Albert Einstein Institution

10/08/2026

New in Journal of Democracy: From Burma to Belarus, one question keeps surfacing: Does nonviolent action still work? Authors Jamila Raqib and Breza Race Maksimovic argue that the theory hasn’t failed, but rather that the field has fallen behind. Authoritarian regimes have modernized repression while movements have reduced strategic nonviolent struggle to street protest, mistaking visibility for leverage. That gap helps explain why organizers facing lethal repression have turned to arms, even though nonviolent campaigns still outperform violent ones. The authors also challenge how success gets measured: Leader-centric, single-cycle standards obscure real gains. What the field needs now isn’t new doctrine but investment in countering smart repression, rebuilding noncooperation, and sharing lessons across movements.

Mass movements topple dictators but struggle to secure democracy afterward. The theory of nonviolent struggle is not broken; it is out of date. Regimes have adapted their repression—movements must now…

08/18/2026

Political power can seem solid and permanent, but it’s actually quite fragile. What actually keeps it in place?

Our new Understanding Power in Nonviolent Struggle chapter on training.aeinstein.org explores a simple but powerful idea: political power depends on the continued cooperation and obedience of people and institutions. Understanding that relationship can change how we think about conflict.

Explore the new learning platform at training.aeinstein.org.

07/27/2026

What makes nonviolent action effective? This short video from the Albert Einstein Institution explores the principles behind one of the world's most powerful means of creating change.

🎥 The Effectiveness of Nonviolent Action
training.aeinstein.org

07/23/2026

Nonviolent action is not simply "being peaceful." It's a type of action. A strategy. A form of power. Our first training video explores what nonviolent action really is, and why understanding it matters. Start learning today: training.aeinstein.org

07/03/2026

This month, the Albert Einstein Institution launches a new People-Powered Training Platform.

07/02/2026

Around the world, people are fighting for freedom, justice, and democracy.

Communities are organizing and mobilizing in every corner of our globe to defend their rights and challenge oppression of all kinds. But while today's movements face increasingly sophisticated opponents and new means of repression, they often lack access to practical knowledge and training on nonviolent action that can help them build and use power effectively.

That's why the Albert Einstein Institution is excited to launch the People-Powered Training Platform.

This new online platform provides free in-depth courses on various aspects of nonviolent action, including strategic planning, repression and nonviolent discipline, community wellness, democratic transitions, and more. It's designed not only for individual learners, but also for groups that want to learn together or hold trainings in their communities.

There is no universal blueprint for nonviolent struggle - movements are experimenting and adapting. Our goal is simply to make decades of research, historical and contemporary experience, and practical knowledge more accessible to them as they find their own paths.

The platform is free and available to anyone, anywhere.

Visit https://training.aeinstein.org to explore the courses, share them with your networks, and help strengthen the infrastructure for people-powered change.

Please help spread the word by sharing this post.

07/01/2026

"One of the most historically significant nonviolent struggles in the world took place right here in this country, long before the Civil Rights Movement. It is fitting that we speak about this important case as our country celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year."

In the years leading up to the American Revolution, the colonists conducted a massive nonviolent struggle that achieved de facto independence from the British.

06/30/2026

"America’s struggle for independence and the role of nonviolent action. How de facto independence was achieved before the outbreak of violence."

How de facto independence was achieved before the outbreak of violence.

06/05/2026

"The work of Gene Sharp stands apart in the field of nonviolent theory for one central reason: his understanding of power. For Sharp, justice, equality, freedom and any meaningful form of democracy do not exist simply as ideals or constitutional rights. They exist only when power is actually dispersed throughout society — embedded in the daily practices, institutions and relationships of ordinary people. Without that dispersion, democracy is little more than a substanceless claim."

When movements are at their most powerful, they not only withdraw cooperation from unjust systems, but build the capacity to live without them.

05/28/2026

"In the years leading up to the American Revolution, the colonists conducted a massive nonviolent struggle that achieved de facto independence from the British."

AEI's Jamila Raqib's latest for Waging Nonviolence

In the years leading up to the American Revolution, the colonists conducted a massive nonviolent struggle that achieved de facto independence from the British.