Lessons from New Research into Civil Resistance

This session looks at critical new research findings in the field of civil resistance; addresses their implications for peace, stability, democracy, and human rights; and talks about new frontiers in the field. Isak Svensson will discuss his research on how people living in jihadist proto-states (in Mali, Syria, and Iraq) have used civil resistance—including acts of popular disobedience, non-cooperation, protests and public defiance—against such regimes to improve their lives and defend their values. Cécile Mouly will discuss her research on civil resistance against armed groups in contexts of internal armed conflict in Latin America. She argues that, like dictators or colonial powers, armed groups who seek to govern people or territories depend on civilians to achieve their objectives and exert their rule. This is why civilians can use these different relations of dependence to exert leverage on armed groups and obtain concessions from them. Janjira Sombatpoonsiri will discuss some preliminary comparative insights into how movements can resist the increasingly worrying trend of autocratization. This talk offers theoretical insights based on a preliminary comparative study of the cases of Taiwan (1987-2009) and Thailand (1992-2006). Finally, Hardy Merriman argues for a new normative framework called The Right to Assist (RtoA), which could strengthen international coordination and support for nonviolent civil resistance campaigns demanding rights, freedom, and justice against non-democratic rule. The presentations will be followed by a discussion moderated by ICNC’s Manager of Academic Initiatives, Steve Chase.