what if gandhi had a smartphone
TRANSCRIPT
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What if Gandhi had a
Smartphone?
Joseph G. BockInternational Center on Nonviolent Conflict
December 5, 2012
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Outline
I. Theory
II. Three Generations of Technologies
III. Dynamism and Dance of Technology Usage
IV. LimitationsV. Use by Oppressive Governments and Militant Groups
VI. Technologies to help Deal with Troublemakers
VII. Blackouts
VIII.Ethical Dilemmas
IX. What would Gandhi do?
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Clarification
WALTER BOSSHARD / HULTON-DEUTSCH COLLECTION / CORBIS
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Loyalty Shift Theory
regimes crumble when
pillars of support are
weakened.
Review ofWhy Civilian Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic
of Nonviolent Conflict, by Erica Chenoweth and Maria J.
Stephan. New York: Columbia University Press, 2011, in
Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict: Pathways toward terrorism
and genocide, Vol. 5, Issue 1, 2012: 74-76, found at
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17467586.201
2.708878 See the presentation by Erica Chenoweth at
http://nonviolent-
conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-
resources/educational-initiatives/academic-
webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-
worksq
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17467586.2012.708878http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17467586.2012.708878http://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/academic-webinar-series/622-qwhy-civil-resistance-worksqhttp://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17467586.2012.708878http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17467586.2012.708878http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17467586.2012.708878 -
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Three Generations of Technologies for
Nonviolent Noncooperation
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First Generation
Technology Examples Advantages Disadvantages
Sending
information with
messengers
Informants travel to
communicate with
others involved in
the movement; use
of a printing press
Discreet, simple Disruption of travel;
risk of getting
captured/tortured
Sounds Firecracker for early
warning; drums
Speed, simplicity Small range
Signals Smoke signals; light
flashes/Morse code
Further range than
sound
Weather must be
conducive for
smokesignals/training
needed to translate
code
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Second GenerationTechnology Examples Advantages Disadvantages
Regular phones (land
lines)
Voice communication;
messaging through
number of rings
Communication across
distance
Disruption; surveillance
by authorities
Transistor
radios/community radios
Social marketing;
communication of
movements actions
Wide audience, even in
impoverished locations;
stations outside of
country can keepcommunications flowing
Disruption; surveillance
by authorities
Television Social marketing;
Communication of
movements actions
Less of an audience, but
provides information
visually
Disruption; surveillance
by authorities
Cell phones Communication with
moderate leaders within
a trust network
Owned and used widely
in many countries
Disruption; surveillance
by authorities
Satellite phones Communication within a
trust network and
internationally
Less amenable to
disruption
Expense; surveillance by
authorities
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Third GenerationTechnology Examples Advantages Disadvantages
Text messages/e-mail/internet form
submissions
General communication;generate events and asset
data crowdsourcing
Can get information fromlots of people; inexpensive Disruption; surveillance;verification can be a
challenge
Micro-blogs/sending text,
pictures, and video (usually
taken with smartphones)
Twitter Rapid crowdfeeding of
messages, graphic pictures
and video
Disruption; surveillance;
verification can be a
challenge
Automated events data
generation
Virtual Research Associates
Reader
Potentially inexpensive to
collect data (as compared tohuman coding)
Expensive to set up; only
available in English
Pattern recognition and data
mining
Moving Average
Convergence-Divergence
analysis; Hidden Markov
Models; Operational Code
analysis
Hedge against pathologies of
collective assessment
Requires lots of data (with a
possible exception of
operational codes); black
box problem; a
downplaying of inductive
reasoning; precipitatingevents are sometimes
singular so there is no
pattern
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Third Generation (continued)
Technology Examples Advantages Disadvantages
Digital mapping/use of
GIS data
Ushahidi Visual depiction of events
and asset data, includes
location; readily identify
hot spots; resource
optimization
Visible to nefarious actors
unless depicted on a
secure site
Virtual reality Second Life Training in remote
locations; cost-savings;
scalability; role-playing
anonymously
Surveillance; arguably
less effective than in-
person training
Unmanned Areal
Vehicles/satellite imaging
View of janjaweed
movements in Sudan
Nano-technology difficult
to detectless
diplomatic capital
expended
Expense; low resolution
(of some satellite data);
snapshots only once a
day if satellite isstationary in space
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Dynamism and Multi-Dimensional
Dance of Technology Usage
What is available and how can it be adapted?
But
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Limitationswhat else is needed?
