language (translation), or other support to participants

Dev­il’s advocate Prevents “groupthink” by offering alternative views

Tech Supports use of computers, projection, livestream, or other technology

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 73

 ­TABLE 10.

Facilitation Competency Skills
Establish the purpose of the meeting, gathering, event,
Welcome all points of view (within group agreements)
or dialogue
Guide development of “group agreements” Manage the agenda and guide the pro­cess
Foster dialogue, discourage debate (­unless debate is Model active listening skills, including summarizing and
on the agenda) paraphrasing what ­others say
Monitor group dynamics and equalize participation Help deal with difficult participants

Summarize the discussion and help focus the group members on talking concretely about next steps they want to
take individually and collectively

FIGURE 8.

Sample of Basic Group Agreements

Listen to understand the other’s point of view rather than to prepare a defense of your own view. Try to listen more
than you speak.
Respect others by not speaking over others or calling people names or using other oppressive behavior.
Take space/give space: If you are a person who talks a lot, step back and let others talk. If you are a person who
hesitates, share your experiences and thoughts.
WAIT (Why Am I Talking?): Ask yourself this to make sure you have something valuable to add.
Speak about personal experiences. Start your sentences with “I” rather than “you.” “I experienced....”
Minimize interruptions and distractions.
What is learned here can leave. What is said here stays. Outside the group, discuss the content of what was said, not
who said what.
Ask questions. Ask honest, thought-provoking questions that give people the opportunity to explore and explain their
underlying assumptions.
Stay through the hard times. Make a commitment to stay in the dialogue despite the tensions.
Recognize common ground not to solve the problem or agree on everything. Every two people share something in
common.
Use hand signals for agreement, slow down motion, volume motion.
“Ouch,” then educate. If someone says something hurtful, don’t just disengage. Let the individual and the group know
why it was hurtful.

WHAT ARE “GROUP AGREEMENTS”? consciously choose to honor and protect specific

Groups and organ­izations work best when they have a be­hav­iors. If difficult situations or be­hav­iors arise, the
set of shared agreements or baseline orga­nizational group can use the agreements to help resolve the
princi­ples that support participants ­doing their best issues. Setting group agreements together communi-
work. Setting group agreements for a meeting or cates that every­one in the group is essentially equal.
dialogue w
­ ill strengthen group owner­ship in the This is impor­tant ­because most settings where ­people
pro­cess and, if done together, can help participants interact involve some degree of hierarchy where

74 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

FIGURE 9.

Facilitation and Group Pro­cess Tips and Tools

Simple tools for equalizing participation:
• The Go Round: each person speaks for a timed amount
• Talking sticks (the one holding the stick is entitled to speak) or talking stones (giving the same amount of stones
or other objects to each person; when others speak, they deposit their stone in the middle of the circle until there
are no more stones)
• Working in different-sized teams from pairs, to triplets, to any smaller subset of the whole group, and then
reporting back to big group
• Use a progressive stack (move underrepresented groups to the head of the queue)
• Use a variety of participation methods from individual writing responses to pair shares to small groups with report
outs to whole group role plays
Quick collective decision-making tools:
• Fist to 5: using one’s hand to signify 0 support (the fist) to all in support (5 fingers)
• Thumbs up or down
• Yes/No go-rounds
• Dot voting (using colored dots/sticky notes to create visual voting record)
• Straw polls or using a nonbinding “temperature” check on a decision or question facing the group
Dealing with difficult behaviors, situations, individuals:
• Setting group agreements, baseline organizational principles, etc.
• Empowering the group to hold each other accountable
• Using a “bike rack” or scribed list of topics to address at another time
• Taking breaks; start off meetings with check-ins or grounding work
• Developing and using agendas/lesson plans, possibly standard formats
• Working in smaller teams or pairs (or larger groups, depending on the issue)
• Including fun, games, and movement into the agenda
• Have a counselor, social worker, other professional on call or in the room with you
• Checking in with individual participants during the break
• Using meta-discussions to address/name difficult situations/conversations

someone is in an authoritative role over ­others. This is a ­These group meeting facilitation skills are impor­tant
key reason to develop “group agreements” rather than to foster engaging, respectful, productive, and
“ground rules,” which imply imposition on ­others. ­empowering meetings to address key prob­lems and
challenges. Creating an effective environment in which
Generally, t­ here are two ways to set agreements. In a to discuss, assess, and plan is critical to maintaining
setting with time constraints, one approach is to list momentum and enthusiasm in both peacebuilding and
suggestions and ask if p
­ eople can comply with them in nonviolent action. ­People need to feel they are both
the workshop. With more time, it is impor­tant that each listened to and part of the solution in order to stay
person has a chance to contribute to developing the engaged in nonviolent conflict transformation for the
agreements. Beware of prematurely assuming that long haul. Figure 9 provides key tips for navigating
­people have agreed when they have not. ­After devel- group pro­cesses to foster participation and decision
oping the proposed agreements, the facilitator can ask making and ways to ­handle difficult situations.
for public indication that the group is willing to hold
itself and o
­ thers accountable to the agreements. A list
of basic group agreements is shown in figure 8.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 75

Beyond the Page #1
Facilitation and Group Decision-­Making Role Play
(20–30 min.) as though you are the only one who has
any financial sense in the group.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
• Explore and practice using s­ imple facilitation • Maybe you have had a bad day. Say
tools and tricks for supporting effective something mean, dismissive, or rude.
meetings and reaching group consensus on (E.g., We ­will tell p
­ eople your paper said
collective goals to do this!)

SETUP: Note: This is understandably diffi-

• Place chairs in a circle or around a t­able as if cult. It is h
­ ere to give your group
setting up for a meeting. Then prepare written the opportunity to model stopping
role directions or “spikes” (suggestions on oppressive be­hav­ior, the capacity
how to act during the role play) to hand out to to address issues when they arise in
some participants. In the following spike a compassionate and healthy way.
suggestions, change the italic sections to fit
your issue area: • Interrupt ­people constantly or
talk incessantly.
• You want to spend the ­whole $10K to start
new proj­ects. You think your group is fine • Fidget or have a side conversation with
without any additional monies for its someone e
­ lse in the group. Be a
current work. bit disruptive.

• You think you should give all the money HOW IT IS DONE:
to a local food pantry/soup kitchen. Your 1. Have the group split into smaller groups of
group r­ eally wanted to grow enough food about seven to ten ­people each—or use a
to donate to a soup kitchen, but you have group about this size in the ­middle of the room
not been able to do that. You can be very in a “fishbowl” setup (every­one e
­ lse can watch
emotional about it. them as if they w
­ ere in a fishbowl). They should
sit in a circle or around a ­table.
• You want to purchase the building you
meet in or the land you are renting for 2. Hand out the small slips of paper that ­will
your community garden. “spike” the conversation they are about
to have; the spikes ­will help bring up
• You want to take most of the money and specific issues.
invest it so that your activist work/garden/
compost proj­ect has an endowment. Act

76 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 3. Give them the following situation to role-­play: c. What kinds of prob­lem be­hav­iors came up,
You are a local activist group in your neighbor- and what did you do about them?
hood. You have been working together for a
while, and this is one of your regularly sched- 7. ­After a c­ ouple minutes of debrief, run another
uled meeting times—­maybe they happen ­every role play following the same scenario but ask
month or two. Amazingly, someone has given for a new volunteer facilitator. Have p
­ eople
your group a $10K anonymous grant, and you swap out the old spikes for new ones.
need to figure out what to do with this
generous gift. 8. Run the role play again for three to five minutes
and debrief. Harvest and scribe what comes
4. Tell ­those folks who have spikes to do their up. Make a big sheet of TOOLS/TIPS for
best to follow the directions on the paper, but artful facilitation.
not give away what it says.
a. What kinds of ­things w
­ ere done, or could
5. Tell the group they have five minutes to figure be done, to equalize participation in
out what to do. Say GO! the meeting?

6. ­After three to five minutes, stop the role play to b. What kinds of ­things w
­ ere done, or could
debrief and collect some lessons. Write ­these be done, to help facilitate collective
lessons on a flip chart. For guidance on how to decision making? Was ­there an agenda or
conduct the debrief for this exercise, please ­were any tools used for the meeting
review the “Quick and Dirty Debriefing Frame- pro­cess (go-­rounds, hand signals, voting or
work” on page 26 and the action guide’s straw polls, individual or pair work, ­etc.)?
accompanying materials for facilitators.
c. What kinds of ­things w
­ ere done, or could
a. What did ­people notice? be done, to deal with difficult situations or
­people in the meeting?
b. ­Were ­there any roles that ­were used to
help the pro­cess? Facilitator, note taker, 9. Thank the facilitator and the groups and give a
time keeper, and so on? big round of applause for a g
­ reat meeting
role play!

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 77

Resources
• “Consensus Decision Making.” Seeds for Change. Accessed November 28, 2017​. ­https://­w ww​
.­seedsforchange​.­org​.­uk ​/­consensus.

• Coover, V
­ irginia, ed. Resource Manual for a Living Revolution. Philadelphia: New Society Pub, 1985.

• Ditkoff, Mitch. “The 27 Best Practices of High Performing Volunteer Organ­izations.” Huffington Post (blog).
February 6, 2013​.­ https://­w ww​.­huffingtonpost​.­com​/­mitch​- ­ditkoff​/­best​-­practices​-­volunteer​- ­organizations ​_ ­b​
_­2624967​.h
­ tml.

• “Group Agreements for Workshops and Meetings.” Seeds for Change. Accessed November 28, 2017​.­ http://­
www​.­seedsforchange​.­org​.­uk ​/­groupagree.

• “Group Works: A Pattern Language for Bringing Life to Meetings and Other Gatherings.” Group Pattern
Language Proj­ect. Accessed January 29, 2018​.­ http://­w ww​.­groupworksdeck​.­org.

• “Meeting Facilitation: The No-­Magic Method.” Training for Change. Accessed November 28, 2017​.­ https://­
www​.­trainingforchange​.­org​/­training ​_­tools​/­meeting​-­facilitation​-­the​-­no ​-­magic​-­method​/­.

• “The Practices of Transformative Movement Building.” Movement Strategy Center. Accessed November 28,
2017​.­ http://­movementstrategy​.­org​/­b​/­wp ​- ­content ​/­uploads​/­2016​/­07​/­MSC​- ­Practices ​_­of​_­Transformative​
_ ­Movements​-­WEB​.­pdf.

• Schirch, Lisa, and David Campt. The L

­ ittle Book of Dialogue for Difficult Subjects: A Practical, Hands-­On
Guide. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2007.

• Starhawk, The Empowerment Manual: A Guide for Collaborative Groups. Gabriola Island, BC, Canada: New
Society Publishers, 2011.

• “Volunteer Management Guide.” 501 Commons. Accessed November 28, 2017​.­ https://­w ww​.­501commons​

.­org​/­resources​/­tools​-­and​-­best​-­practices​/­volunteer​-­management.

78 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

UNIT 5

Assess to Build Awareness and

Better Strategy

CONTENTS

Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Beyond the Page #1: Spectrum of Allies and Opponents. . . . . . . . . 85

Beyond the Page #2: Stakeholder Mapping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Beyond the Page #3: Positions, Interests, and Needs

Onion Analy­sis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Beyond the Page #4: Tree Analy­sis Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Beyond the Page #5: Power Analy­sis Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Beyond the Page #6: Pillars of Support Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Beyond the Page #7: Past Analy­sis Time Line Tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Beyond the Page #8: Connectors and Dividers Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, participants ­will be able to:

Identify six questions to ask in any conflict analy­sis or environmen-

tal scan in preparation for developing a strategy for
conflict transformation

Use a variety of tools to help provide answers to six key

assessment questions

Articulate why assessment is critical to strategic planning

 5
UNIT

Assess to Build
Awareness and
Better Strategy
Effective conflict transformation begins with assessment of the context. In order to make a
strategic plan, we first have to analyze and understand who is involved.

The Curle Diagram illustrates the need to build awareness within a movement, within the public,
and within the opponent group(s). Assessment tools are an impor­tant way that ­people begin to
raise their own awareness of the prob­lem. A sophisticated analy­sis of allies and adversaries, their
motivations, sources of power, histories, and perspectives is essential to developing a
solid strategy.

Both nonviolent action and peacebuilding have unique assessment tools that, when intentionally
used in concert with each other, can strengthen and support power­ful strategic planning. Some of
their tools are shared, and o
­ thers are distinct. This unit synergizes conflict analy­sis tools from
both fields.
Key Concepts
WHY IS ASSESSMENT NECESSARY? Ideally, a diverse group of p
­ eople with dif­fer­ent back-
While fear of “analy­sis paralysis” is real, the risks grounds, identities, and experiences w
­ ill come together
of taking in­effec­tive action far outweigh the risks of to participate in an interactive conflict assessment
spending too much time carefully assessing the con- pro­cess using the tools and exercises outlined in this
text. ­Every conflict and ­every context are unique. Just unit. Diversity is impor­tant ­because ­people tend to fill
­because a boycott worked in South Africa or India does out assessment tools in wildly dif­fer­ent ways. ­There is
not mean it w
­ ill be successful in Egypt or Colombia. Just no one “right” way to assess power dynamics. And
­because mediation by one group worked in Mozam- groups in conflict often misinterpret or misunderstand
bique does not mean it ­will work in North ­Korea. the motivations of other groups.
Enthusiasm for using a par­tic­u­lar method of action
without first assessing the conflict is a common prob­ Expect to do some research when you cannot answer
lem. Successful nonviolent action and peacebuilding the questions that a par­tic­u­lar tool brings up. Glossing
pro­cesses require an ongoing assessment of the over or inventing answers could negatively impact your
­people, places, motivations, power sources, actions, understanding of the situation and lead to faulty
and time f­actors. This assessment helps p
­ eople know strategic thinking.
who they should talk to, what they should do, what
forms of power to create, and when to engage in Good assessment requires good communication skills
dialogue, negotiation, and/or direct action. like active listening. It requires the ability to informally
dialogue with ­people with dif­fer­ent experiences. And it
Carrying out a conflict assessment is one of the requires setting up a time and space for a diverse
first steps in building a successful conflict transforma- group of ­people to have a facilitated dialogue to come
tion pro­cess, as illustrated in the Curle Diagram in to a shared assessment of their context. Further, if you
figure 5. have the opportunity to go out into your community and
conduct surveys, focus groups, or “sensing” operations,
WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR A this type of action research w
­ ill deliver better and more
GOOD ASSESSMENT? accurate results.
Too often, only a small group of p
­ eople leading a
peacebuilding pro­cess or a movement sit in a closed At a minimum, carry­ing out assessment research
room and develop a strategy for engaging in po­liti­cal requires setting up a communication channel with
and social change. Even then, a relatively short amount opponents, allies, and every­one in between to check
of time is spent assessing the context. And unfortu- on their perceptions, interests, and readiness to
nately, “groupthink” frequently blinds ­people to seeing negotiate. This is necessary ­because groups w
­ ill need
impor­tant aspects of their own context, leading to time to conduct ongoing assessments a
­ fter each round of
and resources spent carry­ing out a strategy doomed nonviolent tactics and discussions with an opponent to
to fail. assess changes in perceptions of power, motivations
and interests, and even pos­si­ble solutions.

82 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 Why invest in assessment and evaluation? As the philosopher Heraclitus
said, “The only t­ hing that is constant is change.”

Critical Note: ­There is nothing static or “finished” about the assessment pro­cess. ­Every assessment that
leads to an action, event, or theory of change should be followed up with its own evaluation to assess
the effectiveness of that action. Assumptions about the context should be regularly interrogated.
Change is the only constant in the world, and that understanding can fuel our assessments and more
effective pathways. Establishing a culture of assessment can support robust and successful
campaign planning.

The Six Key Assessment Questions

WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OUR specific context in which you are working to improve
SPECIFIC CONTEXT TO IMPROVE your strategic planning.
OUR STRATEGY?
­There are six assessment questions (outlined in
table 11) that can help you better understand the

­TABLE 11.

The Six Key Assessment Questions

1. WHO Are the stakeholders (the ­people who have a stake or interest in the conflict)?

2. WHY Are the stakeholders acting the way they do? What are their motivations?

3. WHAT ­Factors are driving or mitigating conflict?

4. HOW Is conflict manifested? What are the stakeholders’ means and sources of power?

5. WHEN Does conflict take place? Are historical patterns or cycles of the conflict evident?

6. WHERE Is the conflict taking place—in what cultural, social, economic, justice, or po­liti­cal context or system?

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 83

1. WHO Are the Key Stakeholders and
Where Do They Stand on the Conflict?
Nonviolent action and peacebuilding require mapping negotiation with adversaries. A key stakeholder is
out the wide range of stakeholders, including real and someone that has a stake in the conflict and a stake in
potential allies and adversaries. Peacebuilding involves the resolution of the conflict and has been and w
­ ill be
inclusive pro­cesses that require the participation of affected by the conflict and its pos­si­ble resolution.
diverse groups in formal peace pro­cesses and citizen Stakeholders include allies, neutral p
­ eople with a stake
support for a negotiated agreement. Likewise, non­ in the conflict, and opponents. Stakeholders also
violent movements win when a significant mobilization of include spoilers who may benefit from continued
a population occurs. In fact, Stephan and Chenoweth’s conflict and w
­ ill aim to prevent all other stakeholders
research shows that no major nonviolent campaign failed from negotiating with each other.
to achieve its goal if it mobilized 3.5 ­percent of the
population.1 Many movements win with much less. Still, The U.S. civil rights movement is a good illustration of
3.5 ­percent of some countries adds up to tens of millions how analyzing stakeholders can contribute to an
of p
­ eople—­not a small number. Outreach and mobiliza- effective and integrated peacebuilding and nonviolent
tion, then, are critical for conflict transformation. action strategy. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating
Committee (SNCC) was one of the leading organ­
­There are two key tools for mapping out who is a izations driving the movement. In order to grow, they
“stakeholder,” or someone with an interest in the realized they needed to reach and engage their
outcome of the conflict: Spectrum of Allies and Oppo- “passive allies”—­northern white p
­ eople and local black
nents and Stakeholder Mapping. Together, the two communities. Their strategy relied on an analy­sis of
tools help develop an effective strategy for building a ­these passive allies and disengaged ­middle ­people
broader set of allies and reducing support for t­ hose who could be activated to join the movement. Images
groups driving the conflict. and news of the lunch c­ ounter sit-­ins stirred local black
leaders to take action to support the student protesters.
The first tool is from nonviolent action. The Spectrum of SNCC invited northern whites, especially students, to
Allies and Opponents is helpful in creating categories join in the Freedom Rides that would transport white
of “active” and “passive” allies to mea­sure the level of ­people from the north to the southern cities that w
­ ere
their support, as well as “passive” and “active” adver- on the front lines of the civil rights strug­gle. ­Here they
saries to mea­sure the level of their re­sis­tance. not only witnessed the vio­lence against African Ameri-
cans but also felt this oppression personally—­which
The second tool is from peacebuilding practice. The mobilized their own families and communities of
Stakeholder Mapping tool identifies the relationships northern whites as allies in this strug­gle. In other words,
groups have with each other. This tool can provide SNCC used tactics that intentionally broadened partici-
insight into pos­si­ble entry points for dialogue or pation in the movement.

84 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Beyond the Page #1
Spectrum of Allies and Opponents
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: HOW IT IS DONE:
• Identify active and passive allies; the friendly, 1. Do part 1, identification of stakeholders, now,
disengaged, or unfriendly ­middle; and passive and save your responses for part 2 in the
and active opponents next unit.

• Determine the priorities and resources to 2. Choose a specific conflict to analyze, and
move groups or individuals as far to the identify your campaign or mission.
­middle or left to become allies
3. On a large sheet of paper, make a U-­shaped
The Spectrum of Allies and Opponents is a tool that arc, as illustrated in figure 10. Identify by
helps identify allies, p
­ eople who are neutral in the name the individuals, groups, organ­izations,
­middle or are bystanders, and opponents. Movements, corporations, and government institutions that
campaigns, and other peacebuilding efforts succeed fit into the categories listed in the diagram in
not by spending all their resources trying to convince the blue sections. Make sure you are very
their staunchest opponents, which would be extremely specific. Writing “­Labor Unions” or “Banks” or
costly and highly unlikely, but by intentionally shifting “Media” or “­Mothers” w
­ ill not be helpful; writing
passive allies over to active allies, friendly m
­ iddles into “Local 721 Rank and File” or “Lloyds of London”
passive allies, disengaged m
­ iddles into friendly or “CNN Local” or “­Mothers with ­children in the
­middles, and so on. Successful conflict transformation military” w
­ ill be. Make a list of questions to
comes from moving individuals and groups one step at answer if you do not know where specific
a time—­which is realistic and achievable. ­After specific groups belong on the spectrum. For example,
stakeholders are identified, you can then determine some churches may be active allies, but o
­ thers
what resources you w
­ ill need to reach t­ hose groups may be in opposition, so list each of them
or individuals. separately and include research questions to
ask to ensure you have placed them correctly
The tool, shown in figure 10, is ­simple but requires on the spectrum. Specificity ­matters ­because
attention to detail since its usefulness is directly related who you identify w
­ ill help you know what
to the degree of specificity when filling it out. actions to take to move them one section
closer to your position of active ally, and away
SETUP: from active opponent. Part 2 is about filling out
• You ­will need large sheets of paper the rest of the diagram, from actions to reach
and markers each sector to tactics that affect targets.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 85

 FIGURE 10.

Spectrum of Allies and Opponents

Actions to
educate, build
connections, and
Actions to increase overcome fear Actions to arouse
solidarity, coordination, doubts and conflicts
and risk taking Middle: within opponent’s camp
Friendly,
disengaged,
Passive unfriendly Passive
allies opponents
Actions to
increase solidarity, Actions to discredit,
coordination, Active undermine, and
and risk taking allies weaken leadership
Active
and our opponents
organizations
TACTICS that reach and apply
pressure on those who can give
you what you want, or those who
can more directly affect them
Research
questions: Targets: primary, secondary
1.
2.
3. Goal
4.
Spectrum of Allies and Opponents

Diagram adapted from the Toronto & York Labor Council Campaign Planning Handbook, 2011.

