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Research Showing Nonviolence Twice as Effective as Violence

In conversations that I have about change and resistance, I often find myself defending nonviolent strategies. Despite the fact that I adopt this position because I think it's smart, it can get dismissed as sentimentality and unrealistically lofty morals. So it's encouraging, especially in these days of endless war, to come across research such as that published by Maria J. Stephan and Erica Chenoweth in International Security. Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict (38 page PDF) is based on the study of over 300 violent and nonviolent resistance campaigns over a period of over 100 years. They found that major nonviolent campaigns have achieved success 53 percent of the time, compared with only 26 percent for violent resistance campaigns. The two main reasons offered in their analysis are well understood: First, nonviolent strategies increase international support and pressure. Second, they decrease the depth and breadth of violent suppression. Posted: 11/3/08; 5:39:36 PM #

The 14 Peculiar Social Media Users

I stirred up some interesting reactions in July with my piece on Online Social Networks Are Not Mailing Lists, in which I advocated, among other things, that we learn to see ourselves as others see us, when we step into online communities in which we are strangers. Eric Brantner's article on The 14 Peculiar Social Media Users is a great adjunct to this advice: (1) Sir Spam-a-Lot, (2) Clueless Self-Promoter, (3) Mr. Rain on Your Parade, (4) The Know it All, (5) Crazy Political Extremist, (6) The Guy with No Spine, (7) Casual Observer, (8) Average User, (9) Good Samaritan, (10) Sheltered Person, (11) Wide Eyed Enthusiast, (12) Second-Tier User, (13) The Bragger, and (14) The Elite. Which of these are you? Posted: 11/3/08; 5:26:03 PM #

When to Quit
	I have a very hard time giving up and I defend this trait as determination. Of course, sometimes it's mere attachment. I can think of several times in my life when I could have used some solid, disinterested peer advice on the topic of When to Quit, such as the one going on right now at Social Edge. Posted: 11/3/08; 3:51:26 PM #

Got Your Ears On? How to Listen to Your Audience Using Social Media

In a trend that is sadly rare among associations, the Nonprofit Technology Network has become progressively more visionary and has balanced its service orientation toward its stakeholders with something of a leadership stance. In my desire to do everything I can to support that, I want to point you to an article on one of my favorite hobby horses ("scaling up listening") by Maddie Grant and Lindy Dreyer: Got Your Ears On? How to Listen to Your Audience Using Social Media. I think they undermine their point a bit by referring to stakeholders as an "audience" and their tactics are not as personal or granular as I would suggest, but these are quibbles. This article is a fine guide to getting started with the opportunities provided by the Internet for us, as organizations, to pay attention better. Posted: 11/3/08; 3:42:25 PM #

Social Media Metrics

Developing good communication metrics is an intelligent intersection of what we are able to measure with what we ought to measure. One of the fascinating things about online communication is how much larger this intersection is. Nevertheless, most organizations are not taking advantage of this fact and are not investing enough thinking in the paths of engagement of their stakeholders - which is what will help determine what should be measured. Nevertheless, I am recommending Rachel Happe's long list of possible Social Media Metrics. She's divided her metrics into five categories: Activity Metrics, Survey Metrics, ROI Measurements, Individual Metrics, and General Internet Tracking. It's inspiring. Posted: 11/3/08; 3:29:52 PM #

Visualisation Techniques for Facilitating Decision Making in Urban Planning

The main problem with the visualization techniques that technologists use when they are planning new tools is that they tend to visualize the wrong things. They make the user interface elements more tangible, but leave the critical communication patterns invisible. Maybe it's my education as a biologist, but I sometimes think it's also my years of work as a neighborhood land use activist that helped shape this view. Andrew Rixon and Stewart Burn make this connection clear in their recent paper on Visualisation Techniques for Facilitating Decision Making in Urban Planning. We should be doing the same thing with communication. Posted: 11/3/08; 3:20:53 PM #

Ode Magazine : Nominate your Favorite Intelligent Optimist!

Ode Magazine has this phrase they use - "intelligent optimist" - which I have to admit bothers me a little, because I feel that it buys into our cultural notion that pessimism is a more "intelligent" stance in regard to life. Nevertheless, I am an avid admirer of the magazine. For the first time, they are taking nominations for intelligent optimists for the cover of an upcoming issue. I would love to see Nonprofit Online News readers suggest folks! Posted: 11/3/08; 3:15:42 PM #