{"id":10405,"date":"2018-11-19T01:04:04","date_gmt":"2018-11-19T01:04:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/?p=10405"},"modified":"2024-04-22T14:38:20","modified_gmt":"2024-04-22T18:38:20","slug":"por_webinar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/2018\/11\/19\/por_webinar\/","title":{"rendered":"Webinar on the Paradox of Repression and Nonviolent Movements"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>On November 15, 2018, <strong>Prof. Lee Smithey<\/strong> joined his co-editor and colleague, <strong>Prof. Lester Kurtz<\/strong> (George Mason University) to talk about their new edited book, <strong><em>The Paradox of Repression and Nonviolent Movements<\/em><\/strong> (<a href=\"http:\/\/syracuseuniversitypress.syr.edu\/spring-2018\/paradox-repression.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Syracuse University Press<\/a>). The webinar was recorded, and you are welcome to view it here. The Communications Office, also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.swarthmore.edu\/news-events\/peace-and-conflict-studies-professor-lee-smithey-explores-use-repression%E2%80%94and-how-it-can\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">published a piece on the College&#8217;s website<\/a> that you may also read below. You can learn more about the book at <a href=\"http:\/\/paradox.swarthmore.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http:\/\/paradox.swarthmore.edu<\/a><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/eJD3X-FY8lI\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr>\n<div class=\"row author-date-row\">\n<div class=\"col-sm-4 col-xs-12 news-author\">By Kate Campbell<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-sm-8 col-xs-12\">\n<div class=\"col-sm-5 pub-date\"><span class=\"date-display-single\">November 13th, 2018<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-sm-5 pub-date\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-sm-5 pub-date\">\n<h1>Peace and Conflict Studies Professor Lee Smithey Explores the Use of Repression\u2014and How It Can Backfire<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"field field-name-field-primary-image field-type-image field-label-hidden floating-right main-image\">\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_10413\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10413\" style=\"width: 340px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/11\/Smithey_170928_b.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-10413\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10413\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/11\/Smithey_170928_b.jpg\" alt=\"Professor Lee Smithey\" width=\"340\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/11\/Smithey_170928_b.jpg 340w, https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/11\/Smithey_170928_b-204x300.jpg 204w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10413\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Associate Professor Lee Smithey<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.swarthmore.edu\/profile\/lee-smithey\">Lee Smithey<\/a>, associate professor of peace &amp; conflict studies and sociology, is a co-editor and contributor to a new book,&nbsp;<em>The Paradox of Repression and Nonviolent Movements<\/em>&nbsp;(Syracuse University Press, 2018), that offers an in-depth exploration of the use of repression in political arenas and its unintended effect of sometimes fanning the flames of nonviolent resistance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe concept of backfire, or the paradox of repression, is widely understood to be fundamental to strategic nonviolent action, but it has not been fully investigated. It was work that needed to be done,\u201d says Smithey, who in addition to writing and teaching about nonviolent resistance has also&nbsp;participated in peaceful protests. \u201cPower is not only about repression but also about building public support.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The book, edited by Smithey and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/soan.gmu.edu\/people\/lkurtz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lester Kurtz<\/a>, a George Mason University sociology professor, is meant as a tool for&nbsp;scholars and activists to understand how repression works, as well as to study significant incidents when nonviolent activists took measures to help make repression a defining moment. For example: \u201cWhen authorities are seen as attacking or disrespecting widely shared symbols, they may mobilize people in defense of shared collective identities,\u201d write Smithey and Kurtz.<\/p>\n<p>The editors first wrote about the topic in 1999, but organizing for the new book began in 2009\u2014bringing together diverse, global contributors to study how repression can energize nonviolent movements and how nonviolent activists have worked to manage repression in their favor. It includes the grassroots efforts of nonviolent resistance&nbsp;such as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/wozazimbabwe.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Women of Zimbabwe Arise<\/a>, who bravely joined forces as \u201cmothers of the nation\u201d to stand against dictator Robert Mugabe.<\/p>\n<p>As they planned the book, Smithey and Kurtz organized a two-day writing retreat for the contributors to help build an integrated approach to the project. \u201cIt was intellectually exciting,\u201d Smithey says. \u201cWe were committed early on to making this book a collaboration between academics and practitioners.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One practice the book\u2019s authors explore is called repression management\u2014enacted by withstanding or avoiding repression or by creating scenarios in which repression against nonviolent activists would more likely elicit a sense of public outrage (and ultimately support).<\/p>\n<p>One example, Smithey says, is the<a href=\"http:\/\/time.com\/4403635\/ieshia-evans-jonathan-bachman-baton-rouge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">&nbsp;now-iconic photo of Ieshia Evans<\/a>, who stood stoically in a flowing dress and faced a line of law enforcement officers in riot gear as she protested the shooting death of Alton Sterling. The photo, taken in downtown Baton Rouge, La., on July 9, 2016, quickly became a cultural touchstone.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Paradox of Repression and Nonviolent Movements<\/em>&nbsp;also examines the psychological costs for agents of repression, elites\u2019 attempts to avoid triggering the paradox of repression, repression of online activism, and the work of overcoming fear.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRepression is an attempt to demobilize nonviolent movements by sowing fear,&#8221; Smithey says,&nbsp;&#8220;but activists can work together to overcome fear and continue to mobilize.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>The&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/pardot.nonviolent-conflict.org\/e\/572143\/register-7368247824762610434\/j4wf8x\/317233873\">International Center on Nonviolent Conflict<\/a>&nbsp;will host a webinar by Smithey and Kurtz Nov. 15 from noon to 1 PM. Smithey will also offer an Alumni Council webinar on the book on Nov. 28.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On November 15, 2018, Prof. Lee Smithey joined his co-editor and colleague, Prof. Lester Kurtz (George Mason University) to talk about their new edited book, The Paradox of Repression and Nonviolent Movements (Syracuse University Press). The webinar was recorded, and you are welcome to view it here. The Communications Office, also published a piece on &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/2018\/11\/19\/por_webinar\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Webinar on the Paradox of Repression and Nonviolent Movements<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":10413,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[6,84,22,177,461,87,113],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10405"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10405"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10405\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10795,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10405\/revisions\/10795"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/academics\/pcs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}