Beyond the Page #2

Stakeholder Mapping
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: SETUP:
• Develop a visual map of the relationships • You w
­ ill need large sheets of paper
between adversaries and allies, bystanders, and markers
spoilers, or other stakeholders
HOW IT IS DONE:
• Identify an access point to reach out to or to 1. Choose a specific conflict to analyze.
build relationships with allies, adversaries, or
other stakeholders 2. Write the names of dif­fer­ent stakeholders on
sticky notes or pieces of paper. Use larger

86 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 pieces for major stakeholders and smaller pieces lines if any active allies have relationships with
for less impor­tant stakeholders. You can also groups in the disengaged ­middle.
draw circles with stakeholder names inside
instead of using paper, as illustrated in figure 11. 5. Use an arrow at the end of the line to illustrate
who holds power or influence over the other. If
3. Arrange the stakeholder names on a large influence is equal, put an arrow on both ends.
sheet of paper. Draw lines illustrating the
relationships between the same stakeholders. 6. Highlight with a star where t­ here are “entry
points” where peacebuilding pro­cesses (e.g.,
4. Use a dotted or red line to connect adversar- dialogue, negotiation) and nonviolent action
ies. Use a solid or green line to connect groups tactics (e.g., boycott, flash mob) might be
that have positive relationships or connections helpful to both increase support for social
of some sort. Referring back to the Spectrum of change and decrease support for vio­lence.
Allies tool, you may illustrate with connecting

FIGURE 11.

Sample Stakeholder Map
International
Iran community
Pakistan

Civil
Afghan society
government
Insurgents

Tribal
leaders
Al Qaeda

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 87

2. WHY Are the Key Actors Motivated to
Drive Vio­lence or Mitigate Conflict?
­People’s motivations drive their be­hav­ior. Nonviolent leaders may not explic­itly support a nonviolent
movements are made up of diverse groups with diverse ­movement, but they may have an interest in ending the
motivations. Within a nonviolent movement, it ­will be conflict and put pressure on the opponent to change.
impor­tant for ­these groups to understand each other’s Spoilers, groups like arms dealers and other businesses
interests and needs so they can identify common that indirectly benefit from conflict, may do every­thing
ground that unites them all. P
­ eople often decide to join in their power to derail a peace pro­cess. It is impor­tant
a nonviolent action or even to risk their lives to protect to assess ­whether ­there are other agendas that may
basic h
­ uman needs for dignity, re­spect, identity, and impact the success of a nonviolent movement or
economic and physical safety. Similarly, parties to a peace pro­cess.
conflict may decide that ongoing fighting has become
untenable or that it is in their best interest to mitigate In the strategic planning section of this guide, you are
vio­lence. P
­ eople may decide to enter into a dialogue asked to identify your goals. Your goals should directly
or negotiation pro­cess if the costs of conflict are too relate to your under­lying interests and needs. In unit 8
­great or the conflict is “ripe,” a term we ­will discuss we w
­ ill explore how motivations shape negotiation. This
more in unit 8. tool helps to identify each stakeholder’s under­lying
needs and interests in order to negotiate ­toward
It is also impor­tant for activists and peacebuilders to creative solutions.
understand an opponent’s under­lying interests and
needs. An opponent is more likely to accommodate, In the “onion” diagram in figure 12, needs and interests
convert, or negotiate if they believe they can achieve are often hidden under­neath public positions, like the
their basic interests and needs by d
­ oing so. A non­ layers of an onion.
violent movement that is perceived as attacking an
opponent’s needs and interests w
­ ill face greater Positions are what p
­ eople say they want in public.
opposition. Similarly, a dialogue or negotiation that ­These can be po­liti­cal demands or conditions
does not fully understand how an opponent’s interests ­under which they ­will stop fighting.
and needs incentivize them to engage in the pro­cess
­will likely result in a stalemate. While an opponent may Interests are desires, concerns, and fears that drive
insist publicly on some demand, they may actually be ­people to develop a public position.
more concerned with their interest in saving face and
avoiding humiliation, or their need to feel secure. The Needs are the most basic material, social, and cultural
better we understand and recognize the under­lying requirements for life that drive p
­ eople’s be­hav­ior
motivations of the opponent, the more likely we w
­ ill be and their positions and interests.
able to achieve our own goals.
For example, a government might state a position that
­There may also be other stakeholders motivated to it demands total control over oil and gas pipelines. Its
support or oppose conflict transformation. Business interest is in making a profit. Its need is to survive.

88 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 FIGURE 12.

Onion Diagram
Needs

Interests

Positions

The drive to satisfy core h

­ uman needs shapes ­human be­hav­ior of p
­ eople trying to satisfy what they perceive
be­hav­ior. Conflict occurs when ­people perceive that to be their basic ­human needs.2
­others are obstructing or threatening their needs and
rights. Depending on how threatened ­people feel, they Identifying the motivations of all stakeholders
may be willing to fight, die, or harm ­others to satisfy enables changemakers to choose specific goals and
their needs. It is impor­tant to remember that threats and make plans that take t­ hese needs and interests
punishments are often in­effec­tive at changing the into account.

Beyond the Page #3

Positions, Interests, and Needs Onion Analy­sis
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: HOW IT IS DONE:
• Identify the under­lying motivations, including 1. In small groups of four to six ­people, draw the
the positions, interests, and needs of the “stakeholder motivation” table to create a way
participants’ own group, their potential allies, of organ­izing information inspired by the onion
and opponents, as well as bystanders, diagram (see t­able 12).
spoilers, and other key stakeholders
2. Identify a list of key stakeholders based on
SETUP: the spectrum of allies and stakeholder map
• You ­will need large sheets of paper analy­sis above. Include yourself or your group
and markers in this list.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 89

 ­TABLE 12.

Stakeholder Motivations
STAKEHOLDER POSITIONS NEEDS INTERESTS

3. What are the positions, interests, or under­lying opportunities in their strategic planning. What
needs that motivate each of ­these stakehold- nonviolent tactics might inadvertently threaten
ers? In this tool, imagine identifying the layers another group’s basic needs or under­lying
of the onion for each of the stakeholders, interests, and thus make them even more
including your own group. resistant to change? What are potential ways of
addressing the interests and needs of the
4. In the large group, ask how this assessment opponent? How ­will your own interests and
tool helps anticipate potential threats or needs shape your goals?

3. WHAT Is Driving or Mitigating

the Conflict?
The tree analy­sis assessment tool borrows from both the key prob­lem. At the top, vis­i­ble part of a tree are
nonviolent action and peacebuilding tool kits. This tool symptoms of the root c­ auses. They can also be “conflict
is like an environmental scan that organizes the pat- ­drivers” that increase the possibility of violent conflict.
terns and prob­lems ­people face into the shape of Climate change or environmental shocks such as
a tree. droughts that destroy crops, and the abundant supply
of cheap weapons are each examples of
The roots of the tree are the “root c­ auses” or broad conflict ­drivers.
institutional and structural ­factors that create an envi-
ronment where social injustice is pos­si­ble. Economic Efforts to stop the conflict by addressing a symptom of
in­equality, for example, is a root cause of many violent the conflict w
­ ill have l­ittle effect. In many cultures ­there
conflicts. The trunk of the tree is the key prob­lem you are types of trees or plants that regenerate even a
­ fter
want to address. In this example, violent elections are their tops are cut off, such as the cassava plant or the

90 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 FIGURE 13.

Tree Analy­sis Tool
High crime rate
Migration

Unemployment
Terrorism
Poverty

Threats to democracy

Social and
economic Corrupt
inequality government
institutions

Political exclusion

raspberry bush. ­These plants are metaphors illustrating the conflict d

­ rivers of violent elections, such as a high
how “roots” are able to regenerate and spread, despite crime rate, youth gangs, and ethnic clashes. But
efforts to eliminate them. addressing t­ hese ­factors might not change the under­
lying structural conditions or root ­causes of election
Conflict transformation requires addressing root ­causes vio­lence. This tool can help a group prioritize its work. A
of a conflict. Figure 13 illustrates social and economic group using this tool might decide to focus on a goal of
in­equality and government corruption as root c­ auses of addressing corruption instead of poverty or crime
violent elections. The branches of the tree are symp- ­because, according to this analy­sis, corruption is a root
toms of the root ­causes. ­These symptoms fuel cause of poverty.
more conflict and vio­lence. It is impor­tant to address

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 91

Beyond the Page #4
Tree Analy­sis Tool
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 2. Draw a tree. Discuss where the prob­lems
• Identify, or­ga­nize, and prioritize social prob­ belong on the tree. What is the main prob­lem?
lems to enable choices of goals and targets in What are the root c­ auses? What are the
nonviolent action and symptoms or ­drivers of the core prob­lem?
peacebuilding pro­cesses
3. Groups can and should create as many trees as
SETUP: they want, and then discuss the dif­fer­ent ways
• You ­will need large sheets of paper ­people analyze social prob­lems. Which of the
and markers main prob­lems (trunks) affects the most ­people?
How ­will this tool affect the strategy for non­
HOW IT IS DONE: violent action and peacebuilding pro­cesses?
1. In small groups of four to six ­people, identify
key challenges or social prob­lems that partici- In the large group, ask participants how this assess-
pants see and feel in their lives. ment tool helps them or­ga­nize and prioritize social
prob­lems and set goals in their strategic planning.

4. HOW Are Key Actors Using Power to

Drive or Mitigate Conflict?
Power is the ability to influence o
­ thers. When one example, power can draw on information, authority,
person or group has the ability to influence or control experience, charisma, economic resources or economic
­others, they have power. But power is not fixed or boycotts, large numbers of p
­ eople taking action
static. It is always shifting. ­People can build power for together, and networks or social capital. Social capital
themselves through nonviolent action, sometimes refers to the quantity and quality of relationships
paving the way to meaningful negotiations. P
­ eople between ­people and groups. It is based on the idea
can also take away power from ­others through that social networks have value. P
­ eople have power
nonviolent action. when they hold networking abilities, relationships with
­others, and the ability to mobilize ­people.
­There are many sources of power. Nonviolent action
and peacebuilding pro­cesses do not rely on power The power of any person or group relates to the
that comes from physical strength or weapons. For amount of influence they have on o
­ thers. ­People can

92 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

feel disempowered, or as if they have no or ­little power, ­people. Through nonviolent action, groups can try to
when they are not consulted or included in decision-­ shift and balance power. A thorough analy­sis of dif­fer­
making pro­cesses that affect their lives. ent forms of power, or the potential to build or block
power, is essential to an effective conflict-­
Power is given to o
­ thers through consent and coopera- transformation strategy. Peacebuilding and nonviolent
tion. When p
­ eople withdraw their consent and refuse to action methods can shift power by moving key stake-
cooperate with an oppressive group, power shifts. The holders along the spectrum of allies.
power of any stakeholder is related to how dependent
­others are on them. This dependence may be very real ­There are two types of tools related to power. The
and direct, or it may be perceived. Power shifts when Power Analy­sis Tool identifies the sources of power for
­people withdraw support from the stakeholder and/or each of the stakeholders. It is useful for helping each
build parallel institutions that reduce their de­pen­dency stakeholder consider how they can increase their
on that system of power. power. The Pillars of Support Tool identifies an oppo-
nent’s sources of power. It is useful for developing a
Power is almost always a key dynamic in peacebuilding strategy to weaken an opponent’s ability to control or
pro­cesses. T
­ hose with more power than ­others do not influence ­others.
have to negotiate or consider the needs of other

Beyond the Page #5

Power Analy­sis Tool
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Sources of Power:
• Identify existing or potential sources of power
for each stakeholder to recognize how best to • Physical or military strength
leverage your power and create new sources
of power • Identity (gender, ethnic background; f­amily of
origin, position, or authority)
SETUP:
• You ­will need large sheets of paper • Personal ability (such as communication skills
and markers or professional competency)

HOW IT IS DONE: • Economic resources

1. In small groups of four to six ­people, brainstorm
sources of power, or provide each group with a • Information
list like the one below.
• Education (knowledge and skills)

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 93

 ­TABLE 13.

Breakdown of Stakeholder Sources of Power

STAKEHOLDER SOURCES OF POWER

• Moral or spiritual power interdependent, or does one side have more

influence on the ­others?
• The personal power of charisma
4. How does power play into the dynamics of the
• Social networks and social capital conflict? In what ways do stakeholders use
power as a means to engage with each other?
2. What are the key stakeholder’s dif­fer­ent
sources of power? Remember to include 5. In the large group, ask participants how this
yourself and your group in this list of stakehold- assessment tool helps them anticipate potential
ers. Make a chart like that shown in ­table 13 and threats or opportunities in their strategic
identify the key sources of power for each planning. How can you leverage or increase
stakeholder in the stakeholder map. This can your own sources of power? How ­will you
include potential sources of power. decrease the sources of power of
their opponent?
3. Next, identify how the stakeholders in the
conflict are dependent on each other. Are they

Beyond the Page #6

Pillars of Support Tool
The Pillars of Support assessment tool (shown in bureaucracy, security forces, businesses, religious
figure 14) helps us identify and analyze the organ­ groups, student associations, and other groups. When
izations and institutions that provide power to our individuals or stakeholders within t­ hese key pillars of
opponent. A government’s po­liti­cal power ultimately support withhold or withdraw their ­labor, buying power,
depends on its legitimacy and the consent and coop- technical skills, and knowledge this can weaken or
eration of its citizens. In any given society t­ hese erode the opponent’s power base. However, like
individuals may be or­ga­nized in ­labor ­unions, the governments, pillars of support are not monolithic. Their

94 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 FIGURE 14.

Pillars of Support Tool

LOCAL BUREAUCRACY EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZED MEDIA BUSINESS/

COMMUNITY SYSTEM RELIGION COMMERCIAL
INSTITUTIONS

Mayor
City council
Local bureaucracy

Citizens
Business leaders
Community leaders

members have dif­fer­ent needs, interests, and motiva- Strategic planning requires us to assess ways to both
tions. Analyzing t­ hese nuances is the essence of build power and participation in a peacebuilding
good assessment. pro­cess or nonviolent movement and weaken the
opponent’s institutional pillars of support and sources
Each pillar is made up of stakeholders, represented of power.
­here by concentric circles. T
­ hese are ele­ments of the
support structures, with the center being the most This tool is g
­ reat for a big-­picture view of institutional
impacted or power­ful (the dictator or general might be stakeholders. It needs to be paired with other tools
in the center of the military pillar, with other leader- (Spectrum and SWOT, detailed in unit 6) to translate into
ship in the next circle, then regular troops, then veter- campaign planning and work on the ground. Figure 15
ans, military families, ­etc.). provides another way to look at it.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 95

 FIGURE 15.

Redistributing Power

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 2. Identify the pillars of support or sources of

• Identify the opponents’ sources of power and power of the person or group that is in control
structures of support of the issue you have identified as the core
issue. It can be organ­izations and institutions
SETUP: associated with a government, local militia,
• ­There are two versions of this exercise. A corporation, or other group. Write this on a
­simple, interactive theater version requires a large piece of paper. Identify the five most
chair or ­table or other object that can be lifted significant pillars that support this “roof.”
by four or five p
­ eople. A more detailed
version of this exercise can be done on paper, 3. Proceed using e
­ ither of the two
requiring large sheets of paper and markers. following versions.

HOW IT IS DONE: 4. In the large group, ask participants how this

1. Draw a diagram of a triangular roof that repre- assessment tool helps them leverage their
sents the issue, institution, or policy you want strengths and existing sources of power, and
to change. (This is likely the same as the trunk anticipate potential threats or opportunities in
of the tree in figure 13.) preparation for strategic planning.

96 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Simplified Theater Detailed
Version Paper Version
1. Divide into five small groups. Give each group 1. Draw a circle that represents a cross section of
five minutes to brainstorm a plan to withdraw the each pillar, with concentric circles that you can
pillar of support from the person or group in label with the individuals or groups that
control of the core issue. compose the pillar itself.

2. Ask for five volunteers to represent the five 2. As you move out from the center, the power
pillars of support. Write the name of each pillar the groups or individuals hold changes, and their
on a piece of paper and tape this to the shirts of connection or loyalty to the institution often
the p
­ eople symbolizing this pillar. ­These pillars diminishes. This ­will help you visually assess
­will together lift up the ­table or chair where you could have the most impact on a
representing the person or group. pillar and which constituencies you may be able
to reach as you try to break down support for the
3. Together in the large group, ask each small system.
group to announce its strategy and withdraw the
pillar of support, one by one ­until the ­table or — ­From Beautiful Rising
chair is no longer able to be held by the https://­beautifulrising​.­org​/­tool​/­pillars​-­of​-­power
remaining pillars.

4. Ask the large group: How did each pillar of

support depend on consent? What did you learn
about power? How did power shift? Was consent
withdrawn?

—­Adapted from George Lakey,

Training for Change

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 97

5. HOW Do You Identify Moments
of Vulnerability and Moments
of Opportunity?
The timing of a nonviolent action or peacebuilding opportunity” for mobilizing peace, such as anniversa-
pro­cess can impact its success or failure. Identifying ries or sports events that bring p
­ eople together.
key moments, such as anniversaries and symbolic
dates, and optimal times and seasons of the year is part Developing a time line of the history of the conflict
of the analy­sis pro­cess that can lead to planning more enables stakeholders to identify t­ hose moments in the
successful strategies for conflict transformation. For conflict. Analyzing the emotional impact of past events
example, if vio­lence often occurs during elections, a may also help stakeholders of opposing groups under-
time line can highlight the “win­dow of vulnerability” or stand more about the psychological impact par­tic­u­lar
potential danger for times in the f­uture when elections memories may have had on the other group, and they
are held. The lens can also identify “win­dows of may perhaps be more able to acknowledge the events
and even apologize.

Beyond the Page #7

Past Analy­sis Time Line Tool
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: opponents. Ideally, a time line is constructed in
• Identify potential ­future “win­dows of opportu- a large group made up of key stakeholders
nity” and “win­dows of vulnerability” from dif­fer­ent sides of the conflict. But if that is
not pos­si­ble, ask ­people to put themselves in
SETUP: the position of other stakeholders.
• You ­will need about fifty sheets of regular-­size
letter paper and a rope or tape to mark a time 2. Ask ­people in each small group to share the
line on the floor major events that have ­shaped how they see
the conflict t­oday. They can start as far back in
HOW IT IS DONE: history as they want to begin telling their story
1. Divide the group according to the vari­ous of what has happened from their assigned
“sides,” key actors, or identity groups in a roles, or their own unique history if appropriate.
conflict. For example, you could identify three
groups from the spectrum of allies tool: leading 3. Write a three-­to five-­word summary of each
allies, the disengaged ­middle, and leading significant historical event, moment of glory, or

98 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 moment of trauma on a separate sheet in perceptions. Allow space for ­people to ask
of paper. questions of each other about their
dif­fer­ent perceptions.
4. The facilitator ­will use a piece of rope or put
tape on the floor to mark the line of history, and 7. Identify both the key points in history where
­will add sheets of paper to mark dates along ­there are shared memories and the key points
the time line. Each side of the conflict w
­ ill lay where t­ here are disparate memories in which
down the history in chronological order along one side’s trauma may be the other side’s
the line. The historical dates need to be marked glory. How can t­ hese memories create oppor-
so that each group’s chronology matches up tunities for transforming the current crisis by
along the line. memorializing, acknowledging, and/or apolo-
gizing for past events?
5. When each group is finished laying out its key
historical dates, ask every­one to silently walk 8. In a large group discussion and debrief, ask the
along the line and read each side’s understand- group about the relevance of the time line for
ing of history. Note how each side remembers strategic planning. If t­ here is time, the pro­cess
dif­fer­ent events and may have a dif­fer­ent could be repeated by the group for a period of
interpretation of events as e
­ ither traumatic or time into the f­uture. What kinds of events,
as a glory. gatherings, or peacebuilding efforts are already
in place? Are ­there win­dows of opportunity or
6. ­After every­one finishes silently observing the vulnerability for a nonviolent campaign or a
time line, reconfigure small groups made up of peacebuilding pro­cess? Ask how this assess-
dif­fer­ent identity groups. Ask them to share ment tool helps them anticipate potential
with each other what they noticed in terms of threats or opportunities in their
commonly perceived events versus differences strategic planning.

6. WHERE Is the Conflict Taking Place?

In any society ­there are “connectors” and “dividers.”3 be conflict sensitive and do no harm by reducing the
Connectors refer to things that link ­people across possibility that they could have unintended conse-
conflict lines, particularly t­ hose forces that meet ­human quences that would increase divisions between groups
needs. Dividers are tensions or fault lines that refer to and increase the likelihood of vio­lence. An action also
­those forces that alienate p
­ eople or interrupt their should foster resilience by increasing the connectors
­human needs. Dividers can include the sources or root between groups.
­causes of the conflict.
The CDA Collaborative Learning Proj­ect’s “Do No
A nonviolent action or peacebuilding pro­cess ­will Harm” approach identifies five categories of connectors
impact connectors and dividers. T
­ hese actions should and dividers.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 99

 Categories of Connectors and Dividers
Systems and institutions: Systems and institutions—­like markets, power lines, w
­ ater pipes, bridges, roads,
and communication systems—­can connect ­people across conflict lines. If systems and institutions serve
some p
­ eople and not ­others, they may increase divisions between groups. For example, if oil pipelines
travel through a community but the community does not benefit from the pipelines, the pipelines are an
example of a “divider.”

Attitudes and actions: Attitudes and actions can ­either divide or connect ­people. Even in the midst of war
and vio­lence, some individuals behave in surprising ways, such as adopting abandoned ­children from the
opposing side in the conflict or continuing a community soccer group across the lines of conflict. Attitudes
and actions can be “connectors” helping groups see the humanity of t­ hose on the other side of the
conflict. Other p
­ eople can display hateful be­hav­iors, write graffiti, or call p
­ eople names on the other side of
a conflict.

