Book Launch: The Checklist to End Tyranny
2022-02-10 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual
Nonviolence International hosted another installment of its webinar series: “We Are All Part of One Another,” featuring Horizons Project Co-Lead and Chief Organizer, Maria J. Stephan.
Maria joined Peter Ackerman and other civil resistance experts from around the world for the launch of Ackerman’s new book, The Checklist to End Tyranny.
In this book, Ackerman gathers and arranges the best and most cutting-edge research on civil resistance and combines it with a checklist procedure which draws on his experience on Wall Street. This book is the culmination of 20 years of experience and research generated by the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict and provides a guides for activists facing severe repression, tyrants, and occupation. Speakers will include Peter Ackerman, Maria Stephan, Bayingana Simon Peter, and Mubarak Awad. Hosted by Rafif Jouejati.
If you missed the event, watch the recording. You can download the book or request paper copies to be mailed for free here.

E-Book Launch: 21st Century Mediation
2022-02-17 07:00 - 09:00 (America/New_York)
The Center for Peace and Conflict Studies convened this event to launch a new e-book, featuring a chapter on Adaptive Leadership for Peacebuilders written by Horizons’ Chief Network Weaver, Julia Roig!

“What does it mean to be a peace leader in this time? What kind of leadership is needed in a polarized world? How could organizations adapt to shocks like pandemics and ever-shifting dynamics? How do we reimagine peace tables in the path towards inclusion? How can civil society movements affect real political change? What does behind-the-scenes mediation look like, and why should we let go of the “big man” approach to solving conflicts?
We’ve asked seven world-renowned peace leaders in the forefront of 21st-century mediation and peacebuilding to share their experiences and lessons learned to help answer these questions. Their reflections are intended to challenge what we think we know, to move beyond traditional approaches, and to inspire those who read it and work for peace everywhere.”

You can download the e-book here.

Moving Beyond Multi-track Diplomacy and Big Man Mediation eBook launch from CPCS (Emma Leslie) on Vimeo.

SXSW: A Culture of Peace: Narrative & Cultural Strategies
2022-03-17 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | SXSW @ Austin, TX, Austin Marriott Downtown, Austin, TX
You can watch Julia’s SXSW 2022 presentation as she discussed how everyday citizens can help create a culture of peace by incorporating social science research on impactful framing strategies that resonate with the US public. Making peace more actionable and not passive; incorporating bridge-building metaphors into our communications and relying heavily on the value of interdependence have all been proven to increase the salience of Peacebuilding for our audiences.

Civil Resistance in Ukraine and the Region
2022-03-22 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Halifax)
Tuesday, March 22, 2022 12-1:30pm EDT
How does civil resistance work and what can it achieve? Hosted by Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, this panel shared how civilians are using strategic civil resistance to diminish the power and impact of the Russian military.

In Ukraine, civilians replace road signs to confuse Russian military vehicles, they block roads with cement blocks and iron pins, and they have set up a complex humanitarian aid system with neighboring countries. Within Russia, protests and resignations by universities, media outlets, and professionals denounce the military invasion.
Panelists included leading experts in civil resistance, some joining us from the frontlines in Kyiv.
Panelists (listed in the order in which they spoke):

Maria Stephan is Chief Organizer of the Horizons Project where she convenes strategic partnerships for collective action to build a just, inclusive, and peaceful democracy in the US. Before joining the Horizons team, Stephan founded and directed the Program on Nonviolent Action at the U.S. Institute of Peace. She is the co-author of Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict, which was awarded the 2012 Woodrow Wilson Foundation Prize by the American Political Science Association.

Andre Kamenshikov is the regional representative of Nonviolence International (USA) and the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) in the post-Soviet states. He has been an activist developing local capacities for peace in conflict areas of the ex-USSR since 1992 in areas of potential and acute violent conflict, primarily in the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation, where he works closely with a group of local NGOs and civil activists as well as representatives of different key professional groups such as educators, journalists, police, official authorities from different levels of government, and international organizations including UN agencies.

Kai Brand Jacobsen is the President of the Romanian Peace Institute (PATRIR) which supports global peace support operations, professional development, and pioneering research to improve the evidence-base to inform policy and practice. PATRIR is leading an effort to help coordinate an international peace response with its partners across Romania and internationally to offer efficient support for Ukrainians in humanitarian aid, civil resistance, and peace efforts.

