Fletcher Summer Institute for the Advanced Study of Nonviolent Conflict
The Fletcher Summer Institute for the Advanced Study of Nonviolent Conflict (FSI) is the leading professional education program in the world focusing on the advanced, interdisciplinary study of civil resistance.
Civil resistance campaigns for rights, freedom, and justice are capturing the world’s attention as never before. Nonviolent campaigns against corruption in countries such as Guatemala, Moldova, and Cambodia; against dictatorship in Burkina Faso; to protect democracy in Hong Kong; for police accountability in the United States; for indigenous rights in Latin America; and for women’s rights in India are all examples in recent years of a profound global shift in how political power is developed and applied.
Since 2006, more than 450 participants from nearly 100 countries have gathered at FSI to learn and share knowledge. The program is taught by leading international scholars, practitioners, organizers and activists from past and current struggles. It provides both a firm academic grasp of the subject of civil resistance as well as a practical understanding of the use of nonviolent struggle in a variety of conflicts for a wide range of goals.
Organized by the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC) in conjunction with the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, the program offers a certificate in the Advanced Study of Nonviolent Conflict.
Some Topics Covered at FSI
FSI is dedicated to improving knowledge of how grassroots civil resistance movements form, organize, strategize, mobilize, build coalitions, communicate, select tactics, negotiate, and create change. Diverse movements for diverse causes are discussed, and complex issues such as the role of external actors in supporting or suppressing civil resistance, civil resistance movements and the challenges of democratic transitions, and strategies that movements use to respond to violent repression and armed insurgency are also addressed.
The aim of FSI is to increase understanding of civil resistance so that participants can integrate that knowledge into how they do their professional work. International professionals will come away with a better understanding of how civil resistance movements function and the dynamics of nonviolent power and change. Journalists will obtain a better understanding of how to analyze and cover civil resistance movements. Civil society leaders and other practitioners will acquire rich ideas about strategy, tactics, communications and a variety of other areas that movements must consider. Educators will discover new ideas about how to teach and share knowledge about civil resistance. All participants will come away with new information about case studies, comparative analyses, and the global scope of civil resistance taking place in the world today.
In addition to the knowledge imparted through the various presentations during the week, a great deal of knowledge is contributed by FSI participants, who are expected to actively share their experience, perspectives, and ideas to enrich the discussions. Historically, FSI has been a place where interdisciplinary learning, creativity, networking and new friendships have flourished.
Who Should Apply?
As interest in this field has increased globally over the last decade and word of FSI has spread, entry into FSI has become an increasingly selective and competitive process.
Strong FSI applicants are engaged in work that is related and relevant to the field of civil resistance. In the past, FSI has included activists and grassroots organizers; members of civil society organizations; professionals in intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations; journalists; and others who are either directly in contact with, or whose work would benefit from a stronger analytical understanding of, civil resistance campaigns and movements.
In addition, all FSI applicants must be fluent in written and spoken English. All program activities will be conducted in English, and there is a considerable amount of discussion and dialogue throughout the week. No translation services will be available.
Expectations for Participants
Duration: Round trip travel to Boston, Massachusetts, USA is required in order to participate in FSI, which will be held from June 19 to 24, 2016. Participants are expected to arrive in Boston no later than 2:00pm on June 19 and attend the entire program through the night of June 24. Therefore, FSI participants depart Boston on June 25.
Participation and attendance: We find that people get out of FSI what they put into it, and so we expect people to come to FSI ready to work hard, participate fully, and share their thoughts in sessions throughout the week. Most days are full from 9am all the way through to an evening program, and all participants are expected to attend all programmed activities during the week.
Online preparation: The FSI experience includes a required online component that runs for about two weeks before everyone convenes in Boston from June 19-24. The online component is designed to familiarize participants with fundamental concepts of civil resistance. It also is an opportunity for participants to get to know one another before the week of FSI in Boston. Applicants should expect to make a time commitment of approximately 5-10 hours per week for the online learning portion of FSI during these two weeks prior to FSI.
Costs: Participants or their sponsoring organizations are expected to pay for roundtrip travel to/from Boston, Massachusetts, USA as well as a FSI registration fee (explained in the next section). Scholarships can be applied for to cover either or both of these expenses if applicants do not have the funds to do so, and this can be done in the process of filling out the FSI application.
Costs and Scholarships
Budget Registration fee
| $0* - $100,000 USD | $500 USD |
| $100,000 - $500,000 USD | $1000 USD |
| $500,000 – $1 million USD | $1500 USD |
| $1 million USD + | $2000 USD |
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
https://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/index.php/learning-and-resources/educational-initiatives/fletcher-summer-institute