Comments on: Tactics or strategies of resistance?! http://resistancestudies.org/?p=344 University of Göteborg Resistance Studies Network Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:48:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Stellan Vinthagen http://resistancestudies.org/?p=344&cpage=1#comment-46338 Stellan Vinthagen Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:36:59 +0000 http://resistancestudies.org/?p=344#comment-46338 Dear Shane, I agree with you, it is important choices and it should be made by activists, not the lawyers, still, as you point out, having legal teams can be really helpful. Although Starhawk is into this strange "magic" form of activism she is really down to earch and helpful when it comes to doing action strategy/tactics, so yes, it would be good if more activists read her work. Thanks, Stellan Dear Shane, I agree with you, it is important choices and it should be made by activists, not the lawyers, still, as you point out, having legal teams can be really helpful. Although Starhawk is into this strange “magic” form of activism she is really down to earch and helpful when it comes to doing action strategy/tactics, so yes, it would be good if more activists read her work.
Thanks,
Stellan

]]> By: Shane Gunderson http://resistancestudies.org/?p=344&cpage=1#comment-45791 Shane Gunderson Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:55:55 +0000 http://resistancestudies.org/?p=344#comment-45791 I would like to add to the discussion by deploying the word, "solidarity." In June 2005, the Organization of American States General Assembly held their meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I was part of a legal team that the National Lawyers Guild organized to coordinate the release of anyone arrested for protesting. Affinity groups (AGs) and individuals planned to demonstrate at the site where the heads of 34 nations were discussing industrialization and privatization in the Americas. We were developing a strategy to get protestors released pre-trial since other "Free Trade OAS" meetings had a high number of arrests. Some demonstrators do not use their real names so we anticipated that a judge would not release a defendant who used their affinity name like "Cornfed Biomedical Tomato." There was a solidarity of not giving their real names to police. I went through legal observer training on this. I also read "Solidarity: A Rough Guide" by Starhawk. http://www.starhawk.org/activism/trainer-resources/solidarity.html The point I would like to make is that in this instance; the strategy of having a legal team prior to the demonstration was helpful because the City was defeated in court in their efforts to restrict protestors. But as strategy pertains to solidarity, I encourage activists to read Starhawk's article because she makes an important point, "Solidarity choices need to be made by the activists, not the lawyers." In other words, tactics like refusing to cooperate with police, staying in jail, failing to appear in court, or negotiating demands through solidarity are important decisions for social movement protestors. Social Movement Organizations should have legal teams to negotiate and coordinate the solidarity strategy. I would like to add to the discussion by deploying the word, “solidarity.” In June 2005, the Organization of American States General Assembly held their meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I was part of a legal team that the National Lawyers Guild organized to coordinate the release of anyone arrested for protesting. Affinity groups (AGs) and individuals planned to demonstrate at the site where the heads of 34 nations were discussing industrialization and privatization in the Americas. We were developing a strategy to get protestors released pre-trial since other “Free Trade OAS” meetings had a high number of arrests. Some demonstrators do not use their real names so we anticipated that a judge would not release a defendant who used their affinity name like “Cornfed Biomedical Tomato.” There was a solidarity of not giving their real names to police. I went through legal observer training on this. I also read “Solidarity: A Rough Guide” by Starhawk. http://www.starhawk.org/activism/trainer-resources/solidarity.html

The point I would like to make is that in this instance; the strategy of having a legal team prior to the demonstration was helpful because the City was defeated in court in their efforts to restrict protestors. But as strategy pertains to solidarity, I encourage activists to read Starhawk’s article because she makes an important point, “Solidarity choices need to be made by the activists, not the lawyers.” In other words, tactics like refusing to cooperate with police, staying in jail, failing to appear in court, or negotiating demands through solidarity are important decisions for social movement protestors. Social Movement Organizations should have legal teams to negotiate and coordinate the solidarity strategy.

]]> By: Stellan Vinthagen http://resistancestudies.org/?p=344&cpage=1#comment-45452 Stellan Vinthagen Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:14:38 +0000 http://resistancestudies.org/?p=344#comment-45452 Dear Hunar and Safaa, thanks a lot for your comments! I find them very helpful! See you! Stellan Dear Hunar and Safaa, thanks a lot for your comments! I find them very helpful! See you!
Stellan