Felip Daza is Research coordinator at Observatory on Human Rights and Business in Barcelona, Spain, professor at Sciences Po University and National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” and member of International Institute for Nonviolent Action which is supporting local civil resistance in Ukraine and Belarus to confront the Putin government’s brutal military aggression with organized mass noncooperation to deny Russia local consent and material resources.

Rev. Karen Dickman is the Executive Director of the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy (IMTD). The Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy has been building cooperative trade associations for economic development in Ukraine based on transparency and accountability. When the war started this month, IMTD shifted to running humanitarian aid for the Ukrainian government. IMTD is now in conversation with the government of Ukraine to facilitate services to their refugees and IDPs, and to rebuild the country’s economy after the war.

David Cortright is professor emeritus of the practice at the Kroc Institute, part of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Cortright is the author or co-editor of 19 books, including Civil Society, Peace and Power and Uniting Against Terror: Cooperative Nonmilitary Responses to the Global Terrorist Threat (MIT, 2007). Cortright has a long history of public advocacy for disarmament and the prevention of war. As an active-duty soldier during the Vietnam War, he spoke against that conflict. Now, he is coordinating a group of U.S. veterans to urge defections within the Russian military.

Moderator: Lisa Schirch, Richard G. Starmann, Sr. Professorship Chair in Peace Studies, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies

Is Nonviolence Always the Best Option?
2022-04-05 12:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Maria was a Discussant in a recent conversation on the limits of non-violent resistance in the context of escalating repression sponsored by The Resistance Bureau.

Do This in Memory of Me
2022-04-08 16:00 - 17:00 UTC
Maria presented on the power of nonviolent, nonmilitary actions in Ukraine to Pax Christi, you can watch the video.

During her discussion she referenced the following resources:

University of Notre Dame/Kroc Institute Webinar, Civil Resistance in Ukraine and the Region
Eli McCarthy, 5 Ways to Support Courageous Nonviolent Resistance (Waging Nonviolence)
Maria J. Stephan, It’s Time to Take Inspiration from Ukraine and Double Down on Global Democratic Solidarity (Waging Nonviolence)
Daniel Hunter, Ukraine’s Secret Weapon May Prove to Be Civilian Resistance (Waging Nonviolence)
George Lakey, Ukraine Doesn’t Need to Match Russia’s Military Might to Defend Against Invasion (Waging Nonviolence)
Erica Chenoweth, People Around the World Are Protesting the Russian Invasion. Will Their Protests Work? (Washington Post)
Hardy Merriman, How The Russian People Can End Putin’s War (The Hill)

Other useful links shared via chat:

Praying to Hear the Ukrainian Nightingale Sing Again
FACT SHEET – The Biden Administration Announces New Humanitarian, Development, and Democracy Assistance to Ukraine and the Surrounding Region

A Community-Led Approach to Revitalizing American Democracy
2022-04-26 14:00 - 15:30 (America/Halifax)
Tuesday, April 26, 2022, 2:00-3:30pm ET
The Horizons Project is excited to be a part of the #ListenFirst coalition and co-host this event with Beyond Conflict and Urban Rural Action for the National Week of Conversation.
Watch the recording for this event.

The call from all sides of the American divide is to protect and restore American democracy — but that’s where the agreement seems to end. The questions of what most threatens our democracy, which remedies for repair to deploy, and how we envision a better future continue to be politicized and divisive.
Renewed efforts to ensure free and fair elections, invest in civic education, and address issues of inequality and justice are underway in the U.S. These recommendations often target government institutions and political parties, but institutions are made up of people who are influenced and held accountable by citizens and peers. Current solutions offer little detail on how communities can organize to protect democracy and our republic here at home. With so much at stake, we need an all-hands-on-deck approach.
To think about what this approach can look like, we must first understand the factors that are contributing to the deterioration of our republic and adherence to democratic norms. Much emphasis is placed on addressing increasingly toxic levels of political polarization in the U.S. and around the world. However, more needs to be done to understand what is driving this polarization, including social identity threat and how perceived threats to one’s own group can lead to decreased tolerance and willingness to support diverse viewpoints, not only of another group, but also within one’s own community.
This event includes a listening and an interactive component. The first part will focus on a conversation between a social scientist and a social movements and peacebuilding expert. They will discuss the latest research to understand the psycho-social underpinnings of democracy and what makes individuals more likely to engage in undemocratic practice. They will also explore the pillars of support that make up authoritarian systems and how broad-based movements have combatted authoritarianism in the past in the U.S. and abroad.
After the conversational component, organizers will share Urban Rural Action’s constructive dialogue and problem tree analysis framework before breaking participants up into small groups to talk through how they are seeing authoritarianism show up in their own communities (causes and effects), as well as ways they might work with community members to push back against autocratic tendencies (solutions).
Session speakers will include:

Michelle Barsa, Director, Democracy & Social Identity Program, Beyond Conflict
Maria J. Stephan, Co-Lead and Chief Organizer, The Horizons Project

12th Annual Peacemaker Awards Celebration
2022-06-10 12:00 - 13:30 (Europe/Moscow)
Julia is the featured workshop leader at Community Boards’ 12th Annual Peacemaker Awards Celebration. Her workshop is entitled New Narratives for Peace.
THE WORKSHOP: NEW NARRATIVES FOR PEACE
As mediators and people working to create more opportunities for dialogue and understanding, we can’t help but be very concerned about the extreme polarization here in the United States.
In her workshop, Julia will lead us through an evidence-based strategy for communicating more effectively about the importance and relevance of peace-building in the United States. She will begin by sharing her approach to Narrative Engagement and the results of new research in the field, and will reflect on the main lessons from her decades of international experience. Julia will engage us in a reflection on the natural tensions between peace-building and social justice during times of extreme polarization. She will share ideas on how we might better create space for collective action, even amongst “unlikely bedfellows.” Throughout the workshop, Julia will focus on how narrative engagement can be a tool to build support for peacebuilding and can address the democratic decline in the United States.
To Purchase a ticket that supports Community Boards please visit this site.

A Citizen-Led Approach to Revitalizing Democracy
2022-06-21 14:10 - 15:10 (America/New_York) | Virtual
This was part of Upswell’s Bridging Toward Belonging pop-up summit on June 21 from 2:10-3:10 pm ET!
Watch the recording for this event and access the slide deck and resources here.

At a time when authoritarianism is on the rise globally, democracy experts have been sounding the alarm bells for the global community to act and prevent further democratic decline. Renewed efforts to ensure free and fair elections, invest in civic education, and address issues of inequality and justice are underway in the U.S. and around the world. Yet, many recommendations target governments and political party infrastructure and offer less detail for how civil society can organize for democracy here at home in the United States. With so much at stake, we need an all-hands-on-deck approach.
To think about what this approach can look like, we must first understand the factors that are contributing to a degradation in democracy and adherence to democratic norms. Much emphasis is placed on addressing increasingly toxic levels of political polarization in the U.S. and around the world. However, more needs to be done to understand what is driving this polarization, including social identity threat and how perceived threats to one’s “in-group” can lead to decreased tolerance and willingness to support diverse viewpoints, not only of another group, but also within one’s own community.
This panel will explore two themes. The first theme will focus on the latest research to understand the psycho-social underpinnings of democracy and what makes individuals more likely to engage in undemocratic practice. Panelists will explore how authoritarianism is a system made up of different pillars of support (including government institutions, political parties, media outlets, and business groups, among others) and how broad-based movements have combatted authoritarianism in the past in the U.S. and abroad. Panelists will also discuss what these findings mean for how social justice activists, bridge- and peace builders, and democracy practitioners can better organize and orient themselves to do their work in a way that increases opportunities to build relationships with diverse stakeholders and foster social cohesion. The panel will then pivot to hear from U.S. social justice, bridgebuilding, peacebuilding and democracy practitioners as they share the trends they are seeing in their respective communities and reflect upon how this research can inform their work to build a more just, inclusive, and multi-plural democracy.
Panelists:

Maria J. Stephan, Horizons Project (moderator)
Michelle Barsa, Beyond Conflict (panelist)
Reverend Stephen Green, Faith for Black Lives (panelist)
Kabrina Bass, Midlands Mediation Center (panelist)

Session Takeaways:
Participants will leave this session with a better understanding and appreciation for how social justice, democracy, bridge, and peacebuilding practitioners can work together to address injustice and inequity while ensuring they are creating a community and democracy in which everyone can feel they belong. They will also hear practical examples of how activists, organizers, and bridgebuilders are strategically using power-shifting and relationship-building approaches together to achieve their short- and long-term goals, and discuss what this means for their own work in their respective sectors (including nonprofit, private, and government) and communities.

