Tom Hastings, Professor in the Department of Conflict Resolution at Portland State University, presents on image management in civil society campaigns. Most civil society campaigns seem to acquire an image; Gandhi’s movements, for the most part, were nonviolent, rooted in the increasing appearance of being persistent and cross-culturally Indian. Gandhi cultivated the image of civil discourse as a nonviolent challenger seeking justice. The images of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade in 1963 were of innocence attacked by brutality and responding with more nonviolence. Cesar Chavez transformed the macho Hispanic image to gentle but unified migrant workers intent on gaining basic collective bargaining rights even when their members were physically attacked and even when some were killed. Filipina nuns and Cory Aquino presented an image of moral leadership and nonviolence, sincere women determined to gain democracy. What are the possible effects of creating a certain image of a campaign waged by civil society? How important is image? How can one be created and defended? This presentation and discussion will ask what general principles can help organizers think about this aspect of struggle and how research might illuminate this component of nonviolent resistance.

Tom Hastings