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Civil resistance

Self-contained introduction

Civil resistanceCollective actionRegimes & backsliding

Civil resistance, institutional dependencies & repression

The Repression Trap

The streets are full. Why is the president still in power?

Lead a movement through five decisions about rallies, workplace refusals, repression and political offers. Track whose cooperation changes, sustain participants, and test the same move under a different outside-backing package. A promise, a leader’s departure and democracy are different outcomes.

How it runsSolo simulation
Time to plan45–65 active min · planning estimate
What you produceField report with forecasts, first explanations, revisions, a changed-setting comparison and a transfer argument
Just exploring Written notes optionalStart for class Complete the required responses

The same political choices in both routes. You can switch inside without starting over. For class asks you to complete any missing required responses. Save a report in either route; your instructor decides what to accept.

For class: download your report when you finish, then submit it through your course website. Downloading does not submit it.

Choose Save + pause to keep a checkpoint in this browser. Autosave is optional. Download a progress JSON before changing devices or websites; a readable report does not restore progress.

Saving & submission →
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The Repression Trap. Created by Yoav Duman. A fictional harbor city, workers and a crowd connected to government institutions by red threads.
Civil resistance

What you can explore

  • Distinguish public attention, movement endurance and enacted institutional noncooperation.
  • Trace an actor, a dependency and a behavioral change while accounting for unequal costs.
  • Explain contingent responses to repression and the scope of a one-episode support-package comparison.
  • Separate promises, verified gains, leadership turnover, a negotiating opening and democracy.

YOUR CAMPAIGN FIELD KIT

Keep the reasoning.

Play online or download the self-contained game and teaching materials. Your first explanations and later revisions stay distinct.

Browser saves are separate on each website. Use a progress JSON to transfer your work. Exporting a report does not submit it.

What the model leaves open

Lydora, its events, people, indices and numerical relationships are invented. The replay switches a support package, not treasury finance alone. Reach combines attention and relationships. This short domestic scenario is not a model of occupation. Timing and learning effects require classroom piloting.

AFTERWARD, THINK ABOUT

Which institution changed what it did, and whose cooperation mattered?

Teaching this activity Debrief, assessment & assignment draft

Bring it back to the room

  • Which institution changed what it did, and whose cooperation mattered?
  • When did greater attention