Facilitating and Training in Cross-Sector Movements: Turbo-Charging Efforts for Coordination and Collaboration
2022-09-14 14:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
Public Webinar on Wednesday, September 14 from 2pm-3:30pm ET to discuss Facilitating and Training in Cross-Sector Movements: Turbo-Charging Efforts for Coordination and Collaboration.
Watch the recording for this event.

This event brought together movement trainers, facilitators, and organizers to discuss the current state of movement-building support in the US and how training and convening spaces could be better coordinated and envisioned more creatively to build a broad-based pro-democracy movement to counter the rising authoritarian threat.
Panel:

Maria J. Stephan, The Horizons Project (moderator)
Carlos Saavedra, Ayni Institute
Jake Waxman, Leading Change Network
Nadine Bloch, Beautiful Trouble
Ivan Marovic, International Center on Nonviolent Conflict

Respondent:

Reverend Stephen A. Green, Faith for Black Lives

Background:
Historic organizing wins in the US, including abolition, the 19th amendment, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965, marriage equality, and environmental protection, including at Standing Rock, took skill and strategy. Success was made possible through decades-long, behind-the-scenes, hard work to cultivate strong relationships and understanding, develop movement infrastructure, and build out mobilization and resistance know-how and muscle—all so that at the right moments, movements would be ready to harness their people power to drive change.

The efficacy of nonviolent movements has been falling for the past decade. While increasing and smarter state repression can account for some of this decline, civil resistance scholars also assert that the change in organizing capacity and structure of current movements may be responsible as well.

For example, an over-reliance on mass protest versus the strategic sequencing of a range of nonviolent tactics, including more dispersed actions like stay-aways, walk-outs, and boycotts, can become overly predictable without shifting power. Certain confrontational tactics may escalate an issue too quickly, hardening not only opponents but also more moveable “middles” who could be persuaded to support the cause if approached through different types of engagement. A decrease in nonviolent discipline may also harm the cause of a largely nonviolent movement, playing into the narratives of the opponent, causing fissures in the movement, and diminishing the “backfire” effects of the opponent’s use of violence.

With authoritarianism on the rise in the United States (and globally), the stakes for movement-builders to achieve their goals have never been higher. So how can movement-builders make the most of their organizing muscle to push back against the authoritarian threat while communicating a clear, inclusive vision of the society we seek to build.

Research shows that one of the most effective ways donors can support nonviolent movements is through supporting the training and convening spaces in which they learn and organize. Nonviolent movements have used training in civil resistance and Kingian nonviolence, which incorporates a strategic sequence of nonviolent action tactics (e.g., protests, boycotts, strikes, teach-ins, community aid, etc.) and peacebuilding approaches (e.g., dialogue, negotiation, mediation, reconciliation, etc.) to help build their base and become more effective at reaching their cause for decades. Convening spaces that include training, strategic and action planning, and relationship building are important, and must focus on different competencies for different levels within the movement (i.e., organizers vs. people they are organizing). At the same time, a foundational knowledge and understanding of all the steps needed to realize change AND make it sustainable is useful at all levels, as are ongoing touchpoints that keep people engaged beyond one-off activities like sit-ins and protests.

There are a number of diverse curricula and training and facilitation networks that support movement-building in the US, and some of these networks have already done substantial work to think about what cross-movement organizing looks like to counter the authoritarian threat. However, given the deluge of multiple urgent, competing, and ongoing crises facing movements today, organizers do not always have the time, resources, and/or energy to take advantage of these opportunities, let alone make sense of how different curricula, frameworks, approaches, and tactics fit together and reinforce each other. So how might people who fill “cross-network roles” like movement trainers, facilitators, and coaches help organizers makes sense, prioritize, and create space for this critical work?

