Iain McIntyre

a group of people protesting on the street wearing face masks and holding their fists in the air. There is a banner in the back reading Black Lives Matter. The person at the front wearing an Australian Aboriginal flag is holding their phone.

Australian Actions at Different Points of Intervention

Australian examples of actions that intensify impact in terms of ensuring visibility, challenging opponents, and disrupting narratives.

Three people at a table outside with white tablecloth that has word BlackRock on it. The people are eating fake money. A banner in the background says When the last tree is dead, the last fish is caught and the last river is poisoned, you will realise that you cannot eat money. The woman seated on the left wears a sign on her chest that reads BlackRock is the real enemy.

“You can’t eat money”: An interview with Extinction Rebellion activist Jo Flanagan

Interview with an Extinction Rebellion activist about a protest against BlackRock in 2019. She explains how the action was conceptualised, organised & run.

silhouette of hand putting a voting ballot into a box

Elections and Activism: Case Studies

A collection of case studies of how activists have intervened in elections collated by The Commons Social Change Library.

Elections and Activism: Campaign Skills

This collection provides how-to guides and resources regarding the skills and tactics you’ll need to reach your goals in election time.

Elections and Activism: Concepts and Tensions

Explore the concepts and tensions that surround elections and activism with some interesting reading collated by the Commons Library.

Lines of Resistance: What can the Old Left offer today’s creatives?

Lines of Resistance: A Symposium on Media, Arts & Activism that profiles research on the role of media and visual arts in activist movements.

When Facts Fail: How We Fight Misinformation

Article about organisations fighting misinformation and disinformation from the FWD + Organise Conference 2021 in Australia.

Lessons from the Campaign to Stop Independent Assessments Webinar

Watch webinar which brought together a panel of activists to share their insights about the campaign to stop Independent Assessments.

text reads The use of Covid-19 marshals at public demontrations. Framing the text are a rubber glove, masks and hand sanitisers

The Use of Covid-19 Marshals at Public Demonstrations

Covid 19 marshals can help ensure safety during demonstrations. Insights into what equipment is needed and how to organize teams of marshals.

Scaling Social Movements: An Overview

Summary of key resources about scaling – the process of increasing the size, strength, geographical reach, & impact of social movements.

United We Stand: Fostering Cohesion in Activist Groups

Learn about cohesion fostering practices and processes in this article by Liane Munro about how activist groups can be more cohesive and effective.

column graph with bars going up and arrow indicating upward growth

Scaling Up Movements For Greater Impact

Scaling framework tool for campaigners to evaluate existing efforts and think about new ways of broadening and deepening impact.

Protesters blockading at Bentley in NSW against the coal and gas industry in 2014. A landscape view of the blockade with the sun on the horizon creating a beautiful light over the site with many people and colourful flags. Protestors have climbed tripods. There is a person dressed as an angel at the top of one. Text over the top of the image says Blockades that changed australia

Blockades that changed Australia

Blockades that changed Australia including Jabiluka, the Bentley blockade, S11, Nookanbah and the Knitting Nannas.

man buried in the earth in soil with his head poking out. He is wearing a hat and playing a recorder.

Environmental Blockading in Australia and Around the World – Timeline 1974-1997

A timeline and video of blockades against logging, development, mining in Australia and around the world from the seventies to the nineties.

Resources About Australian Housing Justice and Unwaged Rights Campaigns

Resources focused on case studies and stories of how communities have organised to secure housing, financial and other support for the unwaged and those on low incomes.

linocut of silhouette of workers outside shut factory gates

Jim Munro and the Unemployed Workers Movement in the 1920s and 1930s

Jim Munro gives an account of how the Unemployed Workers Movement started and actions taken in the 1920s in Melbourne, Australia.

Two women lighting fire in stove in kitchen and cooking with pots and pans.

Squatting’s place in winning Emergency Housing, 1945-48

A talk about how the squatting of empty houses and military camps forced governments in Australia to provide emergency shelter in the 1940s.

big protest signs on a parade of cars heading down a city street

Tactics in a time of physical distancing: Examples from Australia’s progressive past

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic the Commons is sharing protests, campaigns and events from the past which highlight ways we can undertake action whilst maintaining safe health practices and physical distance.

illustrated dog walking with transistor radio listening to music

Social Change Radio Directory

Community broadcasters are an important part of social movements. The Commons Social Change Radio Directory includes details of almost 100 radio shows from 5 Australian states.

school students striking on Melbourne street in 2019

Mass organising calls and webinars

Need to make the most of a hot campaign moment, mobilise people and create local actions? Tips and advice from 3 experts on how to organise mass calls and webinars.

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