Ripples of hope : how ordinary people resist repression without violence / Robert M. Press.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Press, Robert M., author.

Contributor:

Alumni and Friends Memorial Book Fund.

Series:

Protest and social movements

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Social movements--Africa--Case studies.

Social movements.

Protest movements--Africa--Case studies.

Protest movements.

Nonviolence--Africa--Case studies.

Nonviolence.

Africa.

Genre:

Case studies.

Physical Description:

327 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Amsterdam : Amsterdam University Press, [2015]

Summary:

In 'Ripples of hope', Robert M. Press tells the stories of mothers, students, teachers, journalists, attorneys, and many others who courageously stood up for freedom and human rights against repressive rulers and who helped bring about change through primarily nonviolent means. Press surveys individual and group protests in countries affected by war and unrest, including Kenya, Argentina, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. A tribute to the strength of the human spirit, Ripples of Hope breaks new ground in social movement theories, revealing how people both on their own and in small groups can make a difference.

Contents:

1 Resisting Repression without Violence 21

Individual Activism 23

Resistance in Abeyance: Organization without Organizations 25

From Abeyance to Formally Organized Resistance 26

Resistance without "Opportunity" 27

Broader, More Fluid Participation in Resistance 29

Establishing a Culture of Resistance 31

New Universal Model for Social Movements 34

Theoretical Implications 35

Structure and Resistance 35

Motives of Activists 38

Part 1 Sierra Leone

2 Students Shake the Pillars of Power 43

Roots of Resistance 45

Rebirth of Resistance 47

"Opportunity?" 47

Phase I Student Resistance 48

The Power of Small Groups 50

Regime Repression Stimulates more Resistance 52

Resistance Impact 54

Civil Society Fails to Support Protesting Students 56

Phase II Political Shape Shift: A "War" of Words 59

The Cost of Resisting Repression with Words 62

Refusing to Flee 63

Independent Journalist Escapes Arrest by Jumping out a Window; Press Dynamited 65

Phase III Radical Activism: From Seeking Regime Reform to Regime Change 67

Training for Revolution 72

Implications of an Informal Resistance 78

3 Women Help Restore Democracy 81

A Modern David Uses Words, not Stones 82

Tracking Resistance via Energy and Ideas, not just Social Movement Organizations 83

Motives of Activists 86

Deepening a Culture of Resistance: Civil Society Re-emerges 87

Military Abuses 89

Birth of a Social Movement: Women Lead the Charge for Regime Change 90

Growing Civil Society Opposition to Military Rule 95

National Conferences: "The Military Realized Late We Were Serious" 97

Market Women v. the Military: The story of two Maries 98

Implications of a Successful Nonviolent Resistance to a Military Junta 102

4 Mass Noncooperation Helps Defeat a Violent Junta 105

Nonviolent Social Movement 106

Democracy on Hold 108

A Brutal Regime: "The Whole Nation Was Crying" 110

A Critique of Theories of Nonviolence 112

Violent Resistance 115

Civil Society's Nonviolent Resistance: Junta "Not Wanted" 116

Individual Noncooperation 117

A Minor Theory: the Overlooked Role of Minor Actors in Helping Major Activists 119

Individual Resistance: Part of a Larger Social Movement 120

Resisting and Surviving: "We All Thought We Were Going To Die" 121

Organizational Nonviolent Resistance: Lessons from Gandhi and King 124

Teachers and Labor Strike 126

Journalists Wage Nonviolent "War" against the Military Junta 128

Drawn to activism by their profession 129

Underground Resistance by Journalists 132

A Journalist with a "Revolutionary Fervor" for Democracy 132

Radio Democracy: Psychological Warfare against the "Foot" of State 135

A "Ray of Hope" 136

Invisible Networks Supporting Social Movements in Repressive Settings 138

A Nonviolent Woman "Warrior" 139

Dangerous Marches 140

Marching on the Rebel Leader's Home: "We Shall Overcome" 141

Final Orgy of Violence: "We Thought We Would All Be Dead" 143

International Interventions: A Nigerian Dictator Helps Restore Democracy 144

Implications of the Noncooperation with a Military Junta 146

Part 2 Liberia

5 Nonviolent Resistance in Abeyance 151

A History of Authoritarianism and Resistance 153

Cultural Restraints on Resistance? 156

Emergence of Civic Resistance 157

Rice Riots (1979): Opening the Door for the 1980 Coup 160

Short-Lived Hopes for Human Rights and Democracy 162

Resistance in Abeyance: Courage, Commitment, Danger 164

Shooting Books 165

Professional Duty: Pathway to Resistance 167

American Ambivalence over Repression in Liberia 168

Civil War Stirs More Regime Repression - and Resistance 170

Implications of Peaceful Resistance in Abeyance 171

6 Peaceful Resistance during a Civil War 175

One Country, Two Presidents 177

Resisting a Tyrant, Peacefully 179

Moral Basis for Resistance 180

Human Rights Activism - "Delivering Body Blows to Taylor" 183

International Support for Advocacy 184

Ripples of Hope: Activists Inspire Others 186

Array of Tactics in the Resistance 188

Courage and Commitment: Intangible "Resources" in the Struggle for Human Rights 190

Women's Peace Movements 191

"When Mother Calls" 195

Women Seize Peace Talks Hall 197

Implications of Nonviolent Resistance during a Civil War 198

Part 3 Kenya

7 Individual Resistance against Repression 205

Professionalism: an Overlooked Entry Path to Activism 209

Resistance despite Repression, Few "Opportunities," Limited Material Resources 210

Early Resistance 211

Hiding in a Charcoal Truck to Run for Parliament 212

Growing Resistance 214

Freedom Corner: Early Cracks in the Wall of Fear 215

Individual Activism (1): Urban Legal "Guerrillas" 217

Organization without Organizations 219

Unpredictability of Social Movements: Minor Actors; Chains of Events 220

Chess Game of Tactics 225

Individual Activism (2): Resistance by Writers, Clergy and Others 227

Weapons of Words 227

"God's Kingdom Grows with Opposition" 229

Implications of Individual Activism 231

8 Establishing a Culture of Resistance 233

Mothers' Strike 235

Small Group Strategic Choices and Tactics: "Exciting the Masses" 238

Breaking the "Wall of Fear:" Saba Saba Rally 1990 239

Widening the Resistance: Kamkunji Rally 1991 242

What Quantitative Studies Miss 244

Organizational Resistance 245

Ethnic Divisions 245

Cycles of Activism 246

New Tactic: National Citizen's Convention 247

"Foot Soldiers" for Freedom 247

Growing Support for Mass Public Demonstrations 248

Counter Tactics by the Regime: the Chess Game Continues 250

Further Growth of a Culture of Resistance: A "Psychological Revolution" 253

International Resistance against Kenya 255

A "Rogue" US Ambassador Supports Kenyan Human Rights 257

From Regime Reform to Regime Change: Who gets the Credit? 259

Implications of a Culture of Resistance 261.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Alumni and Friends Memorial Book Fund.

ISBN:

9089647481

9789089647481

OCLC:

898114202

Publisher Number:

99965463037