Shared values and interests: Shared religious or moral values, such as a belief in protecting c­ hildren or
the environment, can connect ­people across the lines of conflict. UNICEF, for example, has negotiated
days of tranquility in conflict zones based on the shared value warring parties place on inoculating ­children
against disease.

Common experiences: The experience and effects of war on individuals can provide linkages across
conflict lines. Citing the experience of war and suffering as “common to all sides,” ­people traumatized by
war sometimes create new antiwar alliances across conflict lines. In other situations, a common experience
of trauma can divide p
­ eople, as each group is unable to function emotionally.

Symbols and occasions: National art, m

­ usic, historical anniversaries, national holidays, monuments, and
sporting events (e.g., the Olympics) can both divide p
­ eople by prompting memories of past traumatic
events and bring ­people together or link them across conflict lines, or some combination of the two.

100 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Beyond the Page #8
Connectors and Dividers Tool
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 3. Ask each group to identify in the center column
• Examine the broad context of connectors and potential peacebuilding pro­cesses, activities,
dividers that exist within a society so we can or nonviolent actions that could increase the
anticipate how our actions may create further connectors or the dividers. Arrows may be
divisions or build a greater sense of connec- used to indicate w
­ hether the action would
tion across the lines of conflict increase connectors or dividers.

SETUP: 4. ­After twenty to thirty minutes, ask each group

• You ­will need large sheets of paper for each to pres­ent its chart to the other groups.
group of six to eight ­people and markers
5. In the large group, ask participants how this
HOW IT IS DONE: assessment tool helps them anticipate potential
1. Ask each group to draw a chart with three threats or opportunities in their
columns (see ­table 14). strategic planning.

2. Ask each group to identify connectors in the

first column and dividers in the third column.

­TABLE 14.

Connectors and Dividers Analy­sis Tool

CONNECTORS DIVIDERS
List of connectors that link Identify nonviolent actions or List of dividers or the tensions
­ eople across conflict lines,
p peacebuilding pro­cesses that or fault lines that divide ­people or
particularly ­those forces that meet decrease the dividers and increase interrupt their ­human needs
­human needs the connectors between groups

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 101

Resources
• Abujbara, Juman, et al. Beautiful Rising: Creative Re­sis­tance from the Global South. New York: OR
Books, 2018.

• “Beautiful Rising.” Beautiful Rising. Accessed January 2, 2018​.­ https://­beautifulrising​.­org​/­.

• “Beautiful Trou­ble | A Toolbox for Revolution.” Beautiful Trou­ble (blog). Accessed December 22, 2017​.­ 
http://­beautifultrouble​.o
­ rg​/­.

• Boyd, Andrew, and Dave Oswald Mitchell. Beautiful Trou­ble: A Toolbox for Revolution. New York: OR
Books, 2016.

• “Campaign Accelerator: Innovative Campaign Planning.” Mobilisation Lab (blog). Accessed December 19,
2017​.­ https://­mobilisationlab​.o
­ rg​/­campaign​-­accelerator​/­.

• “Conflict Analy­sis.” USIP Global Campus. Accessed January 29, 2018​.­ https://­www​.­usipglobalcampus​.o

­ rg​
/­training​-­overview​/­conflict​-­analysis​/­.

• Levinger, Matthew. Conflict Analy­sis: Understanding ­Causes, Unlocking Solutions. United States Institute of
Peace Acad­emy Guides edition. Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace, 2013.

• “Pillars of Power.” Beautiful Rising. Accessed December 4, 2017​.­ https://­beautifulrising​.­org​/­tool​/­pillars​-­of​

-­power.

• Schirch, Lisa. Conflict Assessment and Peacebuilding Planning: ­Toward a Participatory Approach to ­Human
Security. Boulder, CO: Kumarian Press, 2013.

• “Spectrum of Allies.” Beautiful Rising. Accessed January 30, 2018​.­ https://­beautifulrising​.­org​/­tool​/­spectrum​

-­of​-­allies.

102 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Notes
1. Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan, Why Civil Re­sis­tance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent
Conflict (New York: Columbia University Press, 2011).

2. James Gilligan, Preventing Vio­lence (New York: Thames and Hudson, 2001).

3. The “Do No Harm” Framework for Analyzing the Impact of Assistance on Conflict: A Handbook (Boston: CDA
Collaborative Learning Proj­ects, 2004).

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 103

UNIT 6

Set SMARTT Goals

CONTENTS

Front Line Story: Danish Re­sis­tance to

Nazi Occupation, 1940–45. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

Beyond the Page #1: Strategic Planning Pyramid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, participants ­will be able to:

Use the results of assessment exercises to develop a strategic plan

based on goals

Explain why using nonviolent action and peacebuilding methods

within a developed strategy can be more effective compared with
using tactics outside of a developed strategy

Identify SMARTT (Specific, Mea­sur­able, Attainable, Relevant,

Time-­bound + Theory of Change based) goals

Use ­the SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat) Matrix and

part 2 of the Spectrum of Allies and Opponents Tool as strategic
planning tools
 6
UNIT

Set SMARTT Goals
This unit guides the next step of strategic planning: how to decide on “smart” goals. Planning is
strategic when it grows out of analy­sis. This unit builds on the exercises and tools from the
previous unit on conflict assessment. A strategy is a set of goals, pro­cesses, and tactics that all
work together to achieve a desired outcome. Both nonviolent action and peacebuilding pro­cesses
require goal setting. Smart goals enable t­ hese pro­cesses to work ­toward conflict transformation
and shape the vision for the ­future. Setting a specific, mea­sur­able, attainable, relevant, and time-­
bound (SMARTT) goal, based on a solid theory of change, is an essential part of strategy.
 FRONT LINE STORY

Danish Re­sis­tance to Nazi

Occupation, 1940–45
In April 1940, at the onset of World War II, Germany invaded Denmark, which had been neutral in the
war. Danish leaders recognized that their country’s military forces w
­ ere no match for Adolf Hitler’s
superior army. To limit the number of casualties, the Danish king and government negotiated with
German authorities, who allowed the Danish government to remain in power while Germany occupied
the country.

Over the next several years, Danish leaders employed a strategy of re­sis­tance disguised as
collaboration. They came up with dif­fer­ent nonviolent approaches to undermine German operations.
Nonviolent resistors derailed trains carry­ing war supplies to Germany, and workers participated in
slowdowns to limit the Germans’ exploitation of Denmark for food, ­labor, and materials to perpetuate
the war.

Danish joint actions to oppose the occupation gave ­people a sense of national pride and unity. Citizens
gathered in public to sing songs about Danish culture and history, or­ga­nized festivals, and hung the
nation’s flag outside homes and buildings. In March 1943, Germany allowed Denmark to hold
parliamentary elections, which had nearly 90 ­percent voter participation.

The election year brought increased re­sis­tance by the Danish, and workers across the country began
to strike. Shipyard and factory workers, fishermen, police, and o
­ thers walked off their jobs and took to
the streets to rally against the Germans. The German authorities imposed curfews that ­were ignored,
and the strikes continued, many of which had been publicized through media outlets that had gone
underground to avoid German detection. The Germans, dissatisfied with the Danish government’s
­handling of the situation, took control, cracking down with an increasing number of arrests and acts
of vio­lence.

When German troops called for a roundup of the Jewish population in Denmark, Danish citizens offered
up their homes and offices as hiding places for Jews. Jews also found refuge in hospitals, schools, and
churches. Many Jews w
­ ere able to flee the country with help from Danish fishermen who volunteered to
ferry them to Sweden. Danish defiance of German authorities helped prevent thousands of Jews from
being sent to concentration camps.

106 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

While Denmark’s methods of nonviolent re­sis­tance did not stop the Nazi occupation before the end of
the war in 1945, they did help the Danish achieve many of their goals along the way. Denmark’s
nonviolent movement in response to the German invasion allowed the Danish to maintain the
sovereignty of their government and preserve their society and culture, all while limiting the amount of
resources Germany was able to exploit from Denmark and protecting Danish Jews.

Adapted from “Danish Citizens Resist the Nazis, 1940–1945,” Global Nonviolent Action Database,
accessed May 16, 2018, https://­nvdatabase​.s­ warthmore​.e
­ du​/c­ ontent​/­danish​- ­citizens​-­resist​-n
­ azis​-1­ 940​
-­1945; Peter Ackerman and Jack DuVall, A Force More Power­ful: A ­Century of Nonviolent Conflict (New
York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000).

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 107

Key Concepts
HOW DO WE GET FROM ANALY­SIS TO STRATEGIC ­Table 15 illustrates the six key areas of assessment
PLANNING FOR CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION? we reviewed and the corresponding questions for a
As we saw in the last unit, strong strategic planning is planning pro­cess.
based on accurate and detailed conflict assessment. A
quick look back at the Six Step Strategic Pyramid The SWOT Matrix shown in figure 16 is one tool that can
Planning pro­cess from unit 2 ­will show that we are now help you move from assessment to planning by organ­
ready to use the assessments to set goals. Each of the izing your answers to t­ hese questions into internal and
tools in the previous unit offers unique insights into how external f­actors. Strengths and weaknesses are consid-
to identify and frame your goals and tactics. ered internal f­actors, and opportunities and threats are
considered external. Where they intersect become
Strategic planning is an ongoing pro­cess, and the most scenarios around which to design goals. In this way,
useful plans set short-­and long-­term goals with regular and with the results of the assessments introduced in
assessment points along the way. This cycle ­will allow the last unit, the SWOT analy­sis prepares the way for
you to refine your work, change course if needed, and choosing SMARTT goals.
use your resources efficiently. Assessments w
­ ill en-
able you to determine ­whether you have moved from The pro­cess has two steps. First, integrate information
one phase of the Curle Diagram to another, leading to from the other assessment tools into internal strengths
more informed decision making on appropriate goals and weaknesses, alongside external threats and
for a specific phase of conflict. opportunities. Then, identify (1) your “best-­case” sce-
narios, (2) where you have “missed opportunities,”

­TABLE 15.

Assessment for Strategic Planning

ASSESSMENT QUESTION PLANNING QUESTION
Who are we trying to influence or change? Who
Who are the stakeholders (the ­people who have a
WHO stake or interest in the conflict/issue)?
are our primary and secondary targets (­those who
can reach the primary targets if you cannot)?
Why are the stakeholders acting the way they do? Why are we motivated to take action and why ­will
WHY What are their motivations? ­people join us?
What ­factors are driving or mitigating the conflict/ What issues ­will we focus on given all the
WHAT issue? prob­lems that exist?
How are stakeholders waging conflict? What are How can we generate more and greater sources
HOW their sources of power? of power?
When does the conflict/issue happen? Are
When are the holidays, anniversaries, or seasons
WHEN historical patterns or cycles of the conflict/issue
when we can have the best chance of success?
evident?
Where is the conflict/issue taking place—in what
Where ­will we put our focus geo­graph­i­cally given
WHERE cultural, social, economic, justice, and po­liti­cal
all the prob­lems that exist?
context or system?

108 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

FIGURE 16.

SWOT Analy­sis and Planning

EXTERNAL Factors

Opportunities Threats

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4. 4.

5. 5.

etc. etc.

Strengths BEST CASE: You can do this with MOBILIZATION OPPORTUNITY:

minimal effort and expense, or Work from your strengths
1. change to existing capacity
2.

3.
I
N 4.
T
E
R 5.
N
A etc.
L
F Weaknesses MISSED OPPORTUNITY: WORST CASE: Avoid or minimize
a Limited by internal shortcomings impact as much as possible
c 1.
t
o
r 2.
s
3.

4.

5.

etc.

(3) your best “mobilization scenarios,” and (4) your has just broken), you would potentially have the best-­
“worst-­case” options and where ­these all intersect. case scenario of being able to field a large team to
deliver information or materials to newly aware constitu-
Say you are ­running an anticorruption campaign. If a ents. This could lead you to identify a need to develop
SWOT analy­sis reveals that an internal strength (you materials and raise funds for printing. If, however, you
have a large core of committed volunteers) overlaps have a minimal staff and no trained volunteers (weak-
with an external opportunity (a huge corruption scandal ness) when a major corruption scandal has just broken

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 109

(opportunity), this could be a missed-­opportunity The trick with writing goals that w
­ ill lead you closer to
scenario, meaning you may need to develop alternative achieving your mission is to make them SMARTT:
ways to meet your goals or focus on places where your
strengths and opportunities intersect. • Specific: Choose a goal that is ­simple to
identify—­who you w
­ ill work with, what you ­will
You may notice that, depending on the situation, an do, and where and when you ­will do it. Find a
organ­ization or movement’s strengths could be similar pivot point, a specific issue, not just general
to its weaknesses. For example, having a strong cadre objectives like peace, freedom, or democracy.
of dialogue facilitators can be a strength if you need to The issue must be definite and
facilitate a series of dialogues on a par­tic­u­lar issue, and easily understood.
a weakness if you do not have the dialogue design and
organ­izing capacity to bring them to fruition. In the • Measurable: Choose a goal that is
same way, an interest from a new party to participate in meaningful—­identify how you w
­ ill know when
negotiations can be both an opportunity (as a chance you achieve your goals. What are
to build a more inclusive peace pro­cess) and a threat (if you mea­sur­ing?
the new party is only joining as a spoiler to derail talks).
• Attainable: Choose a goal that is pos­si­ble
The SWOT Matrix’s superpower is to help you d
­ etermine to achieve.
or clarify your strategic goals, identify challenges you
may encounter, develop an effective strategy, and • Relevant: Choose a goal that directly relates
articulate a theory of change based on assessment. to your vision of what you want to achieve.

Notice that what shows up in the SWOT boxes (in fig- • Time-­bound: Choose a goal that is time-­
ure 16) ­will be influenced by your assessments using the limited and timely to public concerns.
previous tools: Spectrum of Allies and Opponents, the
Onion, the Tree, and so on. Your scenarios, and therefore • Theory of change supporting: Choose a goal
your goals, w
­ ill be dif­fer­ent depending on where you are that is supported by an evidence-­based
in your campaign or movement. If you are in the latent hypothesis of how change could happen.
conflict phase, for example, your assessment would likely
point out the need to do recruitment and consciousness The Beyond the Page #1 exercise has examples of
raising (internal weakness); it would be unlikely that you SMARTT goals to help you design your own. But before
would have an opportunity to negotiate for your demand we practice, let us talk more about goal setting in
(external opportunity) before you built power. general using the strategic planning pyramid (shown in
figure 17).
WHAT ARE SMARTT GOALS, AND HOW DO WE
DEVELOP THEM?
Take a look at the potential scenarios you identified in
the SWOT Matrix. Start with ­either a best-­case or
mobilization opportunity and turn that scenario into a
statement that describes how to achieve that situation
(or overcome it if it is negative). That statement be-
comes a goal.

110 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 FIGURE 17.

Strategic Planning Pyramid

Vision & Values

Mission

Assessment

SMARTT Goals

Strategic Steps

Implementation Plans and Tactics

Beyond the Page #1

Strategic Planning Pyramid
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: select and complete e
­ ither the Spectrum of
• Develop a strategic planning pyramid and Allies, the Stakeholder Map, and/or the Pillars
walk through the essential ele­ments of Support from the previous unit).

• Practice developing SMARTT goals 3. Fill out the Strategic Planning Pyramid from the
top down:
SETUP:
• You ­will need large sheets of paper What is your vision? A big-­picture hope or
and markers intention for your world or community.

HOW IT IS DONE: Example: Our vision is . . .

1. Select a current campaign you are working on,
or use any of the Front Line stories in this guide no civil war in our country
for inspiration.
an end to corruption that is stealing from
2. Gather your previous assessment pieces (if this our citizens
is a practice run, and you have limited time,

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 111

 What is your mission? A description of easily, with minimal effort or expenditure of
your purpose and a general idea of resources. Where weaknesses and
who and how you ­will work ­toward ­opportunities intersect, you w
­ ill find your
your vision. potential “missed opportunities”—­opportunities
that are hard to act on u
­ nless you can over-
Example: Our mission is . . . come your shortcomings. Where strengths and
threats overlap is a pos­si­ble “mobilization
to build a movement for a ceasefire to create scenario,” where you have the potential to
space for negotiations between factions proactively meet the threat. Fi­nally, where
weaknesses and threats intersect you w
­ ill find
to build transparency into the bud­get pro­cess your “worst case” scenarios (where you end up
through a community-­led social audit in the “W.C.”), which you should try to avoid
if pos­si­ble.
SWOT ASSESSMENT TO SMARTT GOALS
1. If this is an ­actual strategy session, it is impor­ 4. Select one of the best case or mobilization
tant to assem­ble the right team for the job: opportunities and create a SMARTT goal. You
­those with the knowledge of both the internal can come up with a general goal first, and then
strengths and weaknesses, and the external make sure to answer the SMARTT questions
threats and opportunities. You can also gather by adding specifics—including dates, numbers
information with assessment tools from the for action items, and clarifying ­adjectives, as
previous unit at a prior time. seen in the examples below. ­These specifics
will be helpful in setting up your implementa-
2. Fill in the SWOT Matrix outline, first listing your tion plans and analyzing w
­ hether your ideas
internal “strengths” and “weaknesses,” then the and theory of change allowed you to meet your
external “threats” and “opportunities.” (Remem- goals or ­whether they need adjusting for
ber, some items can end up in more than one the ­future.
category.) If you are working with a large group,
consider sketching the matrix on a large sheet Example: Our goal is . . .
of paper, writing the SWOT items on sticky
notes, and then placing them in the • An internal goal:
appropriate boxes.
• Not SMARTT: Start a new education and
3. Take some time to figure out how your training team in our organ­ization.
strengths and opportunities intersect, and write
down ­those ideas in the appropriate scenario • SMARTT: Hire two p
­ eople as new staff for
box. Do this for the remaining scenario boxes an education and training team by
(strengths and threats, weaknesses and March 2020.
opportunities, weaknesses and threats). Note
that the ideas that come from the intersection • A network/outreach goal:
of strengths and opportunities fall in the “best
case” box and could be considered low-­ • Not SMARTT: Recruit every­one into the
hanging fruit—­actions that can be done fairly peace movement.

112 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 • SMARTT: Recruit key leadership from • SMARTT: Or­ga­nize a community audit of
each of the five warring factions to agree top-­level government employees by
to negotiate preliminary ceasefire talks by January 2021.
January 2025.
Keep ­these SMARTT goals handy for the next section
• An external goal: on tactic development.

• Not SMARTT: Get the government to stop

taking bribes.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 113

Resources
• Strategy tools/methodologies online at BeautifulRising​.­org:

• SMARTObjectives: https://­beautifulrising​.­org​/­tool​/­smart​- ­objectives

• Spectrum of Allies: https://­beautifulrising​.­org​/­tool​/­spectrum​- ­of​-­allies

• Strategy game: https://­beautifulrising​.­org​/­platforms​/­game

• SWOT analy­sis: https://­beautifulrising​.­org​/­tool​/­swot​-­matrix

• Other methodologies: https://­beautifulrising​.­org​/­t ype​/­methodology

• Bobo, Kim, et al. Organ­izing for Social Change: Midwest Acad­emy Manual for Activists. 4th ed. Santa Ana,
CA: Forum Press, 2010.

• “Campaign Accelerator: Innovative Campaign Planning.” Mobilisation Lab (blog). Accessed December 19,
2017​.­ https://­mobilisationlab​.o
­ rg​/­campaign​-­accelerator​/­.

• “English Language Resources.” International Center on Nonviolent Conflict. Accessed July 2, 2018​.­ https://­
www​.­nonviolent​- ­conflict​.­org​/­resource​-­library​/ ­​? ­f wp​_ ­language​=­english.

• International Center on Nonviolent Conflict. Accessed July 2, 2018​.­ https://­w ww​.­nonviolent​- ­conflict​.­org​/­.

• “Strategy Chart.” Midwest Acad­emy. Accessed November 28, 2017​.­ http://­w ww​.t­ csg​.­org​/­sfelp​/­toolkit​

/­MidwestAcademy​_­01​.­pdf.

114 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

UNIT 7

Innovate and Sequence Nonviolent

Action Tactics to Build Power

CONTENTS

Front Line Story: Otpor!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

Beyond the Page #1: ­Best Action, Worst ­Action Reflection . . . . . . . 129

Beyond the Page #2: Strategic Points of Intervention . . . . . . . . . . . 130

Beyond the Page #3: Choosing Tactics Planning Sheet and

Comparison Matrix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, participants ­will be able to do
the following:

Describe the spectrum of nonviolent action tactics used to build

and shift power

Choose appropriate methods and sequence them to leverage

power and build maximum participation

Explain considerations for choosing nonviolent action tactics to

achieve group objectives

Use one or more of the tactical sequencing tools to aid in

tactical planning
 7
UNIT

Innovate and Sequence

Nonviolent Action
Tactics to Build Power
Unit 7 explores how to choose nonviolent action tactics to build and shift power to achieve the
SMARTT goals set out in unit 6. Too often, nonviolent movements choose tactics on the basis of
which tactics are familiar to them rather than making strategic choices based on par­tic­ul­ar criteria.
­Eager groups may rush to call a street protest, or even a boycott or a national strike without
actually thinking through the rationale for choosing a tactic. Choosing the right nonviolent action
tactics for each phase of a campaign is critical for meeting objectives. The choice of tactics can
also set the stage for negotiations and peace pro­cesses to be effective. This unit provides a range
of tools and considerations to help you select nonviolent tactics and sequence them to move the
helix upward in the Curle Diagram.
 FRONT LINE STORY

Otpor!
Within two short years, the civil protest group Otpor developed from a handful of students to an eighty-­
thousand-­person movement that was instrumental in removing Slobodan Miloševic from power ­after he
attempted to steal the presidential election and transitioning Serbia to a democracy.1

Rather than focusing on large-­scale demonstrations or organ­izing a po­liti­cal party, Otpor began with
creative street theater and public protests that mocked Miloševic. They worked to overcome fear and
focused on shifting the po­liti­cal culture of the nation ­toward opposition to his corrupt and repressive
regime. Activists also deliberately targeted ­people within the regime and its supporters, such as
security force members, insisting they w
­ ere not the ­enemy and trying to win their support.

