Civil Resistance

What Everyone Needs to Know

By: Erica Chenoweth

Narrated by: Erica Chenoweth

Civil resistance is a method of conflict through which unarmed civilians use a variety of coordinated methods (strikes, protests, demonstrations, boycotts, and many other tactics) to prosecute a conflict without directly harming or threatening to harm an opponent. Sometimes called nonviolent resistance, unarmed struggle, or nonviolent action, this form of political action is now a mainstay across the globe. It was a central form of resistance in the 1989 revolutions and in the Arab Spring, and it is now being practiced widely in Trump's America. If we are going to understand the manifold protest movements emerging around the globe, we need a thorough understanding of civil resistance and its many dynamics and manifestations.

In Civil Resistance: What Everyone Needs to Know, Erica Chenoweth—one of the world's leading scholars on the topic—explains what civil resistance is, how it works, why it sometimes fails, how violence and repression affect it, and the long-term impacts of such resistance. Featuring both historical cases of civil resistance and more contemporary examples such as the Arab Awakenings and various ongoing movements in the United States, this book provides a comprehensive yet pithy overview of this enormously important subject.

©2021 Oxford University Press (P)2022 Tantor

Coalition building

I enjoyed it and would recommend to any activist. All activists on the left, with all their nuances, need to let go of any grasping of particular approaches. We need each other right now.

Recommended

Why non-violent activism is more likely to succeed. Science of activism is a great topic. Book should be longer: doesn't even explain every method of activism it mentions.

Essential Information for Maintaining Evidence-Based Hope

The message inherent in Chenoweth’s research is fact-based, well-cited, and inspiring, and her delivery is solid. Must-listen for those feeling hopeless about the U.S. slide into authoritarianism during the second Trump regime.

So helpful and needed right now!!!!

Data data data to help drive action. I love that this is a data and evidence based glimpse at resistance efforts the world over and over history that shows the pros and cons and complexity of resistance efforts against authoritarianism. This is what we need! So so helpful, well put together and well presented. Pats on the back to Erica Chenoweth for her amazing work I this field!

Instruction manual for non-violent resistance

This book lays out the keys to success for civil resistance movements. Very well written. Engaging listening with an excellent quality of narration. This is an instruction manual for anyone interested in resisting creeping dictatorship and Fascism. Highly recommended!