Missing in action: essential context in the Israeli attack on Gazaby Ian SinclairMorning Star16 January 2024 “Most studies carried out prior to the current fighting in Gaza… have repeatedly found that it is the Israeli perspective that is favoured” in broadcast news coverage, Greg Philo and Mike Berry from the Glasgow Media Group recently noted […]
Combatting the zombie myths about nonviolent struggleby Ian SinclairMorning Star28 November 2023 There is widespread ignorance on the Left about what is called civil resistance (AKA nonviolent struggle). Let’s start with first principles. In her essential 2021 book Civil Resistance: What Everyone Needs To Know, Harvard University’s Professor Erica Chenoweth defines civil resistance as “a […]
Never forget: grassroots protest is a crucial driver in securing positive changeby Ian SinclairMorning Star16 October 2023 The mainstream political culture – from the media to politicians to academia – often has a hard time recognising the decisive role of grassroots activism and protest in securing political change. For example, last month the Guardian reported […]
Book review: Waging A Good War: A Military History of the Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1968 by Thomas E. Ricks.by Ian SinclairPeace NewsApril-May 2023 A long-time war correspondent with the Washington Post, journalist Thomas E. Ricks has turned his attention to the American civil rights movement. Why? ‘The overall strategic thinking that went into the Movement, […]
Research for the Revolution: Interview with James Ozdenby Ian SinclairMorning Star8-9 April 2023 Set up in 2022, according to its website the Social Change Lab “conducts and disseminates social movement research to help solve the world’s most pressing problems”, with a particular interest in environmental protest. This research, it hopes, will “inform advocates, decision-makers and […]
Did the US and Britain invade Iraq to spread democracy?by Ian SinclairMorning Star8 March 2023 A little late to the party, I recently watched Once Upon A Time In Iraq, the BBC’s 2020 five-part documentary series about the US-British invasion and occupation of the Middle East nation. During the episode about the capture of Iraqi […]
Book review: Legacy of Violence: A History of the British Empire by Caroline Elkinsby Ian SinclairPeace NewsFebruary-March 2003 At 875 pages, including a 50-page bibliography and 90 pages of references, this is a huge tome, and a serious investment of time. Those looking for a much shorter primer covering much of the same ground may […]
Book review. Civil Resistance: What Everyone Needs to Know by Erica Chenowethby Ian SinclairPeace NewsFebruary-March 2022 Nonviolent resistance campaigns have been twice as successful as violent campaigns in achieving their objectives. That was the conclusion of Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan’s Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict, making it a seminal book […]
Was Mahatma Gandhi a Coward, Who Preached Non-violent Struggle Against the British Due to His Cowardice? India was attacked by Mahmud of Gazani in the 11th century. He attacked 17 times. The last time was in 1025. He robbed Somnath Mandir and carried its wealth to his own country. But none of the Hindu rulers could stop him. Later, Gori[Read More...]
Why the UK Left is wrong to be so dismissive of non-violent struggleby Ian SinclairOpen Democracy20 November 2021 Non-violence is under attack. Many influential figures on the Left in the UK dismiss, misrepresent or ignore the concept of non-violent struggle, also known as civil resistance. Indeed, two books have recently been published that explicitly criticise […]
