Nonviolent Civil Resistance and Social Movements

Research on non-violent civil resistance has burgeoned in recent years. This field has much in common with the study of social movements, and yet there has been little cross-fertilization between these literatures. In this article, I review the historical development of non-violence studies from its Gandhian roots, through an emphasis on strategic non-violence, to current empirical research that has generated new insights into the strategic interactions between non-violent movements and their opponents, the effects of repression, the factors shaping movement outcomes, and cross-national tactical diffusion. I summarize key findings and implications for the field of social movements. I conclude by charting out new areas of inquiry that future researchers ought to explore.