Unlocking Collaboration Across Difference: Exploring Narrative Practices for Broad-Based Movements in Contexts of Democratic Decline
2023-03-29 13:00 - 14:30 UTC
March 29, 2023, 13:00 – 14:30 EST
Watch the recording for this event.

Background
Amid democratic backsliding, rising authoritarianism, and the securitization of our civic spaces, activists and organizers working for democratic change are seeking to reach across deep societal divisions and work across movements.
The narrative practices that social movements employ to nurture diverse relationships and create space for reflection together are more important than ever, so that we model the democratic values we are advocating for and can find common cause with potential allies who may have different approaches or priorities.
A consortium of organizers, academics and funders recently came together for the NEAD Project (Narrative Engagement Across Difference) to take a deep look at narrative practices from a multidisciplinary lens and to reflect on how we can better unlock more effective collective action. To ground NEAD’s future exploration in existing research, the team recently released the findings of an initial literature review. You can read a summary blog of the project and research here.
This was a discussion between the NEAD research team and a group of global activists who are engaging with narrative work in deeply divided societal contexts. Together they explored the implications for organizing between and beyond social justice movements.
Moderator

Julia Roig, Chief Network Weaver, The Horizons Project

Research Team

Alison Castel, Assistant Professor, Regis University
Sara Cobb, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, GeorgeMason University
Jale Sultanli,Senior Advisor for the Eurasia Programme, CMI

Discussants

Alexa Bradley, Knowledge Development Director, Just Associates (JASS)
Kwem Kimtai, Community Manager, Narratives Network Initiative
Monica Roa, Founder and Executive Director, Puentes (Bridges)

Bridging Towards a Just, Inclusive, Pluralistic Democracy
2023-04-19 14:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
The Horizons Project and the Othering & Belonging Institute were energized to co-host this event for the National Week of Conversation. We explored what it means to bridge in a way that builds empathy and understanding while centering justice and our common humanity.
Watch the recording for this event.

Background
Our society is at a crossroads. Strong sentiments of isolation, exhaustion, and despair from a multi-year global pandemic, increasing economic inequality, and growing toxic polarization foster a sense of doom and gloom. Further, the influential leaders and public figures we traditionally look to for inspiration, guidance, and common purpose instead leave us feeling divided and resentful. At the same time, a growing movement of bridge-builders, organizers, and activists across the United States are engaged in a diverse array of approaches to bring people together and create a society in which everyone feels like they belong and can reach their full potential.
The bridging community plays an important role in this work. Bridging organizations in the U.S. work across divides, including political ideological divides, to encourage empathy and understanding among diverse constituencies. However, many bridging organizations cite difficulties in getting people into the room to even have a conversation. Instead, people share sentiments of disillusionment and apathy to dedicate more time and energy to a process with unclear outcomes or that is unlikely to lead to improvements in their daily lives.
Some bridgers do offer pathways from dialogue for empathy and understanding to collective action for creating positive change for participants’ communities. Yet, it can be challenging to manage and facilitate the constructive polarization that can arise as diverse participants deliberate on potential paths forward.
So how can bridge-builders support one another and the communities with which they engage to show up to the table consistently and fully as we work toward a just, inclusive, pluralistic democracy? What does it mean to model pluralism in a way that centers our common humanity, fairness, and justice? U.S. bridge-builders, organizers, and activists are not alone as they seek to address these challenging questions. With the global rise of exclusionary, autocratic extremism, there’s a lot we can learn from fellow practitioners around the world, and there’s a lot we can gain from global solidarity.
The Horizons Project and Othering & Belonging Institute hosted a deep dive dialogue that explored these key questions and learnings from U.S. and global practitioners as part of the 2023 National Week of Conversation. Speakers will include:

john a. powell, Director, Othering & Belonging Institute
Míriam Juan-Torres González, Head of Research, Democracy & Belonging Forum, Othering & Belonging Institute; Senior Advisor, More in Common
Julia Roig, Chief Network Weaver, Horizons Project (moderator)

Mediation for Movements: Managing Intra-Movement Conflict
2024-04-16 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Halifax) | online
Co-Hosted by The Horizons Project and the Global Grassroots Support Network
See clips from the event and resource here. See the whole conversation here.
The Intermestic (international-domestic) Learning Series aims to:

Strengthen relationships among activists, organizers, peacebuilders, and democracy practitioners across the globe;
Facilitate opportunities for cross-border learning around strategies and tactics for pushing back against authoritarianism and advancing diverse, just, and inclusive democracy; and
Build solidarity and explore opportunities for connection within a broader global movement to counter authoritarianism and reimagine democracy.