The students of Otpor proclaimed themselves a national movement by blanketing the nation with
posters and T-­shirts bearing the image of Otpor’s iconic clenched fist (a parody of Miloševic’s symbol
of a bloody clenched fist) and slogans such as “Gotov Je!” (He is finished!) and “It’s Time” to focus
public attention on the need for the dictator to leave. By May 2000, Otpor had or­ga­nized in more than
one hundred towns nationwide and recruited large numbers of members outside its original student
base.

Otpor intentionally used a “do-­gooder multilevel marketing” approach to grow its network. Supported
by action, recruitment, and training phases, this approach allowed it to grow exponentially from the
grassroots to nationwide.

The movement creatively managed efforts to repress it, and the regime’s crackdown backfired in ­favor
of the re­sis­tance. Otpor created “rapid reaction teams” to respond to police actions with ­lawyers and
NGO members, showing up at police stations where protesters ­were incarcerated in order to maximize
publicity of the repression and provide l­egal defense. Otpor also used creative nonviolent actions to
encourage the bickering po­liti­cal opposition to unite, thereby allowing them to run a single po­liti­cal
candidate in the presidential elections.

When Miloševic refused to concede power in the September 2000 elections ­after polls confirmed that
he had lost, the opposition developed a strategy for escalating pressure over the next few days,
beginning with strikes and public demonstrations, school boycotts, and blockades. The popu­lar mayor
of Cacak, Velimir Ilic, even called for a total blockade of his own city. Protest and persuasion gave way
to economic, social, and po­liti­cal noncooperation and fi­nally nonviolent intervention as disciplined
crowds of nonviolent demonstrators from around the country swarmed into Belgrade, surrounded key
buildings, and eventually occupied them, forcing the dictator to resign.

118 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Adapted from “Otpor and the Strug­gle for Democracy in Serbia (1998–2000),” International Center on
Nonviolent Conflict, accessed June 8, 2018, https://­w ww​.­nonviolent​-­conflict​.­org​/­otpor​-­and​-­the​-­struggle​
-­for​-­democracy​-­in​-­serbia​-­1998​-­2000​/­.

NOTE: The Otpor movement is commonly cited as a successful nonviolent movement to defend the
Serbian constitution and preserve the integrity of the electoral pro­cess. While Otpor did receive
some financial backing from the U.S. and Eu­ro­pean governments (­after the Serbian youth self-­funded
the early stages of the movement), some foreign governments, including ­those that have faced
domestic challengers, have attempted to portray Otpor as a foreign puppet. Such a characterization is
not borne out by the facts.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 119

Key Concepts
WHAT ARE NONVIOLENT ACTION TACTICS? government agencies are hiding facts. The
Nonviolent action tactics span from acts of omis- field of nonviolent action refers to t­ hese as
sion (­things we do not do) to acts of commission (­things “prefigurative interventions.” The peacebuild-
we do) on a spectrum from confrontational to construc- ing field refers to t­ hese types of actions as
tive. Unlike peacebuilding pro­cesses that focus on fostering civil society, improving governance,
relationship building and prob­lem solving, nonviolent community development, or
action tactics primarily focus on shifting power and institutional innovation.
building awareness. ­Table 16 shows the wide variety of
nonviolent action tactics that ­were used in the • Third-­party nonviolent intervention: Creative
Otpor case. intervention also includes third-­party non­
violent intervention, or the intentional use of
It is worthwhile to highlight two additional methods of outsiders to provide nonviolent protection,
nonviolent action tactics not showcased in ­table 16. monitoring of checkpoints and border
­These two nonviolent methods in some ways embody ­crossings, nonviolent actions such as pro-
the synergy of nonviolent action and peacebuilding in tests, support for conflict assessment pro­
the arc of conflict transformation: cesses, or conciliation or mediation between
sides of a conflict. T
­ hese outsiders leverage
• Prefigurative intervention: Within the group- their own forms of power to play ­these
ings of disruptive and creative interventions in roles that support nonviolent action, peace-
­table 16 are methods that create alternative building pro­cesses, and the range of conflict
structures to current unjust economic, social, transformation methods. Outsiders bring
or po­liti­cal structures. They can be confronta- power sources such as international pass-
tional, or constructive, or both. For example, a ports, cameras, and e-­mail contacts with alert
community may create a farmers’ market that action networks. Simply with their presence
offers fresh local food to compete with the they can both disrupt business as usual and
agribusiness mono­poly on food. Or an provide alternative resolutions.
organ­ization can offer the public a direct
source of information on w
­ ater pollution if

120 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

­TABLE 16.

Use of Nonviolent Action Tactics in the Otpor Case

PENALTY/
NATURE OF METHODS CONFRONTATIONAL REWARD/CONSTRUCTIVE 
(NEGATIVE) (POSITIVE)
Nonviolent methods
category (general be­hav­ior)
Protest Appeal
• Street theater and humorous skits • Ubiquitous postering and displays
mocking Miloševic performed of public symbols (such as Otpor’s
throughout the country to lower iconic clenched fist) and slogans
fear and challenge his legitimacy on posters, leaflets, and T-­shirts,
• Large public rallies, marches, and and in tele­vi­sion spots to recruit
demonstrations, including rallies new members
to put pressure on the po­liti­cal • Electoral politics—­coalition
Expression opposition to unite building and campaigning
(saying something) • Widespread distribution of • Holding ­music concerts and
materials critical of Miloševic’s cultural cele­brations
policies • Public and private communication
• Use of the Internet, cell phones, with security and church officials,
fax machines, and alternative media, ­union leaders, municipal
media to disseminate re­sis­tance politicians, and ­others to cultivate
messages and or­ga­nize potential allies and defections
opposition • Petitions, press releases, public
statements, and speeches
• Workshops and training sessions
for activists, distribution of
training manuals
Noncooperation Refraining
• Strikes and boycotts by workers • Stopping or calling off physical
and students, artists, actors, and occupation of space surrounding
business o ­ wners key public buildings (e.g., police
• General strike stations) if demands ­were met
Acts of omission • Defections by security, military,
(not ­doing something) and police forces cultivated by
careful communication with them
and public calls for
their noncooperation
• Defections by members of
the media
Disruptive intervention Creative intervention
• Blockades of highways and • Extensive training and
railroads with cars, trucks, buses, education programs
and large crowds of ­people to • Formation of local action and civil
shut down economic and po­liti­cal monitoring groups
activity and demonstrate parallel • Parallel election monitors and an
Acts of commission sources of power election results reporting system
• Physical occupation of space to detect and report
(­doing or creating surrounding key public buildings election fraud
something) (e.g., parliament, jails, and media), • Some Otpor members formed a
then in some cases, storming and po­liti­cal party ­after the
nonviolent invasions of the presidential transition
buildings
• Bulldozers moving aside police
barricades (a ­later symbol of the
re­sis­tance)

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 121

 Nonviolent protection, also known as unarmed civilian protection, is one type of third-­party nonviolent
intervention. Nonviolent protection involves unarmed, specially trained civilians who live and work with
local civil society in areas of violent conflict. They provide accompaniment to individuals and
communities ­under threat. This accompaniment may deter attacks on key stakeholders involved in
conflict transformation, including both nonviolent action and peacebuilding pro­cesses, by protecting
­human rights activists, nonviolent movement leaders, and key negotiators. Nonviolent protection is also
known as civilian peacekeeping, as t­ hese activists may interposition themselves as h
­ uman shields to
protect a civilian population from attack. Unarmed civilian protection is practiced in areas of conflict
such as Colombia, South Sudan, Palestine, the United States, Iraq, and the Mindanao region of the
Philippines. Nonviolent protection draws on the princi­ple of civilian immunity in war offered by
international law. By monitoring and documenting h
­ uman rights violations, nonviolent protection can
also alert media and international audiences to abuses of power and mobilize international rapid
response networks to save the lives of h
­ uman rights activists or environmentalists targeted by
armed groups.

WHAT CAN NONVIOLENT ACTION In a nonviolent movement, leaders carefully choose and
TACTICS ACHIEVE? sequence a series of tactics to build a successful
As illustrated in the Curle Diagram in figure 18, the campaign.
primary functions of nonviolent action tactics are to
build and shift power and heighten public awareness of HOW DO WE CHOOSE THE MOST EFFECTIVE
the issues. In the Curle Diagram, tactics help move a TACTICS FOR MEETING OUR IDENTIFIED
group upward t­oward the right-­hand corner, where a SMARTT GOALS?
group achieves its goals. Unit 8 focuses on how the Strategic planning helps identify the tactics that ­will be
choice of nonviolent tactics can create support for most effective and how to sequence ­these tactics in a
negotiation and peace pro­cesses to develop po­liti­cal way that allows a group to achieve its
solutions. Strategic nonviolent action considers the change objectives.
­whole spectrum of approaches to conflict transforma-
tion. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi ­Table 17 lists examples of objectives for a campaign or
viewed nonviolent action tactics as creating the lever- movement and provides corresponding questions to
age necessary for effective dialogue and negotiation help with strategic planning.
with an opponent.

122 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 FIGURE 18.

Curle Diagram: Overt Conflict

Conflict Transformation Process
Violence and Injustice Peace and Justice
Balanced Power
Conflict Settlement: Sustainable Peace
Tactics create pressure and Justice:
on group in power to Principled negotiation
convert, persuade, or addresses main interests
accommodate interests of all groups.
of other groups through
negotiations or
mediation.
Latent Conflict: Overt Conflict:
Community organizing, Nonviolent action to
coalition building, broaden public
capacity building, awareness and balance
conscientization, between groups.
conflict assessment,
Unbalanced Power

early warning and

preventive diplomacy
and dialogue to
increase awareness of
the need for change.

Low Awareness of Issues High Awareness

Widen Participation
A Deep Dive
HOW DO WE CHOOSE TACTICS THAT ARE variety of creative nonviolent methods is another way to
INCLUSIVE, ARE ACCESSIBLE, AND BUILD expand the potential for active participation of a wide
MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION? array of ­people. Incorporating tactics that reflect a
First of all, choose nonviolent action rather than vio­ diversity of cultures, local traditions, and popu­lar topical
lence—­since the success of nonviolent campaigns is interests not only makes the campaign more approach-
often a function of the bigger numbers that w
­ ill turn out able but can also be a critical part of achieving a
in comparison with ­those of violent campaigns. Fortu- durable and sustainable outcome.
nately, one of the advantages that nonviolent action
and peacebuilding pro­cesses have over violent meth- At some points in the trajectory of change, it may be
ods is that they are inherently more inclusive and impor­tant to choose dispersed, low-­risk tactics (like
accessible to a diverse set of p
­ eople. Harnessing a banging pots and pans or wearing par­tic­u­lar symbols)

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 123

 ­TABLE 17.

Setting Tactical Objectives
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS ASSESSING EFFICACY
1. Will the tactic increase the power of the group to achieve its objectives?
2. ­Will the tactic enable the group to seize and maintain the initiative? Successful tactics
should initiate a response from the opponent rather than respond to the actions of
INCREASE
the opponent.
POWER 3. Does the tactic actively disrupt business as usual or open up space for alternatives?
4. Will the tactic impact the identified target(s)? W
­ ill the tactic shift them along the
spectrum of allies ­toward your position?
1. ­Will the tactic increase awareness of the key issues?
INCREASE 2. ­Will the public be able to understand the main theme communicated in the tactic? Does
the tactic have clear messaging and strong logic that ­will speak for itself? W
­ ill the
PUBLIC image of the tactic tell the story?
AWARENESS 3. ­Will the tactic expose the moral weak points in the position of the opponent, allowing
the public to “see” the issue in a new way?
1. Does the tactic allow the maximum number of ­people to participate ­because it is fun or
in­ter­est­ing and easy to join?
2. Is the tactic culturally appropriate, and w
­ ill it capture the imagination of potential
WIDEN new supporters/participants?
PARTICIPATION 3. Does the tactic open the door to loyalty shifts or defections from the
opposition’s supporters?
4. Is the tactic easily replicable elsewhere or at another time by other groups of p ­ eople
who are or may become your allies?
1. Does the tactic create pressure on groups in power to change be­hav­ior (stop predatory
WIN OVER OR policing, pass anticorruption legislation, halt practices that contaminate the environment,
PUT PRESSURE implement a peace agreement, ­etc.) through unilateral action, negotiation, or mediation?
ON A PRIMARY 2. ­Will the tactic encourage your target(s) to change their actions or be­hav­iors through
OR SECOND- dialogue or through persuasion alone?
3. Is t­here another tactic you should employ to exert a more active form of pressure on
ARY TARGET
par­tic­u­lar groups to increase bargaining power?
MAXIMIZE USE 1. Do you have the resources, training, and numbers of participants needed to execute the
OF tactic appropriately? What is your self-­assessment?
RESOURCES 2. Does the tactic play to your strengths?

1. Does the tactic consider the possibility of repressive violent response? Is it better to
concentrate or disperse the action? Dispersion tactics, such as boycotts or banging pots
and pans at a certain time of day, can be effective ­because they let ­people participate in
the action and minimize the opportunities for repressive vio­lence. Concentration tactics
ANTICIPATE occur where ­people are concentrated, such as at a protest demonstration or public vigil.
They allow ­people to share commitment and build solidarity and can expose the
POTENTIAL
opponent’s willingness to use vio­lence.
VIO­LENCE AND 2. ­Will the degree of suffering or costs be proportionate to the expected outcome? Some
OTHER RISKS tactics that require ­great physical or economic suffering may not be able to be
sustained over long periods of time.
3. Does the tactic consider and prepare for the level of threat against nonviolent activists?
Are participants prepared to not use vio­lence and maintain maximum adherence to
nonviolent action tactics even if they are met with repressive vio­lence?
1. Does the tactic trigger fear or trauma from the opponent that may unintentionally
SET THE STAGE reinforce their re­sis­tance to negotiation and change? For example, name-­calling and
FOR FORMAL personal attacks can make it much more difficult to negotiate with the opponent at a
­later stage once power has shifted.
TRANSITION,
2. Does the tactic signal an “all or nothing” demand and a “win/lose” approach where the
NEGOTIATION, opponent may abandon any possibility of finding a mutually satisfying outcome?
AND PEACE 3. Does the tactic or messaging communicate an explicit commitment to the needs of the
PROCESSES opponent and your intent to find a solution that meets some of the opponent’s basic
needs or interests?

124 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 The “best” tactics help increase and expand participation and inclusion,
leverage power effectively to create the intended change, and do so
with the lowest expenditure of resources, time, and money as pos­si­ble.
Answering the following questions w
­ ill help you assess the potential
efficacy of specific actions.

in order to reduce fear, build confidence, and engage United States, for example, it can be helpful for openly
new groups, or to avoid significant harm or losses to an or­ga­nized nonviolent action groups to publicly distance
established movement experiencing severe repression. themselves from property destruction (which can
­People ­will often join actions when they are less fearful, decrease public support for the cause) but to do so
and when they see friends, peers, and relatives partici- without condemning the work of groups that choose to
pating in the actions. Nonviolent action and peacebuild- use that tactic. Using facilitated dialogue within the
ing are social activities, ­after all. In other cases, it ­will be movement, and with your potential allies, can help
impor­tant to work with potential allies, even if you groups establish common objectives and develop a
disagree with their methods of effecting change. In the unified strategy and sequencing of agreed-­on tactics.

Can We Reassess ­after Each Tactic?

Yes! In fact, ongoing assessment is essential. While strategy requires planning, t­ hose plans should not
be inflexible. Do assessment ­after each tactic to update your analy­sis of the context, know where
stakeholders are in the spectrum of allies, and see how opponents respond to your tactic.

Carrying out assessment research requires setting up a communication channel with opponents, allies,
and every­one in between to check on their perceptions, interests, and readiness to negotiate.

HOW DO WE STRATEGICALLY Think of tactics as stepping stones or rungs on a ladder

SEQUENCE TACTICS? that can take a small and disempowered group of
A strategy is made up of a series of actions and phases ­people and move them upward to where they are large
that achieve objectives that contribute to the and empowered. Figure 19 illustrates how tactics can
overall goal. be sequenced according to the stage of the conflict
transformation pro­cess.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 125

Early tactics tend to focus on increasing participation ­strategic objectives for the overall strategy. For exam-
and legitimacy and building the power of the movement ple, one tactic might aim to get more p
­ eople involved in
for change. In the m
­ iddle stage, tactics tend to focus on the movement. Another might aim to convince one or
demonstrating the mass power of the movement and more of the opponent’s allies that change is necessary
sustaining participation in the conflict transformation (and that they have a place in that change).
pro­cess. “Small victories” ­will help build momentum and
sustain participation. It is impor­tant to evaluate methods WHAT IS THE ROLE OF INNOVATION IN TACTICAL
throughout the early and m
­ iddle stages of the pro­cess SE­LECTION FOR EFFECTIVE CAMPAIGNS?
and to revise your strategy or theory of change if tactics Innovation, or tactical creativity, is a key ingredient of
are not achieving their intended outcomes. In the l­ater developing and sustaining nonviolent action that ­will
stages of the conflict transformation pro­cess, groups deliver an impact. If campaigns get too comfortable
may choose to use more risky tactics, such as ­those with one method (for example, marching or sit-­ins) and
that force an opponent to the negotiating t­ able or use it repeatedly, it may serve only to make the tactic
disrupt daily activity, making the status less effective as opponents refine and improve their
quo unfavorable. response. Using new methods or tactics helps catch
the adversary or opponent off guard and
Map out potential options for how to sequence tactics improves effectiveness.
that build on or complement each other. Each tactic
should contribute directly to one or more of the

FIGURE 19.

Curle Diagram: Tactics Planning

Conflict Transformation Process
Violence and Injustice Peace and Justice

Conflict Settlement: Sustainable Peace

Balanced Power

and Justice:

Later Tactics:
Make status quo
unfavorable to force
opposition to negotiate.

Middle Tactics:
Demonstrate the power
of the mass movement.
Unbalanced Power

Early Tactics:
Build movement and
increase participation.

Latent Conflict: Overt Conflict:

Low Awareness of Issues High Awareness

126 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 ­TABLE 18.

Top-­Level Implementation Chart
SMARTT GOAL: Get mainstream media coverage in three outlets by January 30, to build awareness of issue in
community. 
Tactic: Nighttime video projection of campaign memes and messages in a public space.
POTENTIAL
COMPLETION RESPONSIBLE RESOURCES
ACTION STEP BARRIERS COLLABORATORS
DATE ­PEOPLE REQUIRED
OR RISK
Weather,
security
$2,050 Projector Members of the Arts and
Video projection December 1 Kweku, Sara guard—­need
rental, four staff Action group
solid police
liaison

Innovation opens the door to escalation, involvement of step may need a more detailed list of specific tasks and
­those with a variety of skills and differing capacity individual assignments in order to execute the tactic
levels, and creation of methods par­tic­u­lar to the specific safely and effectively. We ­will discuss implementation
issue, players, and context. Innovation catches p
­ eople’s planning in more detail in unit 9.
attention and can itself generate media coverage even
on an issue that has been ignored previously by ­Here is where campaign planners and especially
mainstream media. As well, just switching from predict- action and event developers can benefit from the work
able and ­simple violent responses (such as violent of “design thinking.” Best practices from the field of
clashes with security forces) to nonviolent action human-­centered design focus on using an approach
broadens the response to a huge spectrum of diverse that encourages brainstorming potential solutions
actions and activities, from teach-­ins and banner drops and testing them out with the intended target group in
to ­giant puppet blockades and worker cooperatives. a pi­lot or prototype fashion before investing in a
The involvement of arts and culture speaks to ­people in complete product. Also called a “rapid itera-
a language they understand and relate to on a gut level. tion approach,” this pro­cess is often skipped b
­ ecause
activists and planners are ­eager to do something,
WE HAVE A ­GREAT IDEA...NOW WHAT DO WE DO? anything, as fast as pos­si­ble, at the cost of missing
HOW CAN WE PUT OUR TACTICAL IDEAS their mark. Rapid prototyping w
­ ill give immediate
INTO ACTION? and direct feedback on the proposed idea and help
The first step in ­going from a ­great idea to an ­actual refine it into a more effective approach. It is critical to
tactic is to work up an action or implementation plan. test out your prototype with people who closely
In the strategic planning pro­cess, include enough time resemble your intended audience to get results that
to establish a plan that contains clear objectives, make sense.
specific due dates for key pieces, ­people assigned to
each set of tasks, and benchmarks to mea­sure pro­ For example, if you are planning a campaign on corrup-
gress. See ­table 18 for an example of how to create an tion and you want to mobilize p
­ eople, it ­will be helpful
implementation plan for a tactic, noting that each action to know if they are more likely to join your campaign if

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 127

you appeal to their sense of economic justice, moral HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL TO
outrage, or love for trees. Create a ­simple test with SYNERGIZE NONVIOLENT ACTION TACTICS WITH
some images and then ask folks on the street who you PEACEBUILDING PRO­CESSES?
think are your target audience to see how they respond In the tradition of Kingian Nonviolence, dialogue and
to your messaging. Much of this can be done quickly open communication with the opponent are impor­tant
online as well. at all stages of the conflict, or in all quadrants of the
Curle Diagram. 3 Remaining open to dialogue and other
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE forms of communication with the opponent and their
“MEANS” AND THE “ENDS”? supporters at all times is impor­tant ­because
Nonviolent action tactics are a “means” to an “end.”
In nonviolent movements t­ here is usually an under- • it provides an opportunity to listen to the
standing of the means being as impor­tant as the ends. opponent to clarify their needs and interests,
One of the findings from Why Civil Re­sis­tance Works is which may change,
that even when nonviolent campaigns failed to achieve
their main goal, they nevertheless tended to pave the • it allows you to communicate the commitment
way to more open and demo­cratic socie­ties.2 In other to satisfy the needs or interests of the oppo-
words, the more groups invest in and use more partici- nent and possibly alter their w
­ ill to conduct
patory peacebuilding skills and pro­cesses to build their the aggression,
internal organ­ization and network, the more they model
the f­uture they are working ­toward. Nonviolent move- • it provides a space to begin cultivating
ments that invest in building demo­cratic pro­cesses and personal relationships,
co­ali­tions are more likely to end up with more demo­
cratic institutions even if their movement was consid- • it creates a place where you can communi-
ered a failure in the short term. cate your commitment to nonviolent discipline
and your determination to resist, and
However, it should also be underlined that some
nonviolent action tactics can make it more difficult to • it keeps the focus on resisting policies or
find a sustainable solution. Tactics that punish or make harms without dehumanizing the opponent to
personal attacks on the opponent can antagonize the point where ­future negotiation
conflict and make it more difficult to becomes impossible.
achieve objectives.

