Nonviolent Conflict Escalation

Abstract

Escalation of confl ict is frequently deemed undesirable and problematic, as it is often assumed to refer to the escalation of violence. However, there exists a diff erent form of escalation that we call "nonviolent confl ict escalation." Th is occurs when previously unrecognized confl icts are intensifi ed using nonviolent means to a point where the confl ict can no longer be ignored. Five aspects of nonviolent escalations of methods are examined through case studies, showing how diff erent forms of intensifi cation can work together to escalate the confl ict. Nonviolent escalations of unrecognized confl icts can serve as potent tools in struggles against tyranny, injustice, and human rights violations.Th e authors would like to thank the editor of Confl ict Resolution Quarterly, as well as the anonymous reviewers for conversations and comments on drafts which helped us clarify our thinking about nonviolent confl ict escalation. We are also grateful to Sarah Freeman-Woolpert who assisted in improving the language considerably.

A Turn to Violence: The Escalation of Nonviolent Movements

“…It is important to first clarify what is meant by escalation as there are many different ways that one could conceptualize this term. The first is to view escalation as a growth in the size or magnitude of the movement, which can refer to the number of participants, diversity of participants, geographic coverage, frequency and length of events, or innovation of nonviolent tactics (McAdam 1983; Sørensen and Johansen 2016). This form of escalation is an important part of social movement cycles, especially during the mobilization phase, with heightened conflict and the rapid diffusion of collective action indicating a form of escalatory processes (Tarrow 2011).…”

Avoiding violence: Eleven ways activists can confine violence in civil resistance campaigns

“…Nonviolent resistance implies direct (yet) nonviolent actions to challenge a regime and/or fight for social change through, for example, petitions, demonstrations, strikes, protest art, civil disobedience, economic noncooperation, or boycotts (Dudouet, ; Sørensen & Johansen, ). Nonviolence has a lengthy history, popularized in earnest when Gandhi used nonviolence to liberate India from Britain in 1947.…”

“…Another way of potentially challenging regime violence is to construct dilemma situations where security forces will look silly or powerless if they attack and/or arrest protesters (Sørensen & Johansen, 2016, Lakey, 1987). They may of course do so anyway, but at least, this can strengthen the movement by ridiculing authorities and potentially mobilizing more members.…”

“…One look at pictures or recordings of the situation on the ground in Syria today should be enough to convince just about anyone of the importance of preventing violence in the early stages of conflict escalation. Nonviolence is a powerful tool with which to challenge an unjust system and change the status quo (Sharp, ; Sharp, ; Sharp & Paulson, ) and is potentially a critical instrument of conflict resolution, especially in asymmetric conflicts (Dudouet, ; Sørensen & Johansen, ). But when nonviolent resistance is repressed, it can also lead to a devastating civil war that destroys lives and dreams, including those that led to the revolution in the first place.…”

“…For example, Sharp (1973) proposes 198 methods of nonviolent resistance grouped into categories of protest and persuasion, noncooperation, and intervention. Likewise, Sørensen and Johansen (2016) propose five ways in which activists can escalate a conflict. However, these are different ways of challenging an oppressive regime and not specifically related to violence prevention.…”