Month: October 2025

The documentary Dam/age portrays the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), a grassroots movement opposing the construction of large dams in India’s Narmada Valley. The goal of the movement was to halt or delay projects that threatened to displace millions of marginalized people while reframing “development” as a site of injustice. Arundhati Roy’s narration adds another layer: questioning not only the dams but also the legitimacy of the Indian Supreme Court and international institutions like the World Bank.

The NBA’s strategies reflect what Nepstad (2015) calls both principled and pragmatic nonviolence. On one hand, Gandhian traditions of satyagraha informed hunger strikes, marches, and standing in rising waters. On the other hand, pragmatic calculations guided legal petitions, media outreach, and international solidarity, reflecting Sharp’s (1973) idea of targeting a regime’s “pillars of support.” For example, the World Bank withdrew funding under pressure, weakening elite consensus behind the dam projects.

The film highlights tactics of both obstructive and constructive non-violence. Obstructive tactics included blockades, sit-ins, and the physical refusal to vacate villages as waters rose. Constructive tactics included building alliances across rural and urban spaces, linking villagers with activists, lawyers, and international NGOs. Roy’s writing functions as what Nepstad (2015) would call a symbolic action, reshaping the narrative of what counts as violence: deprivation of land and livelihood is framed as structural violence, even if no bullets are fired.

The effectiveness of these actions was mixed. The NBA delayed dam projects for years and secured temporary stays in court, demonstrating what Nepstad terms accommodation, i.e. concessions without full regime conversion. Yet the dams were ultimately completed, underscoring Chenoweth & Stephan’s (2011) finding that nonviolent campaigns succeed most when they mobilize sustained, mass participation across society. The NBA succeeded in exposing injustice but struggled to translate moral legitimacy into structural change.

As a teaching tool, Dam/age is invaluable. It broadens the conversation beyond regime change to show how nonviolence confronts structural violence tied to development and globalization. By connecting Sharp’s (1973) “pillars of support” and Nepstad’s (2015) mechanisms of change to a Global South case, the film shows students that nonviolence is not only about elections or independence struggles, but also about resisting economic injustice through creative, nonviolent means.

References

Chenoweth, E., & Stephan, M. J. (2011). Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict. Columbia University Press.

Nepstad, S. E. (2015). Nonviolent Struggle: Theories, Strategies, and Dynamics. Oxford University Press.

Sharp, G. (1973). The politics of nonviolent action. Boston : P. Sargent Publisher.

Review by Sabrina Nichol

The documentary Sudan, Remember Us, written and directed by Hind Meddeb, follows the determination of young activists in the country’s capital Khartoum as they peacefully resist President Omar al-Bashir’s authoritarian regime and demand a civilian-led government. In the midst of political repression, systemic corruption, economic collapse, and military violence, the film captures the essence of a nonviolent revolution. It begins during the 57-day sit-in at Sudan’s Army Headquarters in April 2019, a pivotal moment in the movements fight for a democratic government. The peaceful demonstrations, filled with chanting, music, and art, and people sharing meals, were met with violence as the military attacked on the last night of Ramadan. As protests intensified, Bashir was removed from power in April 2019, and the government was subsequently led by a Prime Minister selected by civilian groups with a joint civilian-military transitional government. The power sharing agreement dissolved after a military coup in October 2021. Although the films ending confronts the audience with the harsh current state of Sudan, and the vast humanitarian crisis civilians continue to face, it also brings light to the fortitude of civilians who continue to fight for freedom, peace, and a civilian-led government.

The film captures various forms of nonviolent action and civil disobedience used by Sudanese civilians. From December 2018 to April 2019, mass protests and sit-ins successfully led to the removal of President Omar al-Bashir from power. Demonstrators also engaged in more subtle daily acts of resistance, such as reporting to work to avoid being fired, but refusing to perform any tasks, and limiting purchases to only necessary items as an economic protest. Following the military coup, the demonstrations continued. People painted murals to honor those killed by the military or those who had disappeared, presumably arrested. One may find messages like, “When the dictator falls, we will be back.”, across city walls. A group of women united by their fight for a just future share politically driven poetry expressing their struggles. Art can be a safer yet effective way for civilians to resist, reclaim public spaces, build solidarity, and give a voice to the marginalized in Sudan. All these acts embody the strength of the Sudanese people and their continuous pursuit for a democratic future. I feel that the film effectively portrays a range of nonviolent methods, each with varying levels of risks, and offers valuable insight into their impact in the face of a repressive authoritarian regime and an ongoing humanitarian crisis.