Introduction
Chapter 1 — Social Action: An Overview
A & B —Social Action’s Role & US College Social Action
C & D — Benefits & Bring Into Class
Chapter 2 — Developing a Social Action Class
A & B — Course vs Co-Curricular & Prerequisites
C — Creating a Social Action Syllabus
D & E — Teaching Style & Norms
H & I — Role of Place & Each Semester v Every Year
Chapter 3 — Launching Student Campaigns
B — Students Choose Their Issue
Chapter 4 — Planning, Implementation, & Evaluation
A — Campaign Plan & Timeline B & C — Implementation & Execution D — Campaign Evaluation E — Finals: Binder & Presentation
Chapter 5 — Where Do We Go From Here?
A & B — Next Semester & Mainstreaming TSA C & D — Internships & Pipeline to Jobs E — Status of Current Campaigns
CHANGE! A Guide to Teaching Social Action
- Chapter 3I: Strategy & Tactics (p. 99-109)
Strategy and Tactics
As discussed on page 81 of CHANGE (teaching guide), “strategy is the framework and method of a campaign”, and there are six strategies:
Strategies
- Legislation or Policy Change
- Media & Public Education
- Alliance Building
- Disruption
- Target Meetings
On page 83, it states that “tactics are non-violent actions that a group uses to publicly display its strength and to win demands.” A good tactic should be “felt” by the decision-maker (i.e., they know that the Campaign Action happened). In CHANGE, SML discusses some of the key tactics that students can choose:
Tactics
- Press Conference / Rallying
- Marching
- Picketing
- Street Theater
- Public Hearing
- Walkouts (Boycotts)
- Occupying Spaces
- Lobbying Day
- Accountability Session
- Day in the Life of
- Direct Negotiation with Target
Student will choose 1-3 strategies and chose one tactic for their Campaign Kickoff (1st Action). Below is the Worksheet for Strategy and Tactics. Feel free to use it, and make any edits you think are necessary:
Here is Portfolio 7 and an example of a student response.
As the students begin to think about their Campaign Launch event, you might want to discuss with them the importance of perseverance. Here is Lily from Students for Sanctuary Campus at the University of Delaware explaining her thoughts about perseverance:
What this really taught me about myself is that I'm very perseverant... We faced a lot of pushback, but we just kept going... It's kind of getting back up after you've been pushed down."
Questions
- What part of the strategy and tactics section most engaged you?
- In light of the reading, how will you teach strategy and tactics to your students?
Case Study
Scott asked the Students for Filipino Farmworkers about what strategy and tactics they would use, and they responded by circling them on Mural Board.
Continue to Ch. 3J — Campaign Kickoff