This series is a Democracy Resource Hub collaboration.*
Background
Pushing back against authoritarianism requires broad-based organizing efforts that can build power by mobilizing large, diverse groups of people. However, bringing people together from different backgrounds, communities, and geographies also means managing diverse needs, concerns, interests, and theories of change. This can lead to frustration, tension, and even conflict when movement members are not aligned on how to prioritize work with limited resources and capacity. For example, while some movement members may want to focus on addressing urgent threats and harm, others may believe that prioritizing work that actualizes our long-term vision for democracy is more important to fully address the threats and prevent the harm from happening. So how can movements manage tension and disagreement about which tactics and approaches to use based on different understandings of the larger problem? What can they do when parts of the movement want to focus on healing and moving forward while others assert that justice and accountability must come first? What to do when some groups refuse to join the same coalitions as others because it can be seen as compromising their principles? Or even how to address internal power struggles?
Movement organizers and scholars from South Africa, India, and the US explored how movements can manage internal conflict when it inevitably arises as they seek to build broad-based pro-democracy coalitions of active, passive, and unlikely allies.
Key Questions

What are the most common internal tensions that arise within broad-based movements or coalitions?
How have movements addressed and managed these internal tensions?
What lessons can be drawn from these experiences?

Speakers
Welcome: Maria J. Stephan, The Horizons Project, US
Panel:

Zelda Holtzman, formerly of Tshisimani Centre for Activist Education, South Africa
Ruhie Kumar, Heatwave Action Coalition, India
Wendy Wood, The Karuna Center, US
Lisa Schirch, Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame, US
Tabatha Pilgrim Thompson, The Horizons Project, US (moderator)

* The Democracy Resource Hub, is a collaborative effort supported by the 22nd Century Initiative, United Vision Idaho, the SHIFT Action Lab, and the Horizons Project. It is hosted by the Commons Social Change Library. For more information and to access a wealth of learning resources to complement these learning exchanges, visit the Democracy Resource Hub.

Organizing in Increasingly Repressive Environments: Pushing Against Criminalization
2024-06-20 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Halifax)
With the global rise of authoritarianism, civil society is experiencing an unprecedented crack down around the world. Drawing from the experiences of organizations in Florida, Brazil, and Nicaragua, the conversation explored the challenges and opportunities of organizing in contexts where freedom of expression and assembly are severely restricted. Key questions addressed include: What tactics have proven effective in mobilizing communities under repressive regimes? How can organizers and civil society leaders navigate surveillance and crackdowns while still building momentum for change? How can civil society organizations monitor and be prepared for increasingly repressive attacks? This webinar dove into practical examples of strategies to organize and change in the most challenging environments. Participants gain valuable insights into spotting dangers, sustaining momentum, and building resilience in the face of adversity.
Speakers:

Saskia Brechenmacher, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and author of Defending Civic Space in the United States: Lessons Learned Around the World
Dwight Bullard, Florida Rising
Julia Mello Neiva, Conectas (Brazil)
Felix Maradiaga, Nicaraguan Academic and Political Activist

Commentator/moderator:

Scot Nakagawa, 22nd Century Initiative
Maria Stephan, The Horizons Project

Watch Recoring Here

Defending Democracy with Humor and Dilemma Actions Tactics
2024-10-28 12:00 - 13:30 (America/Halifax)
Successful broad-based, pro-democracy fronts often rely on a range of tactics and strategies to engage more people in their cause. One particularly powerful approach is the use of dilemma actions, which place authoritarian regimes in a bind where any response they make will either backfire or highlight the absurdity of their oppression. By combining such tactics with creative use of humor, these movements can magnify their impact. Humor, when paired with dilemma actions, does not just entertain—it can expose the contradictions of tyranny in a way that leaves regimes struggling to respond without losing legitimacy.
Movements worldwide have used jokes, memes, and comedic videos not only to raise awareness but also to create situations where authoritarian figures are forced to react to ridicule. This strategic use of humor can catch people off guard, sparking dialogue and inviting more open-minded discussions about serious issues. It also plays a crucial role in building a sense of agency within individuals and the movement, shifting power dynamics by turning the symbols of oppression against their wielders. So, how can a pro-democracy movement leverage both humor and dilemma actions to attract more people to its cause? What kinds of humor resonate with different audiences, and how can these actions be employed to corner regimes in ways that expose their weaknesses? How can these tactics be used in the US context?
Movement organizers and scholars from Serbia, Zimbabwe, and the United States, explored how pro-democracy movements can use humor, dilemma actions, and other creative tactics to upend power imbalances, inspire agency, and foster a resilient, sustainable coalition. Learn from global experiences on the effective use of these strategies in defending democracy.
Panelists include:

Sophia McClennen (USA) – Director of the Center for Global Studies, and Professor of International Affairs and Comparative Literature at Pennsylvania State University.
Khumbulani Maphosa (Zimbabwe) – Director of the Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights
Ivan Marovic (Serbia) – International Center on Nonviolent Conflict
Pedro Silva (USA) – Founder of The Liberation Comedy Project
David Purdue (USA) – Activist and Comedian
Moderator: Xochilt Hernandez (Organizing Fellow at Horizons Project)

If you missed the event, go here for a recording of the event.

Resilience and Post-election Management
2024-12-03 13:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual
In the aftermath of elections, whether they bring victory, disappointment, or controversy, movements promoting democracy and human rights often face critical challenges in sustaining momentum and navigating political realities. This webinar brings together trainers and seasoned practitioners from the United States and Zimbabwe to share insights, strategies, and lessons learned from managing movements during the crucial post-election period. With a focus on resilience, care, innovation, and solidarity, this discussion will explore how movements can adapt to shifting landscapes, attract new people, and build resilience for the long-term movement work needed to push for systemic change.
Our panelists will address pivotal questions central to post-election movement management. How can movements maintain momentum and sustain public engagement once the immediate focus of the election fades? What measures can be taken to protect activists from burnout in politically volatile environments, while building resilience? How can movements effectively transform short-term campaigns into enduring efforts, and adapt to electoral outcomes? Drawing on real-world experiences, speakers will provide actionable insights into these critical areas, helping attendees navigate the complexities of post-election advocacy.
Whether you are an organizer, bridgebuilder, civil society leader, or simply interested in the resilience of democratic movements, this webinar offers an invaluable opportunity to gain actionable insights. Join us to learn from experienced leaders, engage in a dynamic discussion, and deepen your understanding of how to build enduring movements that thrive beyond election cycles.
Panelists include:

Evan Mawarire – Zimbabwean activist and Senior Fellow at Renew Democracy Initiative
Andre Henry – US-American Singer-Songwriter, Author, and Community Organizer
Isabella Cuomo – Trainer and Head Researcher at the Center for Applied Nonviolent Actions and Strategies

How we can Block, Bridge, and Build our Democratic Future Together
2025-01-15 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
As part of the 2025 National Days of Dialogue, we hosted a session entitled, “How We Can Block, Bridge, and Build Our Democratic Future Together”, the recording of which can be found here.
This session is a born of our current moment in history that requires us to develop new organizing modalities where dialogue is complementary with other approaches. Civic actors have to come together to block the threats we are facing to our democratic values, we need to bridge across differences to foster broad-based movements with the widest participation, and we have to build together the future we want to live in our communities and our nation. As we seek to work towards belonging for all, protect democracy, and combat authoritarian trends, civic actors have to be and do several things at once: in this session we explored together the many paradoxes of being both in resistance mode while also being restorative. How we stay future-oriented and hopeful while acknowledging and redressing past and current harms? In conversation together, we interrogated these seeming tensions and investigated how we can wrestle in practice with these paradoxes, allowing us to move forward together with the broadest participation possible along many lines of difference.

