“A good tactic is one that your people enjoy. If your people are not having a ball doing it, there is something very wrong with the tactic.”
Saul Alinsky (Rules for Radicals, p.94)
This page contains a list of various tactics that activists use to make change happen. Note that you do not have to choose one particular tactic. The most successful movements use a combination of tactics and allow people to contribute to the cause in their own way.
Many of the tactics below require you to assemble large numbers of people. Make sure to check out our chapter on getting organised to find out more about this topic.
¶ Protests
Protesting is great way to attract the attention of the public, either by gathering a large crowd or by doing something out of the ordinary.
Topics: March | Flash mob | Occupation | Direct action | Human banner | Cacerolazo | Hunger strike | Banner drop | Citizen's arrest | Distributed action | Hoax | Lamentation (mourning)
¶ Creative
Activism can be beautiful. By using creative tactics you can make your movement stand out from the crowd.
Topics: Posters | Stickers | Stamps | Film | Photography | Art | Theatre | Music | Artistic vigil
¶ Digital
There are many ways of digital activism. Some of them include sharing pictures and stories, building a network or sharing a certain hashtag, getting as many people as possible to sign a petition.
Topics: Petitions | Hacktivism
¶ Informational
Sometimes having a conversation is better than shouting slogans. Informational tactics are there to start a public debate about certain topics, in the hope that the outcome of the debate will lead to societal change.
Topics: Education | Canvassing | Hosting a talk or debate | Journalism | Whistleblowing | Blogging | Novels
¶ Institutional
By joining existing institutions one can make change happen from within. Institutional tactics create societal change while following the rules of the existing system.
Topics: Voting | Running for office | Judicial | Corporate
¶ Financial
At Activist Handbook, we are mostly concerned with empowering people.
Topics: Boycott | Divestment | Shareholder