]]> By: Safaa http://resistancestudies.org/?p=344&cpage=1#comment-45146 Safaa Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:32:41 +0000 http://resistancestudies.org/?p=344#comment-45146 I agree, very interesting. Sans papiers (people that live and work in a country without governmental permission) know what it is to be tactical rather than strategic. However, when these people organise, as they have done in unions and other political organisations across Europe, something happens. If in line with Clausewitz, I think there are groups that both win battles and use the battles to win the war at the same time, just as you argue Stellan. In the case of sans papiers, There are political groups that both aim to change the migration policies and also are, or work closely with, sans papiers in a spirit of Do it Yourself (and Do It Anyway). It is in the practical life where the tactics is performed. Especially when lawyers within the very same groups have to use already existing migration laws in order to progress their clients’ cases, the same laws that are based on an ideology they do not agree with. The tactics is winning those small battles of keeping away from authorities, making sure you get health care, education, and work with as little discrimination as possible; the everyday situations. The strategy in this example would be to use the battles to create a society “free from papers”; that is basic human rights for all no matter where you live today or "geographical background". So beside tactics there are political campaigns, and other forms of traditional ways to stir opinion around the question. However, tactics, with or without strategy, would alone make the resistance that is based on the simple fact that you are staying and claiming your rights, no matter suppression of authorities and establishment. I agree, very interesting. Sans papiers (people that live and work in a country without governmental permission) know what it is to be tactical rather than strategic. However, when these people organise, as they have done in unions and other political organisations across Europe, something happens.

If in line with Clausewitz, I think there are groups that both win battles and use the battles to win the war at the same time, just as you argue Stellan. In the case of sans papiers, There are political groups that both aim to change the migration policies and also are, or work closely with, sans papiers in a spirit of Do it Yourself (and Do It Anyway). It is in the practical life where the tactics is performed. Especially when lawyers within the very same groups have to use already existing migration laws in order to progress their clients’ cases, the same laws that are based on an ideology they do not agree with.

The tactics is winning those small battles of keeping away from authorities, making sure you get health care, education, and work with as little discrimination as possible; the everyday situations. The strategy in this example would be to use the battles to create a society “free from papers”; that is basic human rights for all no matter where you live today or “geographical background”. So beside tactics there are political campaigns, and other forms of traditional ways to stir opinion around the question. However, tactics, with or without strategy, would alone make the resistance that is based on the simple fact that you are staying and claiming your rights, no matter suppression of authorities and establishment.

]]> By: Hunar http://resistancestudies.org/?p=344&cpage=1#comment-44621 Hunar Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:28:37 +0000 http://resistancestudies.org/?p=344#comment-44621 A really interesting post Stellan. The notion of tactics seems, as I interpret it, be close to common descriptions of identity politics. I don’t know whether identity politics is undesirable or desirable, if it’s inherent in political/economical/social being/life or not (maybe earlier “hidden”/unseen in the talk and violent practices of universals), but what would happen if we started theorize the privileged – their identity politics, their internalizations and naturalization of privileges? Who are the privileged and their subordinated counterparts? What would happen if we considered spatial flesh, bodies, geographies – materialities – as the prime foci through which identities and subjectivities, hence identity politics, are mediated and raised? Im not sure. But besides the obvious threats posed to liberal political theory and postmodernist notions of everything-is-socially-constructed-identities-and-solidarities-as-well, one consequence might be that the micro/macro-distinction is transformed, at least taken down to geographical earth (micro?) and mediated trough bodies (psychologies/internalizations?). Another consequence, since we’re dealing with privileged and unprivileged bodies in different-but-still(always?)-interconnected geographies, might be to specify the substance and contours when talking about revolution, fundamental change, and war; their geographies and bodies. This in turn, I think, will generate a critical understanding of the (im)possibilities of solidarity, the relationship of everyday (maybe micro) and once-a-year-or-something (maybe macro) politics and resistance, both in part of theorizing and activism. Just some thoughts on your interesting post. There is by the way an interesting, maybe harsh, review essay on Scoots groundbreaking book: Gal, Susan (1995), “Language and the ‘Arts of Resistance’”. Cultural Anthropology 10(3):407-424 Peace out! A really interesting post Stellan. The notion of tactics seems, as I interpret it, be close to common descriptions of identity politics. I don’t know whether identity politics is undesirable or desirable, if it’s inherent in political/economical/social being/life or not (maybe earlier “hidden”/unseen in the talk and violent practices of universals), but what would happen if we started theorize the privileged – their identity politics, their internalizations and naturalization of privileges? Who are the privileged and their subordinated counterparts? What would happen if we considered spatial flesh, bodies, geographies – materialities – as the prime foci through which identities and subjectivities, hence identity politics, are mediated and raised? Im not sure. But besides the obvious threats posed to liberal political theory and postmodernist notions of everything-is-socially-constructed-identities-and-solidarities-as-well, one consequence might be that the micro/macro-distinction is transformed, at least taken down to geographical earth (micro?) and mediated trough bodies (psychologies/internalizations?). Another consequence, since we’re dealing with privileged and unprivileged bodies in different-but-still(always?)-interconnected geographies, might be to specify the substance and contours when talking about revolution, fundamental change, and war; their geographies and bodies. This in turn, I think, will generate a critical understanding of the (im)possibilities of solidarity, the relationship of everyday (maybe micro) and once-a-year-or-something (maybe macro) politics and resistance, both in part of theorizing and activism. Just some thoughts on your interesting post.
There is by the way an interesting, maybe harsh, review essay on Scoots groundbreaking book: Gal, Susan (1995), “Language and the ‘Arts of Resistance’”. Cultural Anthropology 10(3):407-424
Peace out!

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