The 2014 James Lawson Institute
August 16-23, Nashville, Tennessee
Day 1 Saturday, August 16
Arrivals and Introduction
3:00pm onward – Participants check into rooms (Laskey Building)
5:00pm-6:30pm – Reception (Scarritt Hall, International Room)
6:30pm-7:30pm – Opening dinner (Bennett Hall, Raintree Room)
7:30pm-9:30pm – Watch Nashville segment of A Force More Powerful (Fondren Hall, Harambee Auditorium)
Day 2 Sunday, August 17
Introductions and Analyzing the Current State of North American Activism and Organizing
7:30am-8:30am – Breakfast (Susie Gray Dining Hall)
8:30am-9:00am – Introduction to the James Lawson Institute – Hardy Merriman
9:00am-10:30am – Introductions of Participants and Presenters
10:30am-10:45am – Break
10:45am-12:00pm – Facilitated Discussion: Community Guidelines for the Week – Paulina Gonzalez, Nelini Stamp, Hardy Merriman
12:00pm-1:00pm – Lunch
1:00pm-5:30pm – Exercise: Analyzing the Current State of North American Activism and Organizing
5:30pm-6:30pm – Dinner
7:00pm-8:30pm – Evening Program (Fondren Hall, Harambee Auditorium) Screening of India and South Africa segments of A Force More Powerful
Day 3 Monday, August 18
Introduction to Nonviolent Civil Resistance, Its Dynamics, and Three Cases of Civil Resistance in North America
7:30am-8:30am – Breakfast
8:45am-10:15am – Presentation: Nonviolent Civil Resistance in Historical Context – Mary King, Erica Chenoweth
10:15am-10:30am – Break
10:30am-12:00pm – Presentation: Dynamics of Civil Resistance – Jack DuVall
12:00pm-1:00pm – Lunch
1:00pm-3:00pm – Presentation: The Nonviolent Direct Action of the US Civil Rights Movement: Lessons Learned – James Lawson presentation, follow up interview by Nelini Stamp
3:00-3:15pm – Break
3:15-4:15pm – Presentation: Campaigns for Tribal Rights and Recognition – Tom Hastings
4:15pm-4:30pm – Break
4:30pm-5:30pm – Presentation: The US Anti-Nuclear Struggle – Stephen Zunes
5:30pm-6:30pm – Dinner
7:00pm-end – Evening Program: Participant-led breakout sessions
Participant- or presenter-led breakout groups on topics related to civil resistance or organizing.
Day 4 Tuesday, August 19
Movement Formation, Movement Sustainability, Coalitions and Alliances
7:30am-8:30am – Breakfast
8:30am -11:00am – Presentation and exercise: Movement and Campaign Formation – Ivan Marovic, Philippe Duhamel
10:00am-10:15am – Break
11:00am-12:00pm – Presentation: Leading Elements of Movement Effectiveness – James Lawson
12:00pm-1:00pm – Lunch
1:00pm-3:00pm – Presentation and/or exercise: Sustaining a Movement or Campaign – Paulina Gonzalez, Carlos Saavedra, Nelini Stamp
3:00pm-3:15pm – Break
3:15pm-5:30pm – Presentation and/or exercise: Organizing Across Cultures and Bridging Social Distance – Paulina Gonzalez, Carlos Saavedra, Nelini Stamp
5:30pm-6:30pm – Dinner
7:00pm-end – Evening Program: Structure and Momentum – Paul Engler, Carlos Saavedra, Max Berger, Belinda Rodriguez, Kai Newkirk
Day 5 Wednesday, August 20
Repression, Violent Flanks, and Maintaining Nonviolent Discipline
7:30am-8:30am – Breakfast
8:30am-10:00am – Presentation: Managing Repression – Erica Chenoweth
10:00am-10:15am – Break
10:15am-12:00pm – Presentation and/or exercise: Managing Repression and Backfire – Ivan Marovic, Philippe Duhamel
12:00pm-1:00pm – Lunch
1:00pm-2:00pm – Title TBD – James Lawson
2:00pm-3:15pm – Presentation: Violent Flanks and Maintaining Nonviolent Discipline – Erica Chenoweth, Stephen Zunes
3:15pm-3:30pm – Break
3:30pm-5:00pm – Presentation and/or Exercise: Addressing Violent Flanks and Maintaining Nonviolent Discipline – Tom Hastings, Michael Gagné
5:00pm-5:30pm – Free Time
5:30pm-6:30pm – Dinner
7:00pm-end – Evening Program: Participant-led Breakout Sessions
Participant- or presenter-led breakout groups on topics related to civil resistance or organizing.
Day 6 Thursday, August 21
Strategy, Tactics, and Planning
7:30am-8:30am – Breakfast
8:30am-10:00am – Presentation: Strategy and Principles of Effective Civil Resistance – Ivan Marovic
10:00am-10:15am – Break
10:30am-12:00pm – Presentation and/or exercise: Tactical Selection and Planning – Philippe Duhamel
12:00pm-1:00pm – Lunch
1:00pm-3:00pm – Presentation and/or exercise: Tactical Selection and Planning – Philippe Duhamel
3:00pm-3:15pm – Break
3:15pm-4:00pm – Presentation: Constructive Programme and Parallel Institutions –
Rachel Plattus
4:00pm-5:30pm – Participant-led Breakout Sessions
Participant- or presenter-led breakout groups on topics related to civil resistance or organizing.
5:30pm-6:30pm – Dinner 7:00pm-end – Free Time
Day 7 Friday, August 22
Movement Language and Media
7:30am-8:30am – Breakfast
9:00am-9:30am – Opening exercise – Jack DuVall
9:30am-10:30am – Presentation: Language and Meaning in Movements – Jack DuVall
10:30am-10:45am – Break
10:45am-12:00pm – Presentation: Movements, Communications, and Media – Mary King
12:00pm-1:00pm – Lunch
1:00pm-3:30pm – Presentation and Exercises: Movement Communications Presentations and Exercises – Paulina Gonzalez, Tom Hastings, Philippe Duhamel, Ivan Marovic
3:30pm-3:45pm – Break
3:45pm-5:30pm – Presentation and Exercises: Movement Communications Presentations and Exercises – Paulina Gonzalez, Tom Hastings, Philippe Duhamel, Ivan Marovic
5:30pm-6:30pm – Dinner
7:00pm-close – Evening Program: Panel Discussion – James Lawson, Mary King, Tom Hastings
Day 8 Saturday, August 23
Reflection on Lessons Learned, Implications, and Next Steps
7:30am-8:30am — Breakfast
8:30am-12:00pm – Exercise: Lessons learned and next steps
12:00pm-1:00pm – Lunch
1:00pm-5:30pm – Exercise: Lessons learned and next steps
6:00pm-close – Final dinner (Bennett Hall, Raintree Room)