The Big Three:
1. Civic infrastructure (including a trust network)
2. Strategy
3. Discipline
Others:
1. International supporters who use leverage
2. Rule of law
Keep in mind the 90/10 Rule (Chris Blow)see the presentation by
Heather Leson of Ushahidi, Reimagining Citizen Engagement, athttp://www.slideshare.net/Ushahidi/reimagining-citizen-engagement#btnNext
http://www.slideshare.net/Ushahidi/reimagining-citizen-engagementhttp://www.slideshare.net/Ushahidi/reimagining-citizen-engagementhttp://www.slideshare.net/Ushahidi/reimagining-citizen-engagementhttp://www.slideshare.net/Ushahidi/reimagining-citizen-engagementhttp://www.slideshare.net/Ushahidi/reimagining-citizen-engagementhttp://www.slideshare.net/Ushahidi/reimagining-citizen-engagementhttp://www.slideshare.net/Ushahidi/reimagining-citizen-engagementhttp://www.slideshare.net/Ushahidi/reimagining-citizen-engagementhttp://www.slideshare.net/Ushahidi/reimagining-citizen-engagementhttp://www.slideshare.net/Ushahidi/reimagining-citizen-engagement -
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Rule of law--not necessarily a Western variety
Abdul Ghaffer Khans
brotheremphasized
nangto do what is
honorable involvesdefending the vulnerable
part of the code of ethics
known as Pashtunwali
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It is honorable to protect the
vulnerable otherAfter World War II ended and a postwar British government finally promised self-government forIndia, rioting broke out between Hindus and Muslims. [Mahatma] Gandhi and [Abdul] GhafferKhan traveled together trying to stop it, achieving mixed results at best. Ghaffer Khan returned tothe North-West Frontier Province to address the problem there among his own people. Althoughthe Khudai Khidmatgars [his group of followers otherwise called the Servants of God] movementhad been explicitly, intensely Islamic, the leaders had also kept it non-communal [meaning thatthey did not foment ethnoreligious nationalism]. One of its objectives had been the promotion ofHindu-Muslim unity. On one occasion, when Hindus in Ghaffar Khans home region of Peshawar
were threatened, his brother called in 10,000 Khudai Khidmatgars. All were Muslim, armed onlywith faith and courage, yet they were able to protect Hindus and Sikhs against rioters and torestore peace in the city.
Excerpt from Robert C. Johansen, Radical Islam and Nonviolence: A Case Study ofReligious Empowerment and Constraint Among Pashtuns,Journal of Peace Research,Vol. 34, No. 1, 1997, p. 64, found at http://jpr.sagepub.com/content/34/1/53
Also see the work of Ali Gohar and others at Just Peace International athttp://www.justpeaceint.org/servantof(GOD).php
http://jpr.sagepub.com/content/34/1/53http://jpr.sagepub.com/content/34/1/53http://jpr.sagepub.com/content/34/1/53http://www.justpeaceint.org/servantof(GOD).phphttp://www.justpeaceint.org/servantof(GOD).phphttp://www.justpeaceint.org/servantof(GOD).phphttp://www.justpeaceint.org/servantof(GOD).phphttp://jpr.sagepub.com/content/34/1/53http://jpr.sagepub.com/content/34/1/53 -
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Dont oppressive governments and
militant groups use it too?
Three arguments:
1. If they do, we need to
2. We can stay one step ahead (ofgovernments at least)
3. Everybody can participate
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Technologies to help deal with troublemakersthose
engaged in disruption of nonviolent movementsType Useful Capacities/Technologies
Planned trouble Identifying hot spotscrowdsourcing and digitalmapping
Trust network communication for intervention
Automated events data generation and trend analysis
and pattern recognition for early warning
Broadcasting of nefarious intent to influential
international outsiders using micro-blogs
Spontaneous trouble Identifying hot spotscrowdsourcing and digitalmapping
Network casting
Events data trend analysis and pattern recognition for
early warning and resource optimization
Bluffed trouble Automated events data generationData miningto detect and follow bluffing
Crowdsourcing truth checkingMythbusting using crowdfeeding
Predictable trouble Social media communications to calm crowdsTrust Network feeding
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What about blackouts?
Step back (to radios for instance)
Go forward (to satellite phones)
Pivot to outsiders
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Ethical dilemmas
Non-transparencydont yell fire in a
theater (sometimes we need to rely on the
crowd but should not inform the crowd)
Influence of outsidersembrace the principle
that those at risk make decisions and develop
strategy(support their capacity to do so)
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Weve Covered
I. Theory
II. Three Generations of Technologies
III. Dynamism and Dance of Technology Usage
IV. LimitationsV. Use by Oppressive Governments and Militant Groups
VI. Technologies to help Deal with Troublemakers
VII. Blackouts
VIII.Ethical Dilemmas
but
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The final question: What would
Gandhi do?I think he would:
1. Propagate Satyagraha and use of nonviolent strategy using virtual reality
2. Make calls to the other
3. Use speed dial to contact influential political, civic, and religious leadersduring times of acute tension
4. Communicate with followers using Twitter5. Use a secure medium for communication with his trust network
6. Take pictures of human rights abuses and ethno-religious harmony andshare them using Twitter
7. Use Twitter to calm people and to counteract false rhetoric
8. Inspire using YouTube
9. Stay in touch with people of all faiths so as to overcome the politics ofdivision
10. Own a Blackberry with the GIS data feature turned on
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Thank You
Some of My Best Teachers--Foundation for Co-Existence
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Thanks also to
Amanda Atkins
Marguerite Avery
Casey Barrs
Michael Clark
Nilan Fernando
Shavkat Kasymov
Sue Lyke
Clark (Rick) McCauley
Patrick Meier
Robert Perera
Katie Persons
Emad Shahin
Jen Ziemke
and many others.
And, of course to Jake Fitzpatrick and Maciej Bartkoski, as well as all of the officers and staff at theInternational Center for Nonviolent Conflict
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Questions/Comments