SNAP: Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding: An Action Guide

Introduction

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 these 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.

This action guide seeks to build bridges between peacebuilding and nonviolent action practitioners so that methods are used strategically and effectively on the path toward 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 practitioners 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.

There is also a course centred around the guide which seeks to illustrate how the most strategic and effective methods from Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding can reinforce one another.

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Contents

  • A Primer on Strategic Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Processes
    What Is Conflict Transformation?
    What Is Nonviolent Action?
    What Is Peacebuilding?
    Resources
    Notes
  • SNAP: Introducing an Action Guide for Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding
    Is Combining Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding a New Idea?
    From Separation to Synergy
    Who Are We to Write This Guide?
    Who Is This Guide For?
    How Is the SNAP Guide Organized?
    Making This Common Practice: How to Maximize Learning in a Training or Workshop
    Resources
    Notes
  • Unit 1: Synergize for Success
    Learning Objectives
    Front Line Story: Liberia Mass Action for Peace
    Key Concepts
    The Curle Diagram: How Do Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Fit Together?
    How Does the Curle Diagram Illustrate the Roles of Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding?
    What Happens When There Is No Synergy between Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Skills?
    What Are Obstacles to Greater Synergy between Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Today?
    Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Who Needs to Be Involved?
    Can We Energize the Synergy?
    Beyond the Page #1: Sequencing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Methods
    Beyond the Page #2: Ideal Community/Village Exercise
    Resources
  • Unit 2: Start Strategically for Successful Conflict Transformation
    Learning Objectives
    Front Line Story: U.S. Civil Rights Movement
    Key Concepts
    What Are the Components of Strategic Planning?
    How Does Strategic Planning Help Activists and Peacebuilders Build a More Sustainable, Just Peace?
    Beyond the Page #1: The Blanket Game
    Resources
  • Unit 3: Dialogue to Defuse Interpersonal Conflict and Support Coalition Building
    Learning Objectives
    Front Line Story: Chile’s “No” Campaign
    Key Concepts
    Beyond the Page #1: Practice Building Alliances and Coalitions
    Beyond the Page #2: Using Hassle Lines to Practice Defusing Difficult Situations
    Resources
    Notes
  • Unit 4: Facilitate to Develop Group Goals and Consensus
    Learning Objectives
    Front Line Story: Curbing Police Corruption in Uganda
    Key Concepts
    Beyond the Page #1: Facilitation and Group Decision-Making Role Play
    Resources
  • Unit 5: Assess to Build Awareness and Better Strategy
    Learning Objectives
    Key Concepts
    The Six Key Assessment Questions
    United States Institute of Peace | USIP.org
    1. WHO Are the Key Stakeholders and Where Do They Stand on the Conflict?
    Beyond the Page #1: Spectrum of Allies and Opponents
    Beyond the Page #2: Stakeholder Mapping
    2. WHY Are the Key Actors Motivated to Drive Violence or Mitigate Conflict?
    Beyond the Page #3: Positions, Interests, and Needs Onion Analysis
    3. WHAT Is Driving or Mitigating the Conflict?
    Beyond the Page #4: Tree Analysis Tool
    4. HOW Are Key Actors Using Power to Drive or Mitigate Conflict?
    Beyond the Page #5: Power Analysis Tool
    Beyond the Page #6: Pillars of Support Tool
    5. HOW Do You Identify Moments of Vulnerability and Moments of Opportunity?
    Beyond the Page #7: Past Analysis Time Line Tool
    6. WHERE Is the Conflict Taking Place?
    Beyond the Page #8: Connectors and Dividers Tool
    Resources
    Notes
  • Unit 6: Set SMARTT Goals
    Learning Objectives
    Front Line Story: Danish Resistance to Nazi Occupation, 1940–45
    Key Concepts
    Beyond the Page #1: Strategic Planning Pyramid
    Resources
  • Unit 7: Innovate and Sequence Nonviolent Action Tactics to Build Power
    Learning Objectives
    Front Line Story: Otpor!
    Key Concepts
    Widen Participation
    Beyond the Page #1: Best Action, Worst Action Reflection
    Beyond the Page #2: Strategic Points of Intervention
    Beyond the Page #3: Choosing Tactics Planning Sheet and Comparison Matrix
    Resources
    Notes
  • Unit 8: Sequencing Nonviolent Action and Negotiation Tactics for Sustainable Solutions
    Learning Objectives
    Front Line Story: The Jasmine Revolution and the Tunisian Quartet Peace Process
    Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Key Concepts
    Beyond the Page #1: Negotiation Simulation
    Beyond the Page #2: Sequencing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding Methods in Tunisia
    Resources
    Notes
  • Unit 9: Bringing It All Together: Strategic Planning Time Lines
    Learning Objectives
    Front Line Story: 2006 Democracy Movement in Nepal
    Key Concepts
    Beyond the Page #1: Prioritize Targets or Key Stakeholders
    Beyond the Page #2: Synergizing Strategic Planning Time Line
  • Glossary

Guide Snapshot and Excerpt


Tactic Planning

Spectrum of Allies, Stakeholder Mapping

Strategic Planning Pyramid

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Course

This online course complements the SNAP guide and seeks to build bridges between peacebuilding and nonviolent action practitioners so that methods are used strategically and effectively on the path toward conflict transformation.

In 1971, feminist nonviolent activist Barbara Deming wrote about “revolution and equilibrium,” asserting that activists needed “two hands of nonviolence”—one hand with a palm facing out to say “stop the injustice!” and another offered as a handshake.

Building just, inclusive, and peaceful societies requires people who are willing to take on a wide variety of approaches, including direct action, relationship building, volunteer mobilization, dialogue, and negotiation.

However, some scholars and practitioners view these approaches as separate or incompatible. Grassroots activists know how to engage in nonviolent action, but they may have less experience facilitating a delicate meeting featuring diverse groups and opinions. Peacebuilders can excel at dialogue or negotiation, but they may get stuck when one group has more power than another, making it difficult to reach a just resolution. Each approach has its own history, community of practice, literature, and education and training programs.

This course seeks to reduce this separation and illustrate how the most strategic and effective methods from both fields can reinforce one another to advance justice, promote human rights, and build sustainable peace. It is for activists looking to bring together diverse coalitions, mobilize constituencies, and shift power, and for peacebuilders trying to address power asymmetries and build societal awareness of key issues to open dialogue and gain leverage in negotiations.

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