The Activists' Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Participatory Democracy

About the author......Page 2
List of Figures\r......Page 7
Figure 2.1 The eight stages of social movements......Page 36
Figure 3.1 Timelines map......Page 51
Figure 3.2 Integrated strategy map......Page 59
Figure 4.1 The Murdoch Rag......Page 63
Figure 4.2 Campaign questions grid......Page 67
Figure 4.4 Overall objectives and immediate goals (SOF)......Page 69
2.3 Step 3: choosing tactics......Page 72
Figure 4.6 Full strategic plan......Page 73
Figure 4.8 Power-holder map......Page 77
Figure 4.9 Corpvale research planning grid......Page 79
Figure 4.10 Friends and foes map......Page 81
Figure 4.11 Generic friends and foes map......Page 82
Figure 4.12 Timelines map......Page 83
2.0 Research......Page 87
Figure 5.2 Plan your presentation......Page 90
Figure 5.4 Example of a press release......Page 98
Figure 6.1 Some national models......Page 115
Figure 6.2 A presidential system......Page 118
3.0 Representative democracy......Page 119
Figure 6.4 Changing the law and influencing government policy......Page 132
Figure 7.1 The feedback loop of effective corporate campaigning......Page 156
Figure 9.1 Sample e-mail alert......Page 205
Figure 9.2 A simple phone pyramid......Page 211
4.1 Longevity of digital campaigns......Page 215
Figure 11.1 Conflict map......Page 254
Figure 12.1 The making of a lifelong activist......Page 261
4.2 Building support networks......Page 272
Figure 12.3 Affinity group decision-making......Page 276
Introduction: cycles within cycles......Page 8
Acknowledgements......Page 12
1.0 Democracy 24/7......Page 13
1.1 I disagree with your argument but I support your right to make it......Page 14
1.2 Public interest campaigns......Page 15
2.0 Life in a liberalist society......Page 16
2.1 Liberalism and democracy … not the same thing......Page 17
3.0 Public interest versus vested interest......Page 18
3.1 Conflicting public interest perspectives......Page 19
3.2 Is my issue a public interest issue?......Page 20
3.3 Public interest campaigning in the courts......Page 21
3.4 Other ways in which the public interest/vested interest distinctionis important......Page 22
4.0 The practice of democracy......Page 23
4.1 The right to break the law......Page 24
4.2 S tate power and corporate bureaucracy......Page 25
Conclusion......Page 26
1.0 What is a social movement?......Page 27
1.1 Non-violence as a core value......Page 28
1.2 Minimum necessary damage to property......Page 29
1.3 Adopting a structure that reflects your values......Page 31
1.4 Egalitarian structures......Page 32
2.0 Believing in the power of social movements......Page 33
2.1 Requirements for success of a social movement......Page 35
Conclusion......Page 43
1.1 Alignment with strategic focus......Page 45
2.0 Planning for flexibility: plan for the unexpected......Page 46
2.1 Anticipating backlash......Page 47
2.2 Anticipating internal organizational instability......Page 48
2.3 Anticipating disruptive events and developments......Page 49
3.0 Timelines and persistence......Page 50
3.3 Plan your campaign in stages......Page 52
3.5 Valuing acquired campaign experience......Page 54
4.1 Strategic decision-making......Page 55
4.2 Strategy on the run......Page 56
4.4 Strategic partnerships and alliances......Page 58
5.1 Accountable adaptable strategy......Page 60
Conclusion......Page 61
1.0 Our working example: a story about you......Page 62
1.1 What happens next?......Page 64
1.2 The birth of a community-based campaign......Page 65
2.0 Planning a new campaign......Page 66
2.1 Step 1: setting objectives......Page 68
2.2 Step 2: what strategies will we use?......Page 70
2.4 Step 4: who will do what......Page 75
2.6 Step 5: whom do we need to convince? Making a power-holder map......Page 76
2.7 What more do we need to know? Preparing a research strategy......Page 78
2.9 Who can help us? An allies and foes map......Page 80
2.11 What could go wrong? Planning for the unexpected......Page 84
Conclusion......Page 85
1.1 A communications strategy......Page 86
2.1 Where to look for information......Page 88
3.0 Presenting information......Page 89
4.0 Generating your own publicity......Page 91
5.0 Accessing the mainstream news media......Page 92
5.1 How to get your story run (some more golden rules)......Page 93
5.2 How to write a good media release......Page 96
5.4 Doing interviews......Page 97
5.5 Damage control......Page 99
6.1 Background research......Page 100
6.2 Research to support your tactics......Page 101
7.0 Obtaining expert assistance......Page 102
7.2 Hiring experts......Page 103
8.1 Memoranda (memos!)......Page 104
8.3 Letters......Page 105
8.4 Reports......Page 107
8.5 Briefing notes......Page 108
8.6 Background papers......Page 109
8.7 Submissions......Page 110
Conclusion......Page 111
