People Power: The Strategic Dynamic of Civil Resistance

February 12, 2024

Module 1. Introduction to the Course

Course Overview and Objectives • What Is Civil Resistance? • Basic Concepts in Power and Political Defiance • The Emergence and Evolution of Civil Resistance Studies

• Merriman, Hardy and Nicola Barrach-Yousefi. “Glossary of Civil Resistance: A Resource for Study and Translation of Key Terms.” Introduction and entries #6, 25, 76, 81, 87, 114, 117, 121, 122, 137, 144, 151, 154. International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, 2021. (Link on iCampus.)


• Chenoweth, Erica and Kathleen Gallagher Cunningham. “Understanding nonviolent resistance: An introduction.” Journal of Peace Research 50, no. 3 (May 2013): 271– 276. (Link on iCampus.)


• Carter, April. "People Power and Protest: The Literature on Civil Resistance in Historical Context" in Civil Resistance and Power Politics, 25-42. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. (Link on iCampus.)

March 11, 2024

Module 2. Civil Resistance in International Relations: Case Studies

Struggles against Domination • Struggles against Corruption • Governments-in-Exile and Parallel Institution Building

Students deliver a presentation on one of the following case studies or on one of the readings in Module 5 (below):

• Momba, Jotham C. and Fay Gadsden. “Zambia: Nonviolent Strategies Against Colonialism, 1900s-1960s.” Recovering Nonviolent History: Civil Resistance in Liberation Struggles (Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2013): 71-88. (Link on iCampus.)


• Beyerle, Shaazka. “Nonviolent Resistance Against the Mafia: Italy.” Curtailing Corruption: People Power for Accountability and Justice. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2014: 115-135. (Link on iCampus.)


• Quiroz, Alfonso W. “Cuba: Nonviolent Strategies for Autonomy and Independence, 1819s-1902).” Recovering Nonviolent History: Civil Resistance in Liberation Struggles (Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2013): 319-338. (Link on iCampus.)


• Jigdal, Tenzin and Amber French. “One Foot In and One Foot Out: Interview with a Tibetan MP in Exile.” Minds of the Movement, September 7, 2023. International Center on Nonviolent Conflict. (Link on iCampus.)

March 18, 2024

Module 3. Power Dynamics and Regime Responses

Pro-Democracy Struggles • Loyalty and Military Defections • Repression and Backfire

In-class film screening (1H): Bringing Down a Dictator - guest speaker, Ivan Marovic, former leader of Otpor movement featured in film (to be confirmed)

• 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 (2006): 411-429. (Link on iCampus.)


• Nepstad, Sharon Erickson. "Mutiny and nonviolence in the Arab Spring: Exploring military defections and loyalty in Egypt, Bahrain, and Syria." Journal of Peace Research 50, no. 3 (May 2013): 337–349. (Link on iCampus.)

March 25, 2024

Module 4. Human Rights, Peace and Democracy

International Human Rights • Peacebuilding • Mass Atrocities

In-class webinar screening (36 minutes): “Can People Power Movements Strengthen International Human Rights Law?” ICNC Academic Webinar with Dr. Elizabeth A. Wilson (January 11, 2018).

• Dudouet, Veronique. "Powering to Peace: Integrated Civil Resistance and Peacebuilding Strategies." ICNC Special Report Series 1, April 2017: 4-16. (Link on iCampus.)


• Ackerman, Peter and Hardy Merriman.