Direct action - Non violent NVDA - The Commons Social Change Library

Democracy Resource Hub

The Democracy Hub has a wide range of nonviolent tools and resources for anti-authoritarian and pro-democracy organizing.

Text over image reads Organising a civil disobedience so that new people want to do it again: Lessons from Ende Gelande. Four people are sitting on the ground in white workers suits.

Organising Civil Disobedience for Newcomers

350.org shares valuable lessons on organizing civil disobedience for newcomers, emphasizing trust-building, narrative development, preparation for repression, affinity groups, and post-action debriefing.

A group of police officers stand side by side, surrounded by seated activists with arms interlinked.

Nonviolent Direct Action (NVDA): Start Here

Suggestions from the Commons Librarians about resources to explore in the Nonviolent Direct Action topic area, including NVDA theory, practical guides and case studies.

5 black and white photos with a yellow wavy lines overlaying them. First image is of thousands of protestors at Walk on Washington, 2nd image is a portrait of a woman representing Rosa Parks, 3rd image is a portrait etching of Gandhi, fourth image is of a group of Aboriginal Australians protesting holding the Aboriginal flag, 5th image is protestors on a boat on the Franklin River. The heading reads 'Nonviolence Training: A short history".

Nonviolence Training: A Brief History

A brief history of nonviolence training around the world, Australia and in the Pacific by a group called Pt’Chang.

Hold the Line: A Guide to Defending Democracy

Learn what “red lines” needed to be held during the election, step-by-step information for organizing in your community, and lessons from the field of civil resistance that can be applied to make change on a range of issues.

How Democratic States Can Effectively Support Pro-Democracy Movements

A curated and comprehensive list of tools for democracies and their representatives to conduct an effective assistance program to nonviolent pro-democracy movements.

Book cover. Title reads Radicals Outsiders Changing the World by Jamie Bartlett. A illustration of a man sitting in a suit wearing boots and a red tie. His head is in a shadow. The background is red.

Radicals: Outsiders Changing the World – Book Review

A book review of Radicals: Outsiders Changing the World by Jamie Barlett. This book review focuses on the ‘radical’ climate activists.

6 report covers of publications in Turkish about organizing, nonviolence and campaigning.

Nonviolent Campaigning, Organising and Wellbeing Resources | Şiddetsiz Kampanya, Örgütlenme ve Esenlik Kaynakları (Turkish – Türkçe)

A collection of resources on nonviolence, campaigning, organising and well being in Turkish collated by Şiddetsizlik Merkezi.

How to Win Well: Civil Resistance Breakthroughs and the Path to Democracy

Civil resistance-Moving from dictatorship to democracy. Negotiations & elections are the breakthroughs that lead to more democratic outcomes.

The Role of External Support in Nonviolent Campaigns: Poisoned Chalice or Holy Grail?

Civil resistance-Moving from dictatorship to democracy. Negotiations & elections are the breakthroughs that lead to more democratic outcomes.

Title reads The trifecta of civil resistance. A yellow triangle with a photo of protesting in side. Each side of the triangle has a word - Unity, planning, discipline.

The Trifecta of Civil Resistance: Unity, Planning, Discipline

3 attributes can make the difference between success and failure for nonviolent movements around the world: unity, planning, & nonviolence.

Nonviolent Action and Pro-Democracy Struggles

The main issue is that the US government’s “democracy promotion” agenda has provided repressive regimes with an excuse to label popular pro-democracy movements challenging them as foreign agents, even when led by independent grassroots nonviolent activists.