1.0 The public sector, the private sector and civil society......Page 113
2.0 Understanding your national constitution......Page 114
2.2. The separation of powers......Page 117
3.1 Participatory democracy......Page 121
4.1 What level of government is involved?......Page 122
4.2 Does your issue require legislative change?......Page 124
4.3 The process of legislative change in parliaments: the committee systems......Page 126
5.1 Building public support......Page 127
5.3 Action by a regulatory agency......Page 128
5.4 Complaints, reviews, appeals......Page 129
5.5 Statutory review procedures......Page 130
5.6 Judicial review......Page 131
6.0 Activism using the courts......Page 133
7.0 Corporate, media and other outside influences on government decision-making......Page 134
Conclusion......Page 136
1.0 Why would we call corporations private bureaucracy?......Page 137
1.1 Corporatization or globalization?......Page 138
2.1 The corporation as a ‘legal person’......Page 139
2.4 The directors’ fiduciary duty......Page 140
3.0 The dangers of unrestrained corporate power......Page 142
4.0 Public interest advocacy within the corporate sphere......Page 144
4.1 Public awareness campaigns......Page 145
4.3 Ethical consumerism......Page 149
4.4 Ethical investing......Page 150
5.1 Shareholders’ legal rights and remedies......Page 151
5.3 Shareholder remedies to enforce compliance with existing law......Page 152
5.4 Shareholder remedies to enforce higher duties than legally mandated......Page 154
5.5 Recent reforms in the United Kingdom......Page 155
5.6 Non-litigious remedies: case study – Jabiluka and North shareholder campaign......Page 157
Conclusion......Page 158
1.0 The right to protest......Page 160
1.1 The lawfulness of protests......Page 161
2.0 Types of political event......Page 163
2.1 Public meetings......Page 164
2.2 Rallies......Page 166
2.3 Marches......Page 169
2.4 Public political events held on private land......Page 172
2.5 Protests/direct action......Page 174
2.6 Sit-ins and occupations......Page 178
2.7 Blockades......Page 181
3.0 Avoiding unnecessary arrest......Page 183
3.1 Avoiding unnecessary charges......Page 184
4.0 Ways to make political actions safer and more effective......Page 186
4.1 Police liaison......Page 187
4.2 Legal observers......Page 188
4.7 Complaints......Page 189
5.0 Terrorism and anti-terrorist laws......Page 190
Conclusion......Page 191
1.0 What is digital activism?......Page 193
1.1 Digital activism: a very brief history......Page 194
1.2 The basic toolkit......Page 195
2.0 Digital tools and their impact on modern activism......Page 197
2.1 Current debates about digital activism: is it merely placebo activism?......Page 198
3.0 Choosing and using digital tools......Page 201
3.1 What do you want to do with it?......Page 202
3.2 E-mail for activists: rules and tips for optimum use of e-mail......Page 203
3.3 Facebook for activists......Page 206
3.4 YouTube and MySpace......Page 208
3.5 SMS activism......Page 209
4.0 Working digital activism into your existing campaign......Page 214
Conclusion......Page 216
1.1 Law as strategy; litigation as tactic......Page 218
1.2 Some common pitfalls to avoid......Page 219
2.0 Strategic litigation......Page 220
2.1 Strategic litigation against public participation (SLAPP suits)......Page 221
2.2 Impediments to public interest litigation......Page 223
2.3 The law of standing......Page 224
3.0 Effective use of public interest litigation......Page 225
3.1 Particular types of legal action......Page 226
3.2 The practical side of public interest litigation......Page 230
3.3 The legal arguments and the evidence......Page 232
3.4 The legal issue may not be the same as your campaign issue......Page 233
Conclusion......Page 234
1.1 Invisible conflict and voiceless victims......Page 236
2.1 Consensus decision-making......Page 239
2.2 Decision-making under pressure: affinity groups......Page 240
3.1 Strategic questioning......Page 241
3.2 Negotiation......Page 243
3.3 Mediation......Page 247
4.0 Summary: conflict resolution processes......Page 248
4.1 Strategic considerations......Page 249
5.0 Case study......Page 251
6.0 Developing a conflict map......Page 253
Conclusion......Page 255
1.0 The citizen activist......Page 256
1.1 Personal power and people power......Page 257
1.3 Envisioning......Page 258
2.0 The making of a lifelong activist......Page 259
2.1 Awakening involves dissonance......Page 260
3.1 The spirituality of activism......Page 262
3.2 Preventing burnout......Page 266
3.3 The importance of fun......Page 267
4.1 Choosing appropriate organizational forms......Page 269
5.1 Consensus decision-making......Page 273
5.2 Dealing with dissent......Page 274
5.3 Majority voting......Page 275
Conclusion: the joys of activism......Page 277
References......Page 279
Index......Page 282