Militarization of Our Communities: What Business Can Do in Response
2025-12-11 12:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual
Business Briefing on Federal Deployments: Know Your Rights and Options
Charlotte, Portland, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Memphis, Chicago….
Is Your Community Next?
REGISTER

Join us on December 11th, 2025, at 12 PM EST, for a live, virtual briefing co-hosted by American Sustainable Business Network, West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative, The Horizons Project, National Security Leaders for America, Secure Growth Initiative, and the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce, to help business leaders understand the economic and rule of law implications of National Guard deployment and Border Control & ICE actions in their communities. Such activities have a negative impact on a city’s economic vitality and residents’ sense of security. The Posse Comitatus Act generally prohibits the military from engaging in civilian law enforcement, with few exceptions.
This briefing will provide non-partisan facts and offer insights into how businesses can respond. Speakers include former military leaders experienced in civil-military affairs, business leaders, and attorneys.
What you’ll learn:

The legal authorities under which National Guard troops can be deployed.
What business leaders can expect during a deployment.
Economic impacts on businesses of militarizing our cities and communities.
Legal options for businesses to respond to ICE actions, including how to protect your workforce.
Status of federal and state lawsuits challenging Guard deployments and ICE activities.

Speakers:

Steven Dyme, CEO, Flowers for Dreams (Chicago)
Christopher Purdy, President, The Chamberlain Network, former Army National Guard
Daniel Schwartz, Advisor, National Security Leaders for America, Senior Counsel, BCLP LLP and former general counsel at the National Security Agency
Jonathan Grode, Managing Partner, Immigration, Green & Spiegel LLP

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The Risks That Crony Capitalism Poses to Our Democracy
2026-01-20 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
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A conversation for business leaders on how crony capitalism under the Trump administration distorts markets, undermines fair competition, erodes public trust in democratic institutions, and what can be done to counter it.
Once heralded as the world’s leading free-market economy, the United States is increasingly facing criticism over what many see as a new era of corruption and crony capitalism. Recent examples of self-dealing by administration officials and family members, along with selective regulatory enforcement, pardons to donors, mercurial tariff policies, and direct government involvement in private companies are fueling concerns across the political spectrum that the playing field is tilted toward those aligned with the president. Those in the private sector willing to use their financial resources to curry favor with the White House only make matters worse.
Crony capitalism is a system in which political power and private enterprise become entangled, and proximity to those in power matters more than merit or market performance. It is an amoral, principles-free, transactional approach to governance that prioritizes personal or political gain over the public interest. While the United States has never been immune to cronyism, we are in a new era where political favoritism, not innovation, determines success.
Cronyism imposes real costs on small and medium-sized enterprises, which find themselves competing on an uneven playing field. When the federal government opaquely selects “winners”, it disadvantages competitors—particularly startups and smaller firms that lack political access. Empirical evidence consistently shows that countries with higher levels of corruption experience weaker economic growth and greater market volatility. While safeguards against such practices exist in U.S. law and custom, oversight procedures and ethics norms are being disregarded.
Speakers:

Thomas Berry, Director of Constitutional Studies, Cato Institute
Jeff Smulyan, Chief Executive Officer, Emmis Corporation
Elizabeth Doty, Executive Director, Third Side Strategies
Robert Maguire, Vice President for Research and Data, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Richard Eidlin, Business Pillar Consultant, the Horizons Project

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Horizons’ Maria J. Stephan Talks Strategic Nonviolent Action with Stephen Colbert on The Late Show
2026-01-22 23:35 - 2026-01-23 00:30 UTC
WATCH ON CBS
At a moment when American democracy is under threat and political violence and authoritarianism are on the rise, people and groups around the country are turning to strategic nonviolent action. From walkouts to boycotts to organizing networks of community care, there is a growing call for everyday Americans to drop their support from harmful authoritarian policies and fight for something better.
Horizons’ Maria J. Stephan will explain what nonviolent action is, why it works, and how to take part in this growing broad-front pro-democracy movement.
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Dr. Maria J. Stephan is the Co-lead & Chief Organizer at the Horizons Project, an initiative focused on strengthening connections and collective action among US pro-democracy movements and sectors. Maria is an award-winning author and organizer whose work has focused on the role of nonviolent movements advancing human rights, democracy, and peace. She co-wrote (with Erica Chenoweth) Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict, which received the American Political Science Association’s award for the best book published in political science in 2012, and the Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order.
