Avoiding Violence: Eleven Ways Activists Can Confine Violence in Civil Resistance Campaigns

TY - JOUR

T1 - Avoiding Violence

T2 - Eleven Ways Activists Can Confine Violence in Civil Resistance Campaigns

AU - Bramsen, Isabel

PY - 2019/6/1

Y1 - 2019/6/1

N2 - Nonviolent resistance is a powerful tool but can also turn into civil war when repressed. Based on interviews with activists from Bahrain, Tunisia, and Syria and experts on nonviolent resistance, this article investigates how activists can reduce violence in demonstrations. Five approaches to countering regime violence are proposed: (a) disrupting violent action, (b) constructing dilemma situations, (c) avoiding direct confrontation, (d) inviting civilian peacekeepers, and (d) respecting the opponent's traditions, as well as six ways of reducing activist violence: (a) delegitimizing violence, (b) managing material availability, (c) managing emotions, (d) providing alternatives, (e) changing practices of violence, and (f) enhancing cohesion.

AB - Nonviolent resistance is a powerful tool but can also turn into civil war when repressed. Based on interviews with activists from Bahrain, Tunisia, and Syria and experts on nonviolent resistance, this article investigates how activists can reduce violence in demonstrations. Five approaches to countering regime violence are proposed: (a) disrupting violent action, (b) constructing dilemma situations, (c) avoiding direct confrontation, (d) inviting civilian peacekeepers, and (d) respecting the opponent's traditions, as well as six ways of reducing activist violence: (a) delegitimizing violence, (b) managing material availability, (c) managing emotions, (d) providing alternatives, (e) changing practices of violence, and (f) enhancing cohesion.

U2 - 10.1002/crq.21254

DO - 10.1002/crq.21254

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1536-5581

JO - Conflict Resolution Quarterly

JF - Conflict Resolution Quarterly

ER -