This USAID primer outlines the role of nonviolent collective action—such as protests, civic organizing, and civil resistance—in advancing democratic development. It defines key terms, examines threats to civic space, and offers five strategic recommendations for donors, including flexible funding and grassroots support. The document emphasizes that nonviolent movements are significantly more effective than violent ones and should be recognized as a core component of democratic strategy.

This practical guide helps to integrate Collective Action into programming by offering tools, examples, and step-by-step modules for designing and supporting inclusive, locally-led coalitions.

As digital technologies change the practice of civics, they will also change what needs to be taught in civic education. Civic education curricula that include the experience of mediated citizenship will also explore the impact of technology on the processes of governance, from polling and voting mechanisms to campaigning and political advertising.

What this guide IS: a menu of options to encourage new ideas about conducting advocacy in difficult contexts.

What this guide IS NOT: a one-size-fits-all approach to advocacy that can be applied anywhere.

This literature review investigates the effects and effectiveness of human rights awareness campaigns. The authors differentiate carefully between effectiveness and effects. “Effectiveness” refers to the degree to which a campaign reaches its intended goal(s) among the target population. “Effects” encompass effectiveness, but also includes the broader set of consequences—unintended and unexpected, perhaps negative—that result from carrying out a campaign.

This essay describes a series of strategies that civil society actors have used to fight back when a previously open civic space begins to shrink due to restrictive legislation, repression of dissent, and/or political violence. It also discusses the risks and downsides of each strategy.

This report asks whether, when, and how grassroots reforms in the developing world scale up. It is based on a careful review of approximately 150 peer-reviewed and gray-literature sources in five world regions—East Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), South Asia, and subSaharan Africa—with an eye toward drawing actionable lessons for international development professionals.