This is a class on contentious politics that examines how the action-inaction binary shapes our understanding of social movement strategies, life cycles, resilience, and success. We will examine activity and inactivity in the context of a variety of social movements, diaspora groups, and rebel organizations, at various stages of their lifecycle. When is inactivity a failure of mobilization or a sign of weakness, and when is it an intentional strategy? What does "doing nothing" look like? Can it ever be an effective strategy for a group? When is inactivity a form of organizational defeat? To address these questions, we will look at different forms of "nothing doing": social movements that choose disengagement or tactics such as hunger strikes, exiled movements that focus on internal bonding and capacity building rather than overt activism, and rebel groups that intentionally abstain from violence or mobilization for prolonged periods. |