Case study guide

Introduction

Nature of the campaign / movement - what was/is the issue? when did it start/finish?
Geographical and (brief) historical context
Participants - who (analysis of class, race/ethnic, gender, religious group, age, sexuality, ability, other) - did this change at different phases of the movement?

Chronology

Nonviolence

Was there a public profile of wanting to avoid violence?
Was this issue raised? Was there any decision how?
Was there a declared public policy of nonviolence?
If so, what was meant by nonviolence?
Was there consensus around this? what kind of diversity around this?
What measures were taken to implement a policy of nonviolence?
Was the campaign seen as shifting the values of society more towards nonviolence?
Were there particular sources of inspiration for types of action or ways of organising?

Means

What use was made of official channels, lobbying, electoral processes, constitutional mechanisms, and with what impact?
How did you try to use mainstream media?
What role or influence did they have?
How did you try to develop or use your own public media or alternative media? With what impact?
Did your movement try to establish alternatives? What happened?
What kind of means did you use to build a movement culture or sense of connectedness? To what effect?
Did you use withdrawal of cooperation as a tactic? At what stage? With what effect?
Did you try to directly disrupt of obstruct an activity you were campaigning against? At what stage? With what focus? With what participation? With what effect?
How did you use conventional means of protest? How did you combine them with other methods?

Organisation

Did the campaign/movement agree on a formal structure?
What informal structures played an important role?
Was the campaign/movement concerned to have a participatory structure of organisation and decision-making?
How did the campaign/movement link with other groups/movements?
What importance did you give to coalition-building? With what criteria for alliances?
How did the movement address the needs of activists to learn, to grow, to rest, to sustain their commitment?
How did the movement address the possible contradiction between the needs of security and the desire for participation?
What kind of repression did the movement expect to face? What provision did you make to support the people most affected?
Did the movement have a clear time frame and concept of strategic development?
How did the movement develop its resources (human, social, economic)?

Goals and outcomes

What were your initial goals?
How have your goals evolved? Why?
Was it an aim to empower participants? In what way?
How were the goals framed - eg with what type of slogan?
Did you have the flexibility to revise goals, eg to respond to particular events, or to build on success?
How did you expect the institution holding power of those who "benefit" from being dominant to change? (eg to be converted, to accommodate some of your demands, to be coerced into accepting your demands, or to disintegrate/dissolve)
To what extent did you achieve your goals? - short, medium, long term
With what side effects? - positive and negative
Did your adversary make any mistakes that significantly helped your cause?