128 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Beyond the Page #1
Beautiful Trou­ble—­Best Action, Worst Action Reflection
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: b. Share the goal of the campaign.
• Identify princi­ples, theories, tactics, and
lessons about successful and less successful c. Describe what (one) tactic or method was
nonviolent action and peacebuilding prac- used to try to reach the goal
tices through storytelling you mentioned.

• Introduce the value of a culture of assessment d. Share your analy­sis of ­whether it was
and peer learning effective or in­effec­tive.

• Identify and name keys to effective actions 2. Pick one of the stories to share with the big
group and develop a creative way to do this:
• Spark participants’ creativity, as they learn with a short skit/reenactment, a tableau, a
more about nonviolent action and peace- drawing, a song, and so on.
building practices in other contexts
3. Back in the big group, have each small group
SETUP: share its example of ­either a best or
• If pos­si­ble, do this activity in a space big worst action.
enough to move around. Have paper, mark-
ers, tape, and other creative supplies on 4. Harvest the tactics and the lessons and then
hand. Remind p
­ eople that we can learn a lot summarize learnings, drawing out princi­ples,
from our own experiences, both good and theories, and guidance for f­uture work.
bad. Have copies of ­table 20 as a reference.
5. Make time for debrief. What themes or
HOW IT IS DONE: lessons emerged about effective actions?
1. In small groups, have folks share a few stories Use t­ able 20 to analyze some of the tactics
of ­either a best or worst nonviolent action or shared. Did you learn more from the best or
peacebuilding approach—­something they have worst action examples?
participated in or know a bit about—in this form:

a. First identify and share the campaign or

movement you w
­ ill speak about.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 129

Beyond the Page #2
Strategic Points of Intervention
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: The following are examples of points of intervention:
• Identify a spectrum of physical and concep-
tual places to take nonviolent action in • The place where destruction is happening
support of your campaign goals (pipeline route through farmland, foreclosure
site, clear-­cut forest site)
• Make vis­i­ble the diverse spectrum of loca-
tions where interventions could make a • The place where production is happening
significant impact on targets, clearly expose (factory where win­dows are made, farm, ­etc.)
the essence of the issue, or disrupt business
as usual • The place where consumption is happening
(supermarket, gas station, order-­by-­phone
SETUP: line, school)
• You ­will need large sheets of paper
and markers • The place where decision making is happen-
ing (Parliament or Congress, corporate
ADDITIONAL PLANNING NOTES: boardroom, school board, UN)
For an active exercise, prepare one sheet for each
point of intervention. Write the name of the point across • The place where opinions and assumptions
the top. Divide the sheet into two columns—­“Point” and are reinforced (a place to challenge under­
“Action Idea”—­and post along a wall. Alternatively, use lying beliefs and social mythologies: segre-
­table 19. In the big group, discuss the points together. If gated lunch ­counters, military
pos­si­ble, use an example campaign someone in your recruitment offices)
group is engaged in.
• The place where an alternate solution or
Points of intervention can be a
­ ctual physical locations opportunity could happen (cultural or annual
and/or cultural or po­liti­cal spaces. The points of de- event, a special visit by a public official, empty
struction, consumption, decision making, and produc- lots that could be gardens)
tion are often easily identified as physical locations; the
points of assumption or opportunity may be more If you can do a short slideshow, consider sharing
conceptual or ideological. You may find that your ideas images of creative actions at vari­ous points from
or locations belong in more than one category, so go diverse campaigns to lead into this exercise. Good
ahead and include them wherever they support resources are available in the book Beautiful Trou­ble
creative thinking. (beautifultrouble.org) and on WagingNonviolence​.­org
and Actipedia.com.

130 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 ­TABLE 19.

Points of Intervention Worksheet
WHAT ARE THE POINTS OF
INTERVENTION? WHAT ACTIONS COULD YOU TAKE AT THIS POINT?
Production
Destruction
Consumption
Decision making
Assumption
What is the assumption
being challenged?
Opportunity (timing)

Tool developed by the Center for Story-­Based Strategy, modified by Beautiful Trou­ble, https://­www​
.­storybasedstrategy​.­org​/­points​-­of​-­intervention​.­html.

HOW IT IS DONE: 5. With sufficient time, ask participants to brain-

1. Break into teams, with at least two or three storm who would be impacted by the proposed
­people per sheet. Instruct folks to brainstorm actions at vari­ous points (5–10 min.).
locations for the potential point of intervention
listed on the paper, and write them in the point 6. Do a gallery walk, and circle or star ideas that
column (3–5 min.). If you have completed any stand out.
of the previous assessment tools, use this
knowledge to inform your brainstorming. 7. Back in the big group, share aha moments, any
Consider stakeholders, power relationships, ideas that folks can take and work with for their
connectors/dividers, and so on. campaigns, and so on.

2. ­After a few minutes, have ­people move to 8. To close, summarize learnings or key points
another sheet and add on to what is written in about the tool. It can help expand action
the point column (2–4 min.). potentials, encourage thinking outside the box,
and add innovation to your tactics. If you have
3. Ask folks to move to one more sheet and time, ask participants to write down the top
continue to brainstorm points (2 min.). three ideas they may want to move forward
with developing.
4. Now instruct folks to put on their action plan-
ning caps and think of potential actions that 9. Additional step: test your tactic ideas for
could happen at the points listed. Write t­ hose strategic fit by backcasting—­would they clearly
actions in the action ideas column. Rotate to a support one of your SMARTT goals?
­couple other sheets, depending on time
(5–10 min. total).

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 131

Beyond the Page #3
Choosing Tactics Planning Sheet and Comparison Matrix
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 2. Ask groups to use the questions identified
• Compare and contrast the choice of tactics earlier in this unit to discuss each of the
using key considerations and questions for categories in t­able 20.
choosing innovative tactics based on their
own context (as described above) 3. Ask groups to rate the strength of each tactic
on a scale of 0–10, with 10 being the strongest.
SETUP: The scores for each potential tactic should be
• You ­will need large sheets of paper added up to see which one scores the highest.
and markers A group may ultimately decide to carry out all
three tactics, or even more. This exercise may
HOW IT IS DONE: also help them develop a strategic sequence
1. Fill in ­table 20 with a minimum of three tactics for their tactics. In general, tactics that build
from the Front Line story of OTPOR discussed public awareness and widen participation are
earlier. Alternatively, if you have been perform- needed near the beginning of a
ing the exercises in this action guide with a nonviolent movement.
current case study example from the group’s
own work, use your analy­sis from the assess-
ment pro­cess or the Points of Intervention tool
to evaluate the potential nonviolent action
tactics and develop them further.

132 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

­TABLE 20.

Tactic Planning
CHOOSING TACTICS
DOES THE TACTIC . . . TACTIC 1 TACTIC 2 TACTIC 3
INCREASE POWER?
Does it have a clear demand? What is it?
Does it maintain initiative and provoke a response from
the opponent?
Does it actively disrupt business as usual or open space
for alternatives?
Does it reach the identified target?
­Will the tactic shift targets along the spectrum of allies?
­INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS?
Will the image tell the story?
­Will it expose weak points of the opposition?
­Will it offer a new way of viewing the issue?
Is the messaging clear?
Is it an escalation or de-­escalation?
MAXIMIZE PARTICIPATION?
Is ­there a low/high bar to participation?
Is it open to mass involvement?
Does it harness innovation, creativity?
Is it culturally appropriate?
Is it easily replicable?
WIN OVER OR PUT PRESSURE ON A PRIMARY
OR SECONDARY TARGET?
Does the tactic create pressure on groups in power to
change their be­hav­ior (stop predatory policing, pass
anticorruption legislation, halt practices that contaminate the
environment, implement a peace agreement, ­etc.) through
unilateral action, negotiation, or mediation?
­ ill the tactic encourage your target(s) to change their actions
W
or be­hav­iors through dialogue or through persuasion alone?
Is ­there another tactic you should employ to exert a more
active form of pressure on par­tic­ul­ar groups to increase
bargaining power?
MAXIMIZE USE OF RESOURCES?
What is the resource cost (time, money)? Do you have existing
capacity/skill or need extensive training or additional time for
preparation?
ANTICIPATE POTENTIAL VIO­LENCE AND
OTHER RISKS?
Is ­there a less risky or less resource-­intensive option?
SET THE STAGE FOR OTHER TACTICS, NEGO-
TIATION, OR PEACE PROCESSES?
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS?
Does the tactic consider the needs and interests of the
opponent? What impact ­will the tactic have on
­future negotiations?

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 133

Resources
• “Actipedia​.­” Actipedia. Accessed December 22, 2017​.­ https://­actipedia​.­org​/­.

• “Beautiful Rising.” Beautiful Rising. Accessed December 22, 2017​.­ https://­beautifulrising​.­org​/­.

• “Beautiful Trou­ble | A Toolbox for Revolution.” Beautiful Trou­ble (blog). Accessed December 22, 2017​.­ 
http://­beautifultrouble​.o
­ rg​/­.

• Beer, Michael. “Revisiting the Methods of Nonviolent Action.” International Center on Nonviolent Conflict
Special Report (forthcoming 2019).

• “Build Your Own Toolkit.” The Change Agency. Accessed December 17, 2017​.­ http://­www​.­thechangeagency​
.­org​/­campaigners​-­toolkit​/­build​-­your​-­own​-­toolkit​/­.

• “Campaign Accelerator Toolkit: Sense.” Accessed January 30, 2018​.­ https://­mobilisationlab​.­org​/­wp​-­content​

/­uploads​/­2017​/­03​/­CA​-­sense​-­final​.p
­ df.

• Canning, Doyle, Patrick Reinsborough, and Jonathan Matthew Smucker. Re:Imagining Change: How to Use
Story-­Based Strategy to Win Campaigns, Build Movements, and Change the World. Oakland, CA: PM
Press, 2017.

• “5 Stages in the Design Thinking Pro­cess.” The Interaction Design Foundation. Accessed January 30, 2018​.
https://­www​.­interaction​-­design​.o
­ rg​/­literature​/­article​/­5​-­stages​-­in​-­the​-­design​-­thinking​-­process.

• “Global Change Lab Public Files— ­Google Drive.” Accessed January 2, 2018​.­ https://­drive​.­google​.­com​/­drive​
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• IDEO​.o
­ rg. The Field Guide to Human-­Centered Design. San Francisco: IDEO​.­org​/­Design Kit, 2015.

• “Leadership, Organ­izing and Action: Leading Change.” Harvard Kennedy School course taught by Marshall
Ganz. Accessed July 2, 2018​.­ https://­www​.­hks​.­harvard​.­edu​/­educational​-­programs​/­executive​-­education​
/­leadership​-­organizing​-­and​-­action.

• The New Tactics in H

­ uman Rights Proj­ect. New Tactics in ­Human Rights: A Resource for Prac­ti­tion­ers.
Minneapolis, MN: Center for Victims of Torture, 2004.

• “Nine Types of Innovation.” Bond. April 21, 2016​.­ https://­www​.­bond​.­org​.­uk​/­ngo​-­support​/­nine​-­types​-­of​

-­innovation.

134 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

• “Points of Intervention.” Beautiful Rising. Accessed December 22, 2017​.­ https://­beautifulrising​.­org​/­tool​/­points​
-­of​-­intervention.

• Schirch, Lisa. Civilian Peacekeeping: Preventing Vio­lence and Making Space for Democracy. Uppsala,
Sweden: Life & Peace Institute, 2006.

• Schweitzer, Christine, et al. Civilian Peacekeeping: A Barely Tapped Resource. Belm, Germany:
Sozio- ­Publishing, 2010.

• “See This Skill: Creative Activist.” Global Change Lab. Accessed December 22, 2017​. ­http://­www​
.­globalchangelab​.o
­ rg​/­en​/­skill​/­creative​-­activism.

• “Strategy Toolkit.” New Tactics in H

­ uman Rights. Accessed December 22, 2017​.­ https://­www​.n
­ ewtactics​.­org​
/­toolkit​/­strategy​-­toolkit.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 135

Notes
1. Steve York, Bringing Down a Dictator, Documentary, 2002, http://­w ww​.­aforcemorepowerful​.­org​/­films​/­bdd​
/­index​.­php.

2. Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan, Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent
Conflict (New York: Columbia University Press, 2011).

3. “What Is Kingian Nonviolence,” Nonviolent Schools Rhode Island, accessed July 2, 2018, https://­
nonviolentschoolsri​.­org​/­kingian​-­nonviolence.

136 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

UNIT 8

Sequencing Nonviolent Action and

Negotiation Tactics for
Sustainable Solutions

CONTENTS

Front Line Story: The Jasmine Revolution and the

Tunisian Quartet Peace Pro­cess. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Beyond the Page #1: Negotiation Simulation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Beyond the Page #2: Sequencing Nonviolent Action

and Peacebuilding Methods in Tunisia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, participants ­will be able to:

Identify the range of ways a conflict ends, including negotiation,

peace pro­cess, concession, or other paths

Recognize the considerations that assist in making decisions

about sequencing typical nonviolent action and
peacebuilding methods

Identify three approaches to negotiation, including principled

negotiation, which seeks a win-­win solution for all stakeholders

Identify the concepts of “BATNA” and “WATNA” and understand

how they apply to the willingness to negotiate and sequencing
 8
UNIT

Sequencing
Nonviolent Action and
Negotiation Tactics for
Sustainable Solutions
Unit 8 focuses on the final block of the Curle Diagram. When should groups use nonviolent tactics
to build power, and when should groups negotiate?

Unit 8 describes how key negotiation skills can help prepare all sides of a conflict to find a
sustainable outcome that addresses the interests of all groups. Once groups become empowered
and t­ here is wide public awareness of key issues, negotiation or an official peace pro­cess is
more likely to succeed. Knowing when and how to negotiate is part of the strategic planning
pro­cess.
 This is the third unit that focuses on peacebuilding skills. In unit 3, we explored how to use
dialogue skills to defuse tensions and build broader co­ali­tions. In unit 4, we looked at how to use
facilitation skills to run effective meetings and make decisions in groups. In unit 8, we explore how
to use negotiation skills with external groups to achieve the key goals and interests of all groups.

Units 2–7 described the steps necessary to synergize nonviolent action and peacebuilding for
successful conflict transformation. Units 1 and 8 bookend ­these steps with the big picture of what
the synergy looks like in practice. In this unit, a case study from Tunisia provides another
opportunity to examine the successful synergy of conflict transformation methods.

140 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

FRONT LINE STORY

The Jasmine Revolution and the

­Tunisian Quartet Peace Pro­cess
The Tunisian Revolution, also known as the “Jasmine Revolution,” was an uprising against corruption,
poverty, and po­liti­cal oppression that led to President Zine al-­Abidine Ben Ali stepping down on
January 14, 2011, a
­ fter twenty-­three years in power. Weeks before his resignation, Tunisian street vendor
Mohamed Bouazizi, who was fed up with the harassment, humiliation, and confiscation of the goods he
was selling by government officials, set himself on fire. The act of self-­immolation served as a catalyst
for the revolution and helped spur the wider Arab Spring. Public protests intensified around issues of
high unemployment, food inflation, a lack of po­liti­cal freedoms, and poor living conditions. Police and
security forces used vio­lence against demonstrators, resulting in scores of deaths and injuries.

­After Ben Ali’s departure, members of the opposition movement expressed their concerns about the
drafting of a new Tunisian constitution, and street clashes took place between secular protesters and
religious conservatives. The assassinations of two key opposition politicians, Mohamed Al-­Brahmi and
Chokri Belaid, added to the growing unrest.

However, strong civil society leadership helped quell public vio­lence and strengthen the po­liti­cal pro­cess.
In 2013, leaders from the h
­ uman rights, ­lawyer, employer, and ­union federation groups, along with ­others,
called for negotiations. The four representatives became known as the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet
and facilitated the negotiations between the country’s Islamist Ennahda party and secular and opposition
movements. The Quartet exerted significant pressure on the government to agree to a road map it
developed to solve the po­liti­cal crisis. The plan outlined steps to establish an in­de­pen­dent election
commission, compromises on the constitution, and a technocratic caretaker government.

The Quartet’s ability to get both sides to make po­liti­cal comprises and engage in constructive dialogue
led to a thorough democ­ratization of the country and to ­free and demo­cratic elections. The Tunisian
Quartet gained international recognition for its efforts and was awarded the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize for
helping prevent the Jasmine Revolution from descending into the chaos that ensued in other Arab
Spring countries.

Adapted from “The Rocky Path From Elections to a New Constitution in Tunisia: Mechanisms for
Consensus-­Building and Inclusive Decision-­Making,” Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, accessed
March 21, 2018, https://­www​.­hdcentre​.­org​/­wp​-­content​/­uploads​/­2016​/­06​/­The​-­rocky​-­path​-­from​-­elections​-­to​
-­a​-­new​-­constitution​-­in​-­Tunisia​.­pdf. Background paper was drafted specifically for the Oslo Forum 2014
and reflects events of the time.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 141

Key Concepts
HOW DOES THE CONFLICT END? • Consolidating “wins” via policy changes, l­egal
What happens to bring a conflict between two or more victories, and/or changing the be­hav­iors of
parties to an end? Sometimes a conflict ends when power holders
a power­ful group converts to join the other side or is
persuaded to change. But that does not happen very The first point recognizes that in a conflict, the loyalties
often. Sometimes a conflict ends when an opponent of individuals and groups are fluid. The be­hav­iors of
disintegrates or flees the country, making it pos­si­ble for ­people in key pillars of support (described in unit 2) can
other social groups to bring about change. That does be influenced by the be­hav­iors and activities of mem-
not happen very often ­either. bers of a nonviolent campaign or movement. It is difficult
to engage with ­those directly or indirectly responsible
More often, social change happens as the group in for repression or h
­ uman rights abuses. It is tough to
power accommodates the interests of other groups in communicate effectively with “unsavory ele­ments.” But
society. For example, nonviolent tactics can coerce a using communication, dialogue, and negotiation to
group in power to change its policies or practices establish shared interests with individuals and groups
through po­liti­cal, economic, or social pressure. The that do not already support your group is often neces-
group with power realizes the status quo cannot be sary to achieve the power and loyalty shifts necessary
sustained, w
­ hether ­because the economy is suffering to achieve social change.
or ­because defections are happening. They become
ready to negotiate or change their position to accom- The second point focuses on the necessity of negotia-
modate the interests of other groups. This dynamic is tion to create a detailed agreement on how the conflict
frequently at play in peace pro­cesses to end civil ­will end and how new policies, structures, and leadership
wars, such as t­ hose in Liberia, Mozambique, and that address the conflict’s root c­ auses ­will be put in
Colombia. place. This usually entails integrating the interests of key
parties or stakeholders in a l­egal or po­liti­cal settlement.
HOW DO NEGOTIATIONS HELP WIN ALLIES, GAIN The third point recognizes that social change and conflict
LEVERAGE, AND ACHIEVE CONCRETE VICTORIES? transformation require many small victories on the way to
Negotiation contributes to conflict transformation in addressing larger, systemic issues. Achieving small
several ways: successes, like blocking the passage of an unjust bill or
changing a policing practice or winning a court victory, is
• Shifting the loyalties of individuals who key to maintaining a group or movement’s morale and
make up key pillars of support for a govern- momentum. Negotiations are often necessary to consoli-
ment or other power holder, including mem- date t­hose small victories.
bers of security forces, possibly
prompting defections The Front Line example of the Tunisian Revolution
underscored how negotiations served all three func-
• Finding common ground and achieving a tions and, when combined with nonviolent direct action,
mutually acceptable settlement to a conflict helped consolidate the demo­cratic transition.

142 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

WHERE DOES NEGOTIATION WITH OPPONENTS Negotiation is an essential part of conflict
HAPPEN IN TERMS OF SEQUENCING? ­transformation and can be useful throughout the time
You may well ask, “Why direct action? Why sit line of a nonviolent movement or a peace pro­cess. But
ins, marches, and so forth? ­Isn’t negotiation a negotiation is especially impor­tant once power is
better path?” Indeed, this is the very purpose balanced and awareness is high b
­ ecause the chances
of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks of reaching a just and peaceful settlement to a conflict
to . . . ​foster such a tension that a community increase. In cases where nonviolent movements end
which has constantly refused to negotiate is with accommodation or transition, negotiation is neces-
forced to confront the issue. sary to create a detailed agreement on how the conflict
­will end. The upper-­right quadrant of the Curle Diagram
Martin Luther King Jr., illustrates this equation (see figure 20).
Letter from Birmingham Jail, 1963
The pro­cess of moving back and forth between non­
Conflict transformation often requires a complicated violent action tactics and attempts at negotiation is
dance between tactics that leverage power and greatly simplified in the Curle Diagram. In real­ity, many
pro­cesses that bring ­people together to build relation- attempts to negotiate may end in failure b
­ ecause power
ships and explore potential solutions. Unit 3 explored is not yet balanced or t­ here is not enough awareness of
using dialogue to build broader co­ali­tions within a the issues.
nonviolent movement or peace pro­cess. Dialogue can
also be used with opponents, starting early to listen to WHAT ARE NEGOTIATING PRINCI­PLES?
them, explore their under­lying interests and needs, and Getting to Yes, first published in 1981 by Roger Fisher
test their interest in finding a negotiated solution. and William Ury, identifies five fundamental princi­ples
of negotiation.
Both Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.
argued that dialogue and negotiation with an opponent
should be attempted at all stages of a nonviolent
movement. They knew that negotiations would likely Five Princi­ples
not be effective when their opponent had enough
power to ignore the nonviolent movement. Gandhi and
of Negotiation
King saw the role of the nonviolent activist or civil
1. Separate the p
­ eople from the prob­lem
resistor as challenging the opponent to change be­hav­
ior. The Indian in­de­pen­dence and civil rights movement
2. Focus on interests, not positions
leaders chose tactics that would demonstrate to their
opponents that they collectively did have power. In
3. Invent options for mutual gain (i.e.,
India, the boycotts of British cloth and the salt march
win-­win solutions)
imposed economic costs on the colonial power. In the
American South, the Selma march brought to the
4. Insist on objective criteria
public’s ­attention the lack of voting rights for African
Americans. T
­ hese tactics put pressure on governing
5. Know your BATNA (best alternative to a
officials to negotiate.
negotiated agreement)

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 143

 Author Louis L’Amour wrote, “Victory is won not in miles but in inches.
Win a l­ittle now, hold your ground, and ­later, win a l­ittle more.”
­Sequencing nonviolent action tactics and peacebuilding pro­cesses to
build co­ali­tions and negotiate with opponents is a cycle that may never
end. While t­ here may be an avalanche of change now and then, most of
the time change happens incrementally. Activists or­ga­nize, decide
­priority goals, develop strategies, choose tactics, build co­ali­tions, and
­negotiate with adversaries over and over again.

WHY IS IT IMPOR­TANT TO SEPARATE THE ­PEOPLE In some nonviolent movements t­ here is the saying
FROM THE PROB­LEM? “Polarize to or­ga­nize, compromise to s­ ettle.” But if
Unit 3 introduced the peacebuilding princi­ple of the polarization or “othering” is extreme, it may pre-
focusing on the prob­lem and not on the ­people. In clude any ­future reconciliation. If you anticipate that the
the midst of conflict, it is easy to think that the individuals involved ­will be t­ hose you continue to deal
­adversary is inherently and completely wrong. with in a negotiation setting, polarization is more
­Staying focused on the prob­lem makes it easier appropriately done on issues or systems,
to recognize that all sides to a conflict have inter- not personalities.
ests, and often all t­ hese under­lying interests
are legitimate. This is why prominent nonviolent leaders like Mohan-
das Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. thought
When conflicts become personal and include name-­ ­“principled nonviolent action” was both moral and
calling or worse, it becomes much more difficult to find strategic. King and Gandhi’s moral admonition to love
solutions to prob­lems ­because ­those targeted may your enemies, to differentiate between issues and
refuse to engage or may even fight back. ­people, can also make good strategic sense.

Some nonviolent activists have highlighted that “loving DOES ­THERE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE A LOSER?
your enemies” is a nice idea but not necessary for CAN WE MOVE FROM WIN-­LOSE TO
achieving strategic goals. However, engaging ­adversaries WIN-­WIN SOLUTIONS?
does have strategic advantage. You may be Most ­people approach negotiations with a belief that
interested in offering an alternative to authorities or for us to “win” or get what we want from the negotia-
regime supporters to defect and come over to your tion, the other side needs to “lose.” This win-­lose
side. But that w
­ ill happen only if you can separate the attitude makes p
­ eople feel as though they are against
individual from the system and offer a better ­future with the other person and their needs. The first and third
them in it. princi­ples of negotiation are that p
­ eople need to work
together to solve their shared prob­lem and, if pos­si­ble,

144 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 FIGURE 20.

Curle Diagram: Conflict Settlement and Sustainable

Peace and Justice
Conflict Transformation Process
Violence and Injustice Peace and Justice
Balanced Power

Conflict Settlement: Sustainable Peace

Tactics create pressure and Justice:
ustic
on group in power to Principled
Prin pled negotiation
n otia
tiation
convert, persuade, or addresses main interests
nte
accommodate interests
rests of all groups.
group
of other groups
ps through
negotiations or
o
mediation.
tion.
Latent Conflict: Overt Conflict:
Confli
Community organizing,ng, Nonviolent action
act to
coalition building, broaden
oaden public
pu
capacity building,
ding, awareness
ware and balance
conscientization,
ntization between
be groups. Human
conflict assessment, rights monitoring to
Unbalanced Power

early warning
warning and deepen understanding
preventive
preven diplomacy
diplo of the problem.
andd dialogue
dialogu to Peacekeeping and
increase
eas awareness of protection of civilian
the need for change. programs to reduce
level of violence.

Low Awareness of Issues High Awareness

create a win-­win solution that satisfies every­one’s basic Many ­people believe that the best negotiation style is
needs (i.e., inventing options for mutual gain). to decide what you want, take a “position,” and then
push and coerce other p
­ eople to give you what you
HOW DO WE SEPARATE ­PEOPLE’S POSITIONS want. However, a focus on interests, not positions, is
FROM THEIR UNDER­LYING INTERESTS helpful in recognizing the legitimate motivations of each
AND NEEDS? stakeholder. Groups often take a firm position rather
Negotiation helps ­people identify under­lying needs than express their under­lying interests or needs.
and interests to develop creative solutions. ­People Corporations may take a position on a pipeline. Their
often engage in conflict when addressing their griev- under­lying interest may be in making profit. A govern-
ances. P
­ eople may be willing to fight and die to protect ment may take a position on a territorial line. Its under­
their basic ­human needs for dignity, re­spect, identity, lying interest may be in sovereignty. A win-­lose
and economic and physical safety. As illustrated in the outcome is more likely when ­there is negotiation on
“onion” diagram from unit 5, needs and interests are positions. A win-­win or mutual gain outcome is more
often hidden under­neath public positions. likely when negotiation is based on interests. A corpo-
ration demanding a pipeline and a community opposing
a pipeline can, for example, identify a joint proj­ect in

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 145

solar energy that results in both profit for the corpora- Hard or positional negotiation: In hard or positional
tion and safe drinking w
­ ater for the community. negotiation, ­people see each other as the ­enemy.
They make no effort to understand or care about
Thus, discussing basic needs and interests is a better the interests and needs of other p
­ eople. They
negotiating strategy b
­ ecause ­those needs and inter- may use coercive negotiating tactics such as
ests can be satisfied in many ways. We should note that threats, abusive language, or power plays to show
the goal of a negotiation should not be to get groups to that they w
­ ill not accept anything other than their
compromise on their interests. The goal should be to “position” in the negotiation.
develop creative options so that all stakeholders are
satisfied with the outcome (even if they did not get Interest-­based negotiation (a.k.a. principled
exactly what they wanted). Mutual gain is the best way ­negotiation): In interest-­or need-­based negotia-
of ensuring a sustainable outcome. tion, p
­ eople see each other as partners in an
effort to solve a mutual prob­lem. They share their
WHICH STYLE OF NEGOTIATION? own needs and interests while also listening to
Fisher and Ury identify three types of negotiation. Only the needs and concerns of o
­ thers. They recog-
interest-­based or “principled” negotiation results in nize their needs and interests are interdependent
mutual gain. and that it ­will be difficult for them to meet their
own needs and interests without examining the
Soft negotiation: Soft negotiation largely focuses on needs and interests of o
­ thers. ­People engage in
maintaining relationships at the expense of creative prob­lem solving to brainstorm how all
solving prob­lems. Soft negotiation is “nice” and ­human needs can be satisfied. P
­ eople build
“soft” on p
­ eople and relationships. But it does not relationships with each other and seek to cooper-
solve the prob­lem, ­because ­people are afraid of ate rather than compete with each other. This
confronting the real issues. This approach avoids type of negotiation searches for a
the real issues. P
­ eople who are accommodating win-­win outcome.
are often willing to give up their own interests and
needs to satisfy other ­people. Figure 21 illustrates the three negotiation styles.

FIGURE 21.

Approaches to Negotiation
Soft negotiation Positional negotiation Interest-based negotiation

• Soft on the people and the • Hard on the people and the • Soft on the people and hard
problem problem on the problem
• Seeks “I lose, you win” • Seeks “I win, you lose” • Seeks win-win solutions
solutions solutions • Explores interests and focuses
• Makes offers and yields to • Makes threats and pressures on principles
pressure others

Adapted from Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton, Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement without Giving In (New York: Penguin, 1991).

146 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

FIGURE 22.

BATNA vs. WATNA
Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA):
The best-case scenario that will happen if you do not reach
an agreement.
If you do not reach an agreement, what will you do?
Worst Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (WATNA):
The worst-case scenario that will happen if you do not
reach an agreement.
What are the risks and consequences of you not reaching
an agreement?

HOW CAN USING “OBJECTIVE CRITERIA” HELP take next? Understanding the best alternative to a
LAY A FOUNDATION FOR NEGOTIATION? negotiated agreement, or BATNA, allows ­people to
Objective criteria are any pre­ce­dent, report, or law that make decisions about what they ­will accept during a
provides evidence of the way other p
­ eople address a negotiation. Without knowing the BATNA, negotiators
conflict. Some changemakers in both nonviolent action ­will have a difficult time assessing their options in the
and peacebuilding emphasize the essential role of h
­ uman midst of a negotiation, including knowing when it may
rights law in setting standards or objective criteria. Laws be best to walk away and try again ­later.1 In the same
are, ideally, based on a consensus of ­legal opinions. way, it is also impor­tant to know your worst alternative
to a negotiated agreement, or WATNA—­that is, when it
When members of a community group can, for exam- is in the negotiators’ best interest to remain at the
ple, argue that a corporation or government is violat- negotiating ­table or ­else face unacceptable conse-
ing their ­human rights with ­legal frameworks, they may quences. Both the BATNA and WATNA are outlined in
have a much easier time negotiating based on ­these figure 22.
objective criteria. This is not to suggest that all laws
are inherently good. Nonviolent action uses civil For example, in a negotiation between police offi-
disobedience, or intentionally breaking the law, when cers and community leaders over permission for civil
a law itself is seen as unjust or an obstacle to society to hold a protest march against government
­human rights. policies, both sides need to know their BATNA and
WATNA. Police need to analyze what might happen if
WHAT IS YOUR BEST (OR WORST) ALTERNATIVE they reject the protest without negotiating with the
TO A NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT AND WHY IS civilian leaders. If the media cover the decision, and it
IT IMPOR­TANT? appears to be repressive, police leaders may face
Sequencing nonviolent action with negotiation requires consequences for that decision. On the other hand, if
an assessment of options. Before beginning a negotia- community leaders decide to hold a protest without
tion, it is impor­tant to know the alternatives to address- getting police permission through a negotiation, they
ing a conflict. If the negotiation fails to address the too may face negative consequences such as arrest or
prob­lems, what ­will happen? What steps w
­ ill each group violent repression. Engaging in nonviolent re­sis­tance

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 147

that lacks popularity and public sympathy ­because of • Using vio­lence has not solved
its unwillingness to accept compromises might, in their prob­lems
some cases, be worse than negotiating a less than
desirable outcome. • They recognize the interdependence be-
tween groups and believe they can get what
When stakeholders begin to make t­ hese assessments they want and need by negotiating
and consider negotiating, scholars say that a conflict with ­others
might be “ripe” for negotiation.
A group may also decide to negotiate if it is in a “mutu-
WHEN IS A CONFLICT “RIPE” FOR NEGOTIATION? ally hurting stalemate” or “a situation in which neither
Negotiation is most likely to lead to a successful and party thinks it can win a conflict without excessive loss,”
sustainable outcome when all the key stakeholders and both parties are incurring significant costs as a
recognize that not negotiating with each other inflicts result of continued fighting. 3 ­These costs can include a
more costs than negotiating. Many groups ­will first try to potential loss of an election, a dramatic economic
force or coerce their adversary to change. They believe change, an incident of public vio­lence that is particularly
their BATNA is more likely to help them achieve their outrageous, or some other past or potential
goals than negotiating. For example, a government may ­future event.
think that violent repression of a movement ­will help it
achieve its goals. When t­ hose unilateral methods do When parties to a conflict are unwilling to meet face to
not fully bring the desired outcomes—­for example, the face, third-­party shut­tle diplomacy or mediation (i.e., an
use of vio­lence against disciplined nonviolent protes- intermediary both sides see as credible traveling back
tors backfires and ­causes the government to lose and forth to facilitate discussions), or even a facilitated
support—­negotiation with the adversary becomes radio program with stakeholders from dif­fer­ent sides of
more appealing. When both sides begin to arrive at this a conflict, can provide the sense that talking to the
point, negotiation scholars2 label the conflict as “ripe” other side and finding creative options for mutual gain
for negotiation. However, just as a piece of fruit has a might be pos­si­ble.
narrow win­dow of ripeness, so too does negotiation.
The timing of a negotiation between adversaries Establishing the timing for negotiations relates to the
requires careful analy­sis. larger challenge of sequencing the many dif­fer­ent
ele­ments of nonviolent action and peacebuilding
Groups may decide to negotiate for the pro­cesses discussed in this action guide. ­There is no
following reasons: single linear sequence that ­will fit all situations and
context. The next and final unit explores how to create
• They have experienced ­great losses during maximum synergy between nonviolent action, negotia-
prior violent exchanges tion, and other peacebuilding pro­cesses through
detailed strategic planning.
• Using the ­legal system would be slow
and expensive

148 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Beyond the Page #1
Negotiation Simulation
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: • Optional: facilitators or mediators, one or
• Practice key negotiation skills in a scenario two individuals to act as facilitators or
that involves both nonviolent action and informal mediators/go-­betweens to help
peacebuilding pro­cesses ­these three groups talk to each other

SETUP: 3. Let the groups know ­there ­will be a town

• You ­will need space for small groups to play meeting. Ask each group to prepare to discuss
out the simulation. its negotiation strategy and identify its BATNA.
Groups should come to the town meeting
HOW IT IS DONE: ready to pres­ent their proposals for what
1. Give the group this scenario: A large global should happen between the oil corporation
energy corporation has started to conduct and the community, based on the initial de-
exploratory oil and gas drilling in a large forest scription of the conflict identified in
area close to the community. Tribal members the scenario.
believe this land belongs to them, and they use
the forest for hunting. Local government 4. Call the town meeting to order. ­Either the lead
leaders want to make it easy for the oil com­ trainer or a volunteer from the group can
pany to drill in their community, as this ­will facilitate the meeting. Begin by asking each
increase tax revenues and create local jobs. side to state its position. Each group should
Some local community members support the test its negotiation strategy and what it
oil corporation for this same reason. Other produces. Call a time-­out to let each group
community members are worried about meet on its own to rethink its strategy or
environmental damage to their community and approach to the negotiation.
express concerns for the health of
their families. 5. Let the negotiation go u
­ ntil ­there is a win-­win
outcome, where each group has some or most
2. Explain the roles listed below and assign the of its interests met. Debrief with the groups to
participants into t­ hese small groups: identify what was constructive or challenging in
their negotiation.
• Oil executives
6. If a win-­win outcome is not pos­si­ble, debrief
• Local government and business leaders, with the group about what other steps might
including tour group operators have been necessary or pos­si­ble to improve
the outcome of the negotiation.
• Local community members, including
indigenous groups

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Beyond the Page #2
Sequencing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Methods in Tunisia
The Tunisian popu­lar uprising ended, and a demo­cratic 2. Ask each person or subgroup to place their
transition occurred thanks to a combination of nonviolent piece of the story on the diagram to sequence
tactics and peacebuilding pro­cesses. This mapping the story as they think it might
exercise asks participants to reflect on the Tunisian have happened.
experience as it relates to the Curle Diagram. (In unit 1,
this exercise drew on the experiences in Liberia.) 3. In the big group, discuss the following questions:

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: a. How and why did each nonviolent tac-

• Practice sequencing a case study of Tunisia tic play a role in social change? How
into the Curle Diagram to identify and illus- did the activists sequence their tactics?
trate the synergy of nonviolent action What did each tactic achieve for the
and peacebuilding group? What impact, if any, did each tactic
have on the balance of power
SETUP: between groups?
• Copy the chart on the following page (use a
larger font for groups of more than six). Cut b. At what points did negotiation take place
apart the dif­fer­ent stages of the Tunisia story. internal and external to the campaign?

• Use string or strips of tape on the floor, t­able, c. What ­else could have happened? ­Were
or wall to create the POWER and AWARE- ­there alternative sequences or activities
NESS lines in the diagram. that may have made sense or delivered
alternative outcomes? What was the role of
HOW IT IS DONE: culture in the campaign?
1. Give one piece of the story to dif­fer­ent p
­ eople
or subgroups in the training session. d. If not already addressed: Did the group’s
sequencing differ from what happened in
For the facilitator: Color code or note on each Tunisia? What might have been the impact
paper where you think each piece belongs in ­these differences had on the pro­cess
the diagram in a nonobvious way so you can or outcome?
rearrange l­ater if needed.

150 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 Secular protesters’ concerns for the constitution ­were
President Zine el-­Abidine Ben Ali steps down on
met with assassinations and street clashes with
January 14, 2011, ­after twenty-­three years in power.
religious conservatives.
The quartet develops a road map to establish an
Mohamed Bouazizi sets himself on fire to protest
in­de­pen­dent election commission, compromises on the
harassment by government officials.
constitution, and a technocratic caretaker government.
Strong civil society leadership helped quell public The quartet’s careful negotiations led to ­free and
vio­lence and strengthen the po­liti­cal pro­cess. demo­cratic elections.
Civil society formed a “quartet” made up of four leaders
Police and security forces use repressive vio­lence
from ­human rights, ­lawyers, employers, and ­union
against demonstrators.
federation groups.
In 2015, the Tunisian quartet won the Nobel Peace
Negotiations help find the interests and common
Prize for helping to prevent the Jasmine revolution from
ground between the range of groups involved in
descending into chaos like the uprisings in other Arab
the conflict.
Spring countries.
Public protests intensified around issues of high
unemployment, food inflation, a lack of po­liti­cal
freedoms, and poor living conditions.

ANSWERS: 6. Strong civil society leadership helped quell

The answers can also be found by reading the case public vio­lence and strengthen the po­liti­cal
study on Tunisia at the beginning of this chapter. pro­cess.

1. Mohamed Bouazizi sets himself on fire 7. Civil society formed a “quartet” made up of four
to protest harassment by government leaders from h
­ uman rights, ­lawyers, employers,
officials. and ­union federation groups.

2. Public protests about high unemployment, food 8. Negotiations help find the interests and
inflation, corruption, a lack of po­liti­cal freedoms common ground among the range of groups
like freedom of speech, and poor living condi- involved in the conflict.
tions intensify.
9. The Quartet develops a road map to establish
3. Police and security forces use repressive an in­de­pen­dent election commission, compro-
vio­lence against demonstrators. mises on the constitution, and a technocratic
caretaker government.
4. President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali steps down
on January 14, 2011, ­after twenty-­three years in 10. The Quartet’s careful negotiations led to ­free
power. and demo­cratic elections.

5. Secular protesters’ concerns for the constitu- 11. In 2015, the Tunisian Quartet won the Nobel
tion ­were met with assassinations and street Peace Prize for helping to prevent the Jasmine
clashes with religious conservatives. revolution from descending into chaos like the
uprisings in other Arab Spring countries.

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 151

Resources
• Fisher, Roger, and William Ury. Getting to Yes: How to Negotiate Agreement without Giving In. New York:
Penguin, 1991.

• Lederach, John. ­Little Book of Conflict Transformation: Clear Articulation of the Guiding Princi­ples by a
Pioneer in the Field. Intercourse, PA: Good Books, 2003.

• “Negotiation: Shaping the Conflict Landscape.” USIP Global Campus. Accessed January 30, 2018​.­
https://­www​.­usipglobalcampus​.o
­ rg​/­training​-­overview​/­negotiation​/­.

• Wanis​-­St​.­ John, Anthony, and Noah Rosen. “Negotiating Civil Re­sis­tance.” Peaceworks, no. 129
(July 2017): 5–20.

152 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Notes
1. Roger Fisher and William Ury, Getting to Yes: How to Negotiate Agreement without Giving In (New York:
Penguin, 1991).

2. William Zartman, “The Timing of Peace Initiatives: Hurting Stalemates and Ripe Moments,” The Global
Review of Ethnopolitics 1, no. 1 (September 2001): 8–18.

3. “Mutually Hurting Stalemate,” United States Institute of Peace, accessed February 13, 2018, https://­w ww​.u
­ sip​
.­org​/­glossary​/­mutually​-­hurting​-­stalemate.

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UNIT 9

Bringing It All Together: Strategic

Planning Time Lines

CONTENTS

Front Line Story: 2006 Democracy Movement in Nepal . . . . . . . . . 157

Key Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Beyond the Page #1: Prioritize Targets or Key Stakeholders. . . . . . 163

Beyond the Page #2: Synergizing Strategic Planning

Time Line. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, participants ­will be able to:

Bring together assessment and strategic planning tools to develop

time lines for integrated nonviolent action and peacebuilding

Recognize the considerations that inform decisions about

sequencing actions

Understand the components of an implementation or action plan

 9
UNIT

Bringing It All Together:

Strategic Planning
Time Lines
Throughout this guide we made the case for how activists and peacebuilders can employ
nonviolent action tactics and peacebuilding approaches in tandem to effectively transform conflict
and work t­ oward sustainable peace. We reviewed the basics of nonviolent action and
peacebuilding, as well as the dynamics of power within the two approaches. We also introduced
the Curle Diagram as a helpful way to illustrate that conflict transformation can occur when
nonviolent action and peacebuilding approaches are synergized. We addressed peacebuilding
approaches like dialogue and facilitation early on in the guide, underlining their usefulness in
organ­izing nonviolent action as well as their importance as stand-­alone tools before nonviolent
action starts. We also emphasized the importance of effective conflict analy­sis to strategic
planning and creating SMARTT goals. And we discussed vari­ous nonviolent action tactics that can
be employed to shift power through effective organ­izing and incentivize groups to engage in
dialogue or negotiate when a negotiation or peace pro­cess is stuck.
 This final unit seeks to put the skills, tactics, and approaches from units 2–8 into practice by
creating clear time lines and plans to implement a group’s strategy and SMARTT goals to seek
social change. In this way, t­ hese time lines can be considered a visual manifestation of effective
sequencing and bringing nonviolent action and peacebuilding together to shift power, address
grievances, and make just, sustainable peace pos­si­ble.

156 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

FRONT LINE STORY

2006 Democracy Movement in Nepal

One of the most striking recent campaigns for democracy took place in Nepal, where both nonviolent
action and a negotiated peace pro­cess played key roles. ­Because the country has more than one
hundred ethnic groups and spoken languages, as well as severe isolating geographic features (eight of
the top ten world’s tallest mountains), it took many years to build a countrywide mass movement big
enough to win.

From 1992 to 2004, t­ here ­were fifteen changes in the ruling government. Many communist parties ­were
involved, including a small faction of Maoists. Even though the Maoists denounced multiparty
democracy, one group established a po­liti­cal front to contest the elections. It was well received,
becoming the third-­largest party in the parliament in 1991 and setting the stage for f­ uture involvement
within the government.

In 1996, the Maoist Communist Party of Nepal began guerrilla warfare in the countryside to challenge
an inefficient and corrupt parliamentary government. This parliament had been put in place in large part
­because of an active p
­ eople’s power campaign in 1990 that had succeeded in limiting the powers of the
monarchy but was unable to sustain effective governance.

By 2005, the general population was fed up with in­effec­tive and corrupt party politics and silently
consented to King Gyanendra’s takeover. However, the king’s autocratic power grab served to unite and
mobilize the entire po­liti­cal spectrum against him. This included the Maoists, who ­were losing ground
against stronger government forces and had been internationally labeled as terrorists owing to waging
guerrilla warfare in the countryside since 1996.

Recognizing the moment was right to work in solidarity against the monarch, a successful peace pro­
cess involving both the Maoists and representatives from the demo­cratic nonviolent movement led to
an agreement called the 12-­Point Understanding. Through a negotiation pro­cess, the Maoists pledged
to stop their armed strug­gle and join the demo­cratic nonviolent movement. This negotiated unilateral
truce allowed the broader re­sis­tance to stage joint street rallies and a joint general strike in 2006 with
broad participation from across the population.

The mass strikes and demonstrations of the spring of 2006 forced the king to reinstate parliament
(which he had dissolved in 2002). As a result, the 2008 elections produced a parliament (one-­third of
which w
­ ere ­women) that was the most representative yet of Nepal’s diversity. The parliament then
promptly and almost unanimously abolished the monarchy.

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 The unusual feature of the April 2006 movement was that the Maoists deci­ded to join with the
mainstream demo­cratic parties and ordinary members of the public in an unarmed strug­gle for demo­
cratic reform. ­After ending their ­People’s War and entering into constitutional politics, the Maoists
emerged as the largest parliamentary party and the ruling co­ali­tion appointed a Maoist prime minister.
Although major prob­lems persist, ­people power movements continue to be key in holding the
government accountable to demo­cratic practices and civil society t­ oday.

Adapted from Manish Thapa, “Nepal’s Maoists: From Violent Revolution to Nonviolent Po­liti­cal
Activism,” in Civil Re­sis­tance and Conflict Transformation: Transitions from Armed to Nonviolent Strug­
gle, ed. Veronique Dudouet (Abingdon: Routledge, 2015), 190; Howard Clark, “Unarmed Re­sis­tance,
‘­People Power’ and Nonviolent Strug­gle,” openDemocracy, October 15, 2014, http://­w ww​
.­opendemocracy​.­net ​/­civilresistance​/­howard​- ­clark ​/­unarmed​-­resistance​-­%E2%80%98people​
-­power%E2%80%99 ​- ­and​-­nonviolent​-­struggle.

158 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Key Concepts
HOW DO WE DEVELOP TIME LINES TO ACHIEVE TIME LINE FOR SMARTT GOAL #1:
SMARTT GOALS? STRENGTHENING INTERNAL GROUP DYNAMICS
In unit 6 we discussed how to develop SMARTT goals As we discussed in unit 3, building a strong and effec-
that provide focus, clarity, and specificity to our conflict tive movement requires addressing interpersonal
transformation work. In this next section, we w
­ ill take conflicts and getting every­one on the same page. Such
three example SMARTT goals, focused on strengthen- internal work requires a spectrum of conflict transforma-
ing internal group dynamics, expanding co­ali­tions, tion tools, a combination of nonviolent action and
and engaging with powerholders (including oppo- peacebuilding skill sets that include building relation-
nents), and propose sample time lines for achieving ships and negotiating with members of your own group,
­those goals using nonviolent action and and learning how to carry out joint assessments and
peacebuilding tools. plan for actions together. The key question is this: How
­will you identify and sequence your internal work to
build a stronger movement?

An example of a time line for planning work to achieve SMARTT goal #1 might read as follows: To
develop the orga­nizational capacity to carry out a nonviolent action with at least twenty affinity groups
that have done the internal work of examining power dynamics, assessing the context, and building a
trusting team culture by November 2022.

Members of a community group might begin by carry­ing out a visioning exercise to imagine their hopes
and ideals for what their community might look like (see figure 23). The group might then realize they
need to address internal power dynamics and enable participation by all. Next, the group might or­ga­
nize a day when they can begin using the assessment tools to help address their own understanding of
the situation, determine gaps in their knowledge, and develop a research agenda. Recognizing the need
for strong teamwork and trust, they may decide to spend more time d
­ oing team-­building exercises and
begin to form affinity groups.

FIGURE 23.

Example Time Line for Strengthening Internal Dynamics

Internal Affinity group
Affinity group Affinity group
Visioning exercise power Assessment Teambuilding nonviolent
formation planning
dynamics action

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TIME LINE FOR SMARTT GOAL #2: the community that is engaged with you in your strug­
EXPANDING CO­ALI­TIONS gle, and building your shared analy­sis.
Widening and increasing participation in a peace
pro­cess or nonviolent movement is essential to suc- What ­will you do to build your co­ali­tion or grow
cessful conflict transformation. This goal is about your outreach?
identifying and prioritizing potential allies, expanding

A SMARTT goal #2 might read something like this: To develop a co­ali­tion of groups with total
membership of 5,000 ­people to participate in joint nonviolent actions and be represented in
negotiations with key decision makers, within six months.

A time line to achieve this network building might begin with a group using the assessment tools to
map the spectrum of allies and opponents to prioritize potential allies (see figure 24). Step 2 might
draw on a task force or affinity group to reach out to t­ hese potential allies and set up a meeting in
person to build relationships and trust. A next step might be to begin a dialogue between the original
planning group and the potential allies. Next, the new allies can be included in the next round of
assessment and planning, so the group begins to build shared analy­sis and frameworks for
understanding the situation. The time line illustrates the synergy of combining the analy­sis of the
spectrum of allies from nonviolent action tool kits along with peacebuilding pro­cesses to build a
stronger and wider co­ali­tion.

FIGURE 24.

Example Time Line for Co­ali­tion/Outreach Planning

Example time line, by SMARTT Goal Category for Sticky Note steps

Month 1 (by week) Month 2 Month 3, 4, 5, 6, etc.

Internal

External

Network/outreach

160 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

TIME LINE FOR SMARTT GOAL #3: ENGAGING group reach out to your allies to build opportunities to
WITH POWERHOLDERS take action together, or to reach adversaries on the way
Conflict transformation almost always requires some to negotiation?
form of communication with powerholders, including
­those who oppose your aims. This could entail pro- The following is an example of how this goal could be
grams that encourage communication with powerhold- broken down into steps that clearly illustrate the
ers to interventions or creative proj­ects. What specific synergy of nonviolent action and peacebuilding to
goals ­will help achieve your mission? How ­will your achieve a policy change.

A SMARTT goal #3 might read something like this: To achieve a town council resolution banning hate
speech on public billboards by January 2025.

Step 1 might be to hold a public vigil with the original group of p

­ eople as a way of garnering media
attention to advertise the issue and call for the public to join step 2, a town hall protest (see figure 25).
­After t­ hese two nonviolent tactics, the group attempts to meet with the mayor using informal dialogue
skills. Next, the group asks the public to join in a letter-­writing campaign and puts up a billboard in town
advocating for passage of a resolution. Once public awareness is increased and power shifts to citizens
taking the lead on banning hate speech, the group may ask for a meeting with the town council, and
fi­nally may have a negotiation to work out the exact language in a resolution.

FIGURE 25.

Example Time Line for Engaging Powerholders

Town hall Meeting with Letter writing Meeting with Final
Public vigil Billboard art
protest mayor campaign town council negotiation

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BRINGING YOUR SMARTT GOALS TOGETHER with whom you want to build a relationship or negotiate
Once you have your separate goal time lines, the next in order to understand their point of view and develop
step is to bring them together. The Beyond the Page #2 potential solutions. While groups may not have direct
exercise shows one way you can create a comprehen- access to primary targets for all their demands, they can
sive planning time line that aligns with your overall always identify e
­ ither “secondary targets” that have
strategy and SMARTT goals. direct relationships with primary targets or secondary
targets whose actions can impact a primary target’s
HOW DO WE IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE TARGETS decisions. A primary target might be the CEO of a
OR KEY STAKEHOLDERS? corporation, the head of the town council, or a symbolic
Another key aspect of goal setting is identifying who public figure. A secondary target could be consumers
­will be critical to accomplish ­these goals. of a corporate product or an influential spiritual leader,
for example.
In the previous section on assessment, we introduced
the Spectrum of Allies and Opponents tool, where we ­Table 21 contains four guiding questions to assess
identified specific stakeholders related to an identified reaching and mobilizing any group in the Spectrum of
goal. Deeper work with this tool ­will help you dig into Allies diagram. Notice the fourth question about their
the strategic usefulness of each stakeholder (ally or relationships to the primary and secondary targets.
opponent) given the scenario. Place a higher-­priority focus on t­ hose with a more direct
relationship with power holders and lower costs to
In the Spectrum of Allies diagram (figure 10), notice reach them. The context in Nepal provides an example
that the outer ring contains actions that would help a of what kinds of answers might fill out the chart.
group reach or mobilize each sector and move it along
the spectrum t­oward “active allies.” The red arrows Movements and peacebuilding pro­cesses gain support-
represent the tactics focused on moving their targets. ers by focusing on p
­ eople’s interests and moving them
The targets listed should be ones that can directly one step closer to being active participants or allies.
impact achieving the group’s goals or delivering its Since resources are always limited, careful analy­sis and
demands. The diagram also makes clear the need to prioritization of target groups and activities are key.
avoid mobilizing opponents to increase their influence
on targets. In the Beyond the Page #2 exercise is a blank chart
that you can fill out that w
­ ill help identify where the
­There are two types of targets that groups should focus most effective outreach for the largest number or most
on as they consider moving individuals along the influential persons can take place.
Spectrum of Allies and Opponents. “Primary targets”
are t­ hose ­people who can address a group’s interests Ready to get to work? Start with the Beyond the Page
and needs. A primary target could also be someone exercises below.

162 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 ­TABLE 21.

Mobilization Planning: Examples from Nepal

A SPECIFIC HOW CAN THIS
WHAT KIND OF
NAME FROM WHERE WHAT IS THE GROUP PUT
COMMUNICA-
THE NEPAL COULD YOU COST-­BENEFIT PRESSURE
TION IS MOST
STORY’S FIND THIS ANALY­SIS OF ON THE
EFFECTIVE FOR
SPECTRUM OF GROUP OR TARGETING ­PRIMARY OR
REACHING
ALLIES INDIVIDUAL? THIS GROUP? SECONDARY
THEM?
DIAGRAM TARGETS?
Willingness to join
Word of mouth, Easy to reach, low
Po­liti­cally aware University class, street actions/strikes,
leaflets, posters cost, potentially high
Nepalese University youth housing, ­will mobilize to
(text­ing, social numbers gathered
students tea­house, clubs canvass ­others to
media) in one place
take action
High cost—­need 1:1
Word of mouth, at Power of strike—with-
On their farms, contact but could
community events, holding production,
local tea­houses, help us reach other
Poor rural Nepalese religious events can mobilize to
­temples, farmers + religious
farmers (many farmers are pressure local
community groups; primary
not literate so no relatives, affect
gathering spot target ­family lives
printed media) business as usual
nearby
and so on . . . ​

Beyond the Page #1

Prioritize Targets or Key Stakeholders
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: HOW IT IS DONE:
• Identify and prioritize primary and secondary 1. Select a current campaign or peace pro­cess
targets or key stakeholders you are working on or use any of the Front Line
stories in this guide for inspiration. Note this on
• Practice using a s­ imple ­table assessment the top of t­able 22.
matrix to identify where the most effective
outreach for the largest number or most 2. Gather your previous work with the Spectrum
influential persons can take place of Allies and Opponents tool, or start by
following the directions for using the tool in unit
SETUP: 5, page 86.
You w
­ ill need large sheets of paper, markers, and a
completed Spectrum of Allies and Opponents 3. Note any specific target or stakeholders you
Diagram from unit 5, page 86 have identified in your Spectrum of Allies and
write them in the far-­left column in ­table 21.

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 ­TABLE 22.

Mobilization Planning
CAMPAIGN/MISSION:
SMARTT GOAL:
A specific group or Where could What kind of How can this group
What is the cost-­
individual from the you find this communication is put pressure on the
benefit analy­sis of
Spectrum of Allies group or most effective for primary or
targeting this group?
and Opponents individual? reaching them? secondary targets?

4. Move across the ­table and fill in answers to the 5. When you have added several groups or
questions across the top in the appropriate individuals to the ­table, take a moment to
boxes as modeled in the How do we identify compare and contrast your notes. Since we all
and prioritize targets or key stakeholders? have limited resources, careful use of them is
section above. If you cannot answer any of the key to success. If the cost-­benefit analy­sis of
questions, note that further research is moving any par­tic­u­lar group is too high, this
needed—­and do it before completing your comparison can help identify where the most
assessment phase. effective outreach for the largest number or
most influential persons can take place.

Beyond the Page #2

Synergizing Strategic Planning Time Line
This exercise creates a calendar that brings are internal, external, network/outreach, identify the
your goal time lines together. This is a key way to main steps that would need to be taken to achieve
ensure that all the strategic planning completed ­these goals, and place them on a combined time line.
­becomes actionable and achievable. A
­ fter prioritiz- Then do a real­ity check on the feasibility of the time
ing your SMARTT goals and determining whether they

164 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

FIGURE 26.

Example Time Line
Joint nonviolent
Mapping of Initial Meeting in Joint Joint
Dialogue action tactics or
potential allies outreach person assessment planning
peace process

line, thinking about access to resources and staff, and • Divide the time line horizontally into three
insert assessment points. sections, for the three goals. Divide the time
line into vertical segments that show weeks or
An additional tool to help think through, when, how, and months (and years), depending on your
by whom a certain task or activity should be performed planning par­ameters. See the example
is an action implementation plan. You can find an diagram in figure 26 and scale it to fit your
example action implementation plan below. Not all goals space on the wall.
need to be worked on at the same time; in fact, very few
organ­izations or movements have the resources to do HOW IT IS DONE:
every­thing they would like to do at any given moment. 1. In small groups, if pos­si­ble, take the SMARTT
goals from unit 6 and prioritize them to
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: identify ­t hose that are most impor­tant to work
• Develop a strategic planning time line into a on for the success of your mission. One fun
unified calendar to support effective suggestion is to use a visual voting system.
conflict transformation Write the goals on flip charts and give every­
one three sticky dots of dif­fer­ent colors.
SETUP: Assign each color a value (e.g., green = first
• You ­will need space for small group breakout priority, blue = second, red = third). Instruct
sessions and a place to hang several (three to ­people to put their dots on their priorities in
six) sheets of chart paper horizontally along a each category. This allows some movement
wall to make a g
­ iant chart that ­will be the and a quick visualization of the sense of
time line. the group.

• You w
­ ill need markers and sticky notes (or 2. Develop the top priorities into strategic steps. If
small pieces of paper and tape), preferably in ­there is time, do more in-­depth implementation
three colors to distinguish among the or action plans to flesh out the planning. See
three goals. ­table 23 for guidance. Groups can be broken
out by the individual goals.
• Prepare the basic blank time line ahead of
time or while the small groups are working out 3. Write the main steps on sticky notes, and place
their strategic steps from the SMARTT goals. them on a g
­ iant time line that is hung on the
Hang the paper at a height that is easily wall—­with a length of time that makes sense for
reachable by every­one. the campaign being developed. Fill the largest

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 165

 ­TABLE 23.

Action Implementation Plan
ACTION IMPLEMENTATION PLAN:
SMARTT GOAL:
SPECIFIC TACTIC:
RESPON- POTENTIAL
STEP/ COMPLE- SIBLE RESOURCES BARRIERS COLLABORA-
ACTIVITY TION DATE ­PEOPLE REQUIRED OR RISK TORS

wall or vertical space you have with three to a. If ­there are too many sticky notes in one
eight flip chart papers on their sides (horizon- place, is that realistic?
tally). Block out the first month or six months
vertically so that it is about a quarter of the b. What can shift, or needs to?
time line, the next year gets about half of
the time line, and the succeeding years get the c. What is forgotten?
remaining space. Divide the paper horizontally
into three levels for the three SMARTT goals so 6. Add in assessment points—­times to check
that ­there are clear paths across the time line strategy. W
­ ere SMARTT goals met? Why or why
for t­ hese dif­fer­ent areas of work. not? The reason they have dates, numbers, and
other descriptors and are tied to a theory of
4. Add holidays, opportunities, vacation days, change is to support healthy evaluation: Is our
elections, and other external events that ­were strategy working? Do we need to adjust? Add
identified in the SWOT exercise or Past more time? Focus on another tactic?
Time Line Assessment tool, as well as t­ hings
that are impor­tant to the group (e.g., all-­team 7. Plan a full strategic planning session ­after a
retreats, anniversary events) to get a sense of significant amount of time—­a year or two (­will
overall time commitments. vary with the campaign).

5. Conduct a gallery walk, where every­one takes 8. Fi­nally, take a look at each action implementa-
a good look at the entire time line as con- tion plan and discuss the following:
structed. When every­one steps back, it is time
for a real­ity check:

166 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

a. Is a person identified as the point person Congratulations! Now that you have your time line and
or responsible party? Is t­ here a bud­get or a action plans, it is time to get to work. We hope that
way to secure the needed resources? ­these exercises—­and the entire SNAP guide—­have
helped deepen your understanding of why and how to
b. If no one is responsible for an action or strategically synergize nonviolent action and peace-
specific step, and ­there is no bud­get or a building to advance more just and peaceful socie­ties.
way to secure the resources, the group As a reminder, if you have any questions or comments
must acknowledge that, u
­ nless t­ hese gaps about SNAP, please contact us at snap@usip​.­org.
are addressed, it w
­ ill not happen. Onward and upward!

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 167

Glossary
Conflict management consists of all efforts to prevent, negotiation. “Principled” negotiation helps p
­ eople
mitigate, and resolve conflict. identify under­lying needs and interests to develop
creative solutions that meet the basic needs of
Conflict prevention refers to efforts to prevent violent all groups.
conflict. Conflict prevention efforts such as diplomacy
and negotiation attempt to stop vio­lence from breaking Nonviolent action is a method of advancing social
out, since it is more difficult to stop vio­lence once it change that goes beyond institutionalized conflict
has started. procedures like law courts and voting. Nonviolent
action includes tactics of protest and persuasion,
Conflict resolution is an approach that resolves or noncooperation, and intervention that typically in-
­settles the under­lying issues that cause conflict. crease awareness of conflict between social groups.
­These methods are nonviolent in that they do not
Conflict transformation is an umbrella term for the include the threat or use of injurious force to o
­ thers.
pro­cesses that change or transform violent conflict into Nonviolent action is also referred to as “­people power,”
nonviolent conflict, where individuals use vari­ous “civil re­sis­tance,” “nonviolent re­sis­tance,” and
institutional and extra-­institutional channels and “direct action.”
methods to address root c­ auses. Conflict transforma-
tion often includes nonviolent action, dialogue, negotia- Nonviolent campaign is the intentional planning and
tion, and mediation that aim to address societal sequencing of nonviolent actions to achieve
prob­lems and improve relationships between stated goal(s).
conflict stakeholders.
Nonviolent movements are sustained, or­ga­nized
Dialogue is a structured pro­cess that encourages collective efforts that focus on some aspect of
active listening and honest but respectful speaking, social justice.
usually facilitated by a third party. The goal of dialogue
is to improve understanding and relationships between Organ­izing is a form of leadership that enables p
­ eople
­people or groups that are in conflict. Dialogue is less to turn the resources they have into the power they
formal and less structured than negotiation need to make the change they seek.
or mediation.
A peace agreement is a negotiated cease-­fire between
Negotiation is a pro­cess where two or more ­people or parties to a violent conflict that ends or transforms
groups with competing interests on a par­tic­u­lar issue hostilities and usually lays out a road map for participa-
communicate with one another to find a mutually tory governance in a divided country. The UN describes
acceptable result. T
­ here are many dif­fer­ent types of five types of peace agreements: cease-­fire, pre-­
negotiation, interim or preliminary, comprehensive or Power is the ability to influence o
­ thers to get a par­tic­u­
framework, and implementation. lar outcome. Governments and international institutions
often support peacebuilding pro­cesses to address root
Peacebuilding is an umbrella term used to describe all ­causes and ­either prevent or respond to violent conflict.
efforts to transform conflict into nonviolent forms of However, power imbalances can make negotiation and
po­liti­cal negotiation and dialogue that can address the other peace pro­cesses in­effec­tive. Nonviolent action
root ­causes. Peacebuilding is a long-­term effort, meant mobilizes p
­ eople to work together through tactics that
to prevent the resurgence of violent conflict; as such, it shift power and empower communities. Once power is
includes a wide range of efforts by diverse actors in more balanced, peace pro­cesses are more likely to find
government and civil society at the community, national, sustainable outcomes.
and international levels to address the immediate
impacts and root ­causes of conflict. Social change is a pro­cess that changes how groups
in society relate to each other. It usually refers to
Peace negotiations or “peace talks” refer to discus- positive social change t­oward increased perception of
sions aimed at reaching both reconciliation and a social justice.
peace agreement.
Social justice is a term used by many nonviolent
A peace pro­cess is a multilevel, multiphased effort movements to identify a fair and equitable distribution
involving armed and unarmed stakeholders in a conflict of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society.
to both bring an end to armed fighting and lay out (and
implement) a sustainable po­liti­cal, economic, security, Sustainable peace is reached when the root ­causes of
and territorial agreement. It involves top-­level negotia- a conflict have been addressed and plans that promote
tion between the armed groups, plus diverse forums for sustainable development, the equitable distribution of
public dialogue and engagement to foster a broad wealth and opportunity, and h
­ uman rights protections
consensus on the ­future direction of the country. are implemented.

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Index
Page numbers followed by t, f, and n refer to tables, figures, and notes, respectively.

A “analysis paralysis,” fear of, 82

“ABCD/E” framework for assertive intervention, 67 appeal, 10t, 121t

accessibility support, 73t Arab Spring, 141

accommodation, 34, 142 assertive intervention, 64, 64t, 67

Ackerman, Peter, 107 assessment

action, nonviolent. See nonviolent action of connectors, 99–101, 101t

action implementation plans, 50, 165–67, 166t criteria for, 82–83

active listening, 62, 63t Curle Diagram and, 81–82, 108

activists, nonviolent, 19 definition of, 50

activities. See group exercises of dividers, 99–101

acts of commission, 10t, 121t importance of, 82

acts of omission, 10t, 121t of nonviolent action tactics, 125

adversaries, 39t ongoing nature of, 83

affinity groups, 61 power analysis, 92–97, 94t, 95f

agenda setters, 73t resources for, 102

agents of change, 39t role of, 81

aggression, defusing root causes, 90–92, 91f

communication skills for, 62–64, 63t stakeholder mapping, 84–87, 86f, 87f

hassle line exercise, 66–67 stakeholder motivations, 88–90, 90t

agreements, group, 74–75, 74f summary of, 83t, 108t

Al-Brahm, Mohamed, 141 SWOT Matrix for, 108–10, 109f, 112–13

Allende, Salvadore, 58 in U.S. civil rights movement, 48

Alliance for Peacebuilding, 20 windows of opportunity, 98–99

alliances, building attitudes, role of, 100

in Chile’s “No” campaign, 58–59 awareness, raising, 33, 35–36, 124t, 133t

group exercise for, 64–65

importance of, 33, 36, 60 B
time line for, 160, 160f BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement),

allies 147–48, 147f

mapping spectrum of, 39t, 84–85 Beautiful Rising: Creative Resistance from the Global

prioritization of, 162–64 South (Abujbara et al), 20, 97

Beautiful Trouble, 20 clarification, active listening and, 63t
Beautiful Trouble: A Toolbox for Revolution (Boyd and coalition building
Mitchell), 20 in Chile’s “No” campaign, 58–59
Beer, Michael, 10 group exercise for, 64–65
Belaid, Chokri, 141 importance of, 33, 36, 60
Ben Ali, Zine al-Abidine, 141, 151 time line for, 160, 160f
Berra, Yogi, 51 Colombia peace process, 11
blanket game, 52–54, 54f commission, acts of, 10t, 121t
Bloch, Nadine, 20 communication skills. See also dialogue
blogs, Waging Nonviolence, 20 active listening, 62, 63t
bold spaces, creation of, 25 assertive intervention, 64, 64t, 67
Bouazizi, Mohamed, 141, 151 in Chile’s “No” campaign, 58–59
brainstorming, 127–28 Curle Diagram and, 60
buy-in, 12 debate versus dialogue, 61, 62t
defusing hostility and aggression with, 62–64,
C 63t, 66–67
campaigns, nonviolent goal of, 61
characteristics of successful, 9–10 nonverbal, 61–62, 69n4
definition of, 19 resources for, 68
Campt, David, 21, 62 role of, 57, 60
case studies verbal, 62
Chile’s “No” campaign, 58–59 communities, ideal community or village exercise,
Danish resistance to Nazi occupation, 106–7 43–44
Jasmine Revolution, 141 Conflict Assessment and Peacebuilding Planning
Nepal’s 2006 democracy movement, 157–58 (Schirch), 21
Otpor movement, 118–19 conflict settlement, 34, 35f, 142–43, 145f
Uganda’s “fight corruption” campaign, 72 conflict transformation. See also case studies; Curle
U.S. civil rights movement, 32 Diagram; nonviolent action; peacebuilding
WLMAP (Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace), 32 change and, 8, 8t, 39t, 50–51
Catholic Church, role in Chile’s “No” campaign, 58–59 definition of, 7, 19
causes of conflict, analysis of, 90–92, 91f internal group conflict, 61
CDA Collaborative Learning Project, 99–100 obstacles to, 38
change settlement process, 34, 35f, 142–43, 145f
theory of, 39t, 50–51 stakeholder involvement in, 39–40, 40t
types of, 8, 8t strategic spectrum of methods, 40
Chenoweth, Erica, 84 types of change in, 8, 8t
Chile’s “No” campaign connectors, 99–101, 101t
case study, 58–59 conversion of groups, 142
role play based on, 64–65 creative intervention, 10t, 121t
Circle of Principles, 12, 12f criteria, objective, 143, 147
civil resistance. See nonviolent action cultural change, 8, 8t
civil rights movement, 48 Curle, Adam, 18, 34

172 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Curle Diagram role of, 57, 60
assessment and, 81–82, 108 verbal skills, 62
coalition building and, 60 Dialogue on Difficult Subjects (Schirch and Campt), 21
conflict settlement, 143, 145f, 150 direct intervention, 64t
development of, 18 discipline, nonviolent, 10
latent conflict, 49, 49f disintegration of opponents, 142
overt conflict, 122, 123f disruptive intervention, 10t, 121t
overview of, 34, 35f distance from problem, 64t
tactics planning, 117, 126f, 128 distraction, 64t
dividers, 99–101, 101t
D documentation of intervention, 64t
Danish resistance to Nazi occupation, 106–7 “Do No Harm” approach (CDA Collaborative Learning
debate, dialogue versus, 61, 62t Project), 99–100
debriefs doorkeepers, 73t
Beautiful Trouble exercise, 129 drivers of conflict, analysis of, 90–92, 91f
blanket game, 53–54 Dudouet, Veronique, 18, 39
coalition building exercise, 65 DuVall, Jack, 107
facilitation and group decision-making role play,
77 E
framework for, 26 Education & Training in Nonviolent Resistance, 20
hassle line exercise, 67 emotional intelligence, 61–62
ideal community or village exercise, 44 empathy, active listening and, 63t
negotiation simulation, 149 empowerment of marginalized groups, 39t
past analysis time line exercise, 99 end of conflict, changes resulting in, 142
delays, 64t Ennahda party, 141
delegation, 64t exercises. See group exercises
Deming, Barbara, 18 experiences, as connectors or dividers, 100
design thinking, 127 Experiential techniques, 24
devil’s advocates, 73t expression, methods of. See also communication
diagram, Curle. See Curle Diagram skills, 10t, 121t
dialogue extra-institutional methods, 39t
active listening, 62, 63t
assertive intervention, 64, 64t, 67 F
building understanding through, 61 facilitation skills
in Chile’s “No” campaign, 58–59 group agreements, 74–75, 74f
debate versus, 61, 62t importance of, 71
definition of, 61 key competencies, 73, 74t
defusing hostility and aggression with, 62–64, meeting roles, 73, 73t
63t, 66–67 resources for, 78
goal of, 12, 61 role play exercise, 76–77
nonverbal skills, 61–62, 69n4 tips and tools for, 75f
resources for, 68 in Uganda’s “fight corruption” campaign, 72

United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org 173

Fisher, Roger, 143 Pillars of Support tool, 94–97, 95f
flash protests, 58 Power Analysis tool, 93–94, 94t, 95f
Freedom Rides, 84 prioritization of targets/stakeholders, 163–64
front line stories Spectrum of Allies and Opponents activity, 85, 
Chile’s “No” campaign, 58–59 86f
Danish resistance to Nazi occupation, 106–7 Stakeholder Mapping tool, 86–87, 87f
Jasmine Revolution, 141 stakeholder motivation onion analysis, 89–90
Nepal’s 2006 democracy movement, 157–58 strategic planning pyramid, 111–13
Otpor movement, 118–19 strategic points of intervention, 130–31
Uganda’s “fight corruption” campaign, 72 time line development, 164–67
U.S. civil rights movement, 32 tree analysis, 92
WLMAP (Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace),  Tunisian Revolution, sequencing actions/methods
32 in, 150–51
groups. See also facilitation skills
G affinity, 61
Gandhi, Mohandas, 18, 122, 143, 144 empowerment of, 39t
Gbowee, Leymah, 32 group agreements, 74–75, 74f
Getting to Yes (Fisher and Ury), 143 internal conflict in, 61
goals. See also strategic planning; time lines meeting roles in, 73, 73t
components of, 110 shifting power between, 33, 35, 36
creation of, 112–13 strengthening dynamics of, 161, 161f
in Danish resistance to Nazi occupation, 106–7 Gyanendra of Nepal (king), 157–58
definition of, 50
resources for, 114 H
strategic planning pyramid, 111–12, 111f hard negotiation, 146, 146f
time lines for, 159–161 hassle line exercise, 66–67
grassroots communities, 39t “hidden” conflict, 34, 35f
Great Turning Challenge (blanket game), 52–54,  history of conflict, analysis of, 98–99
54f Hitler, Adolf, 106
group agreements, 74–75, 74f hospitality roles, 73t
group exercises hostility, defusing
Beautiful Trouble, 129 communication skills for, 62–64, 63t
blanket game, 52–54, 54f hassle line exercise, 66–67
coalition building, 64–65
connectors and dividers analysis, 101 I
facilitation and group decision-making role ideal community or village exercise, 43–44
play, 76–77 identification, active listening and, 63t
hassle lines, 66–67 Ilic, Velimir, 118
ideal community or village, 43–44 implementation
method sequencing, 41–43 definition of, 50
negotiation simulation, 149 implementation plans, 127–28, 127t
past analysis time line tool, 98–99 inclusive political processes, development of, 36

174 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

Indian independence movement, 143 M
innovation, nonviolent action tactics and, 126–27 Maoist Communist Party of Nepal, 157–58, 163t
institutional methods, 39t mapping of stakeholders
institutions, role of, 100 Spectrum of Allies and Opponents, 84–85, 85, 
interest-based negotiation, 146, 146f 86f
interests Stakeholder Mapping tool, 86–87, 87f
analysis of, 88–90, 89f, 90t marginalized groups, empowerment of, 39t
as connectors or dividers, 100 mass participation, 9–10, 32
separating positions from, 145–46 meeting roles, assignment of, 73, 73t
internal group conflict, impact of, 61 Miloševic, Slobodan, 118
International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, 18 mission
intervention definition of, 50
assertive, 64, 64t, 67 in U.S. civil rights movement, 48
creativity in, 36 motivations of stakeholders, analysis of, 88–90, 89f
issues, awareness of, 33 Movement for Democracy in Liberia, 32
movements, nonviolent, 19
J multitrack agents of change, 39t
Jasmine Revolution mutually hurting stalemates, 148
case study, 141
sequencing actions and methods in, 150–51 N
justice, sustainable, 34, 35f NAFODU (National Foundation for Democracy and
Human Rights), 72
K Nazi occupation, Danish resistance to, 106–7
King, Martin Luther, Jr., 18, 122, 143, 144 needs, analysis of, 88–90, 89f, 90t
Kingian Nonviolence tradition, 128 Negotiating Civil Resistance (Wanis-St. John and
Rosen), 18
L negotiation
labor unions, role in Chile’s “No” campaign, 58–59 alternatives to, 147–48, 147f
Lakey, George, 97 benefits of, 36
L’Amour, Louis, 144 end of conflict, changes resulting in, 142–43
latent conflict, 34, 35f failures in, 37
Lederach, John Paul, 18 in Jasmine Revolution, 150–51
legitimacy, 12, 36 objective criteria in, 147
Liberia, conflict transformation in overview of, 11–12
case study, 32, 40 positions versus interests in, 145–46
method sequencing exercise, 41–43 principles of, 143
Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy,  resources for, 152
32 role of, 139
listening, active, 62, 63t separation of people from problem
Little Books of Dialogue for Difficult Subjects, The during, 144
(Schirch and Campt), 62 sequencing, 143, 150–51
loyalties, fluidity of, 142

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negotiation (cont.) successful campaigns, characteristics of, 9–10
setting stage for, 124t, 133t tactics planning and comparison matrix, 132, 133t
simulation exercise, 149 terminology, 39t
styles of, 146, 146f theory of change in, 39t
in Tunisian Revolution, 141 understanding of power and, 9
window of ripeness for, 23, 148 in U.S. civil rights movement, 48
win-win solutions, aiming for, 144–45 nonviolent activists, 19
Nepal, democracy movement in, 157–58, 163t nonviolent campaigns
NGOs (nongovernment organizations), dialogue definition of, 19
facilitated by, 37 successful campaigns, characteristics of, 9–10
“No” campaign (Chile), 58–59 nonviolent movements, 19
noncooperation, 10t, 121t nonviolent organizers, 19
nonverbal communication skills, 61–62, 69n4 nonviolent protection, 122
nonviolence, 9 notetakers, 73t
nonviolent action. See also Curle Diagram; negotiation;
sequencing of actions and methods O
agents of change in, 39t objective criteria, 143, 147
assessment and, 125 occasions, as connectors or dividers, 100
Beautiful Trouble exercise, 129 omission, acts of, 10t, 121t
as connectors or dividers, 100 onion analysis of stakeholders, 88–90, 89f
definition of, 8–9, 18–19, 120 “open” conflict, 34, 35f, 123f
ethical orientation of, 39t opponents. See also negotiation
gaps in, 37, 37f disintegration of, 142
goals of, 39t mapping spectrum of, 39t, 86f
ideal community or village exercise, 43–44 prioritization of, 162–64
implementation plans for, 127–28, 127t opportunity, windows of, 98–99
innovation in, 126–27 organizers, nonviolent, 19
as means to an end, 128 Otpor, nonviolent action in, 118–19, 121t
methods of, 9, 10t, 39t, 120–22, 121t outreach planning, time line for, 160, 160f
nonviolence compared to, 9 overt conflict, 34, 35f, 123f
objectives of, 122, 124t
Otpor case study, 118–19, 121t P
peacebuilding compared to, 39t paraphrasing, 63t
peacebuilding reinforced with, 18–20, participation
33–38, 128 equalizing, 75f
primary focus of, 35 widening, 124t, 133t
resources for, 13–14, 45, 134–35 past analysis time line tool, 98–99
role of, 117 peacebuilding. See also Curle Diagram; dialogue;
selection of, 123–25, 124t, 132, 133t facilitation skills; negotiation
stakeholder involvement in, 39–40, 40t agents of change in, 39t
strategic points of intervention exercise, 130–31, 131t change and, 8, 8t, 39t, 50–51
strength of, 9 Circle of Principles, 12, 12f

176 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

 definition of, 10–11, 19 Powering to Peace (Dudouet), 18, 39
ethical orientation of, 39t prefigurative intervention, 120
gaps in, 37, 37f primary targets, 108, 162
goals of, 39t principled negotiation, 146, 146f
ideal community or village exercise, 43–44 principles, circle of, 12, 12f
internal group conflict, impact of, 61 prioritization of targets, 162–64, 164t
methods of, 11–12, 39t protection, nonviolent, 122
nonviolent action combined with, 18–20, 33–38, 128 protest, 10t, 121t
nonviolent action compared to, 39t
primary focus of, 35 Q
principles of, 12 Quick and Dirty Debriefing Framework, 26
resources for, 13, 45
sequencing methods of, 41–43, 143, 150–51 R
setting stage for, 124t, 133t rapid iteration approach, 127
stakeholder involvement in, 39–40, 40t rapid reaction teams (Otpor), 118
strength of, 11 redistribution of power, 96f
terminology, 39t refraining, 10t, 121t
theory of change in, 39t relational change, 8, 8t
Peacemaker’s Toolkit, 69n3 relationship building, 35
“people power.” See nonviolent action relationship transformation, 39t
personal change, 8, 8t resistance, nonviolent. See nonviolent action
persuasion, 34, 142 resolution, revolution and, 38, 38f
Pillars of Support assessment tool, 93, 94–97, 95f resource materials
Pinochet, Augusto, 58 assessment, 102
planning, strategic. See strategic planning dialogue and communication, 68
police corruption, Uganda’s campaign against, 72 nonviolent action, 13–14, 45, 134–35
Popular Education techniques, 24 peacebuilding, 13, 45
positional negotiation, 146, 146f SMARTT goals, 114
positions strategic planning, 55
analysis of, 88–90, 90t training and workshops, 27
onion diagram of, 89f resources (human), maximizing use of, 124t, 133t
separating from interests, 145–46 “Revisiting the Methods of Nonviolent Action” (Beer), 
power 10
analysis of, 92–97, 94t, 95f revolution, resolution and, 38, 38f
definition of, 19 “Revolution and Equilibrium” (Deming), 18
increasing, 124t, 133t ripeness for negotiation, window of, 23, 148
powerholders, engagement with, 161f Ritual and Symbol in Peacebuilding (Schirch), 21
redistribution of, 96f role play exercises. See also group exercises
shifting between groups, 33, 35, 36 alliance building, 64–65
understanding of, 9 facilitation and group decision-making, 76–77
Power Analysis tool, 93–94, 94t hassle lines, 66–67
powerholders, engagement with, 161, 161f negotiation simulation, 149

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root causes, analysis of, 90–92, 91f Stakeholder Mapping tool, 84, 86–87, 87f
Rosen, Noah, 18 stakeholders
engagement with, 39t
S involvement of, 39–40, 40t, 84
Saint-Exupery, Antoine de, 49 mapping, 84–87, 86f, 87f
Schirch, Lisa, 18, 20–21, 62 motivations of, 88–90, 90t
scribes, 73t prioritization of, 162–64, 164t
secondary targets, 108, 162 stalemates, 148
Second Liberian Civil War, 32 Stephan, Maria J., 84
Selma march, 143 “Strategic Arts-Based Peacebuilding” (Schirch), 
sequencing of actions and methods. See also 21
nonviolent action; strategic planning Strategic Peacebuilding (Schirch), 21
conflict settlement and, 34, 35f, 142–43, 145f strategic planning. See also assessment; dialogue;
group exercise for, 41–43 facilitation skills; time lines
negotiation, 143, 150–51 action implementation plans, 165–67, 166t
in Otpor movement, 118–19, 121t benefits of, 51–52
resources for, 152 blanket game, 52–54, 54f
strategy for, 125–26 components of, 50–51, 51f
in Tunisian Revolution, 141, 150–51 definition of, 49
Serbia, Otpor movement in, 118–19, 121t investment in, 10
settlement process, 34, 35f, 142–43, 145f lack of, 38
shared interests, 100 resources for, 55
shared values, 100 role of, 47, 49
sharing, spaces for, 25 strategic planning pyramid, 51f, 111–12, 111f
Sharp, Gene, 9 SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat)
Sirleaf, Ellen Johnson, 32 Matrix, 108–10, 109f, 112–13
Six D’s of Assertive Intervention, 64, 64t in U.S. civil rights movement, 48
SMARTT (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, strategic planning pyramid, 51f, 111–12, 111f
Time-bound + Theory of Change based) goals. See strategic points of intervention exercise, 130–31, 
also strategic planning; time lines 131t
components of, 110 strategic spectrum of methods, 40
creation of, 112–13 strategic steps, 48, 50
in Danish resistance to Nazi occupation, 106–7 structural change, 8, 8t
definition of, 105 Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), 
resources for, 114 84
strategic planning pyramid, 111–12, 111f sustainability
time lines for, 159–161 Curle Diagram, 145f
SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), 84 importance of, 12
“social view” of power, 9 requirements for, 34, 35f
soft negotiation, 146, 146f SWOT Matrix, 108–10, 109f, 112–13
Spectrum of Allies and Opponents, 84–85, 86f, 162 symbols, as connectors or dividers, 100
“stack” tenders, 73t systems, role of, 100

178 Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding

T unarmed civilian protection, 122

tactics, nonviolent. See nonviolent action understanding of power, 9

targets UNICEF, 100

pressuring, 124t, 133t Ury, William, 143

primary, 108, 162 U.S. civil rights movement, 48

prioritization of, 162–64, 164t negotiation in, 143

secondary, 108, 162 stakeholder involvement in, 84

Taylor, Charles, 32
tech support, 73t V
theory of change, 39t, 50–51 validation, active listening and, 63t

third-party nonviolent intervention, 120 values

timekeepers, 73t definition of, 50

time lines role of, 100

action implementation plan for, 165–67, 166t verbal communication skills, 62

development of, 98–99, 159, 164–67 violence, anticipation of, 124t, 133t

examples of, 159–161, 159f, 160f, 161f vision, 50

of Nepali democracy movement, 157–58, 163t Voting Rights Act, 48

prioritization of targets in, 162–64, 164t vulnerability, windows of, 98–99

role of, 155–56
Toda Peace Institute, 20 W
training Waging Nonviolence blog, 20

debriefing framework for, 26 Wanis-St. John, Anthony, 18

maximizing learning in, 24 WATNA (worst alternative to a negotiated agreement),

resources for, 27 147–48, 147f

spaces for, 25 We Are Many, Reflections on Movement Strategy from

Training for Change (Lakey), 97 Occupation to Liberation (Khatib et al), 20

transformation of relationships, 39t Why Civil Resistance Works, 9, 128

tree analysis assessment tool, 90–92, 91f windows of opportunity/vulnerability, identification

Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, 141, 151 of, 98–99

Tunisian Revolution win-lose attitude, 144–45

case study, 141 win-win solutions, 39t, 144–45

sequencing actions and methods in, 150–51 WLMAP (Women of Liberia Mass Action for

Twelve-Point Understanding (Nepal), 157 Peace), 32

workshops

U bold spaces for, 25

Uganda, “fight corruption” campaign in, 72 debriefing framework for, 26

UN (United Nations), peacebuilding led by, 10 maximizing learning in, 24

resources for, 27

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