Introduction
2020 was a huge year! Here are the most viewed resources in the Commons Library from the year.
1. Online Meeting Guides to Get Through COVID-19
Get the most out of your online meetings with these facilitation tips, how-to guides, help with tools, and tips for working from home.
2. Films about social movement struggles, victories and leaders
Be inspired with this list of movies and documentaries about social movement struggles, victories and leaders – Selma, Milk, Silkwood, Norma Rae, Gandhi and more.
3. A collection of nonviolence quotes
A collection of quotes to be used as part of training on strategic nonviolence and nonviolent direct action. The sixty quotes are chosen deliberately to represent a diversity of opinion in regard to nonviolence. Perspectives from women and men, from Christian, Islamic, Jewish and Buddhist perspectives are included as well as activists from the global south
4. Inspiring quotes from women leaders and activists
Over 40 quotes by inspiring women leaders and activists from Australia and around the world about leadership, diversity and the environment.
5. Advice for pro-Indigenous white activists in Australia
These four short videos, two featuring Gary Foley and two featuring Robbie Thorpe, are essential viewing for non-Indigenous people seeking to act in solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
6. Campaign Strategy Planning Template
This planning template prompts you to apply a number of different campaign strategy, community organising, and civil resistance concepts and tools. Copy the template into your own document. As you complete each section delete the instructions (text in italics) until you have your own plan, or initial document to discuss in your organisation.
7. Tactics in a time of physical distancing: Examples from Australia’s progressive past
In response to the Coronavirus pandemic the Commons shared protests, campaigns and events from the past which highlight ways we can undertake action whilst maintaining safe health practices and physical distance.
Bill Moyer’s Four Roles of Social Activism from Doing Democracy: The MAP Model for Organizing Social Movements.
8. The Four Roles of Social Activism
Bill Moyer’s Movement Action Plan defines four different roles activists and social movements need to play in order to successfully create social change: the citizen, rebel, change agent & reformer.
Mike Von / Unsplash
9. Resources About Police Violence and Racial Justice
The murder of George Floyd by police in the US sparked a powerful response from the Black Lives Matter movement and communities of colour. These resources give context to the US situation as well as related struggles in Australia.
10. Welcome to the Reset Reading Group
The Commons is hosted a fortnightly program of readings and discussion, April – July 2020. Six progressive thinkers shared articles, books, podcasts and videos with ideas for building a just future.
There’s much more!
These 10 resources are a small taste of the Commons Library. Dig further and see what you find! There many ways to access resources on the Commons:
- By Topic
- By Activity – Listen, Watch or Read
- By Format or Collection via the Browse page
- Start with the Topic Overviews which guide you through those topics
- Navigate by Tags
- Search on this and every page
- Subscribe to the newsletter for monthly recommendations
- Contact the Librarians if you can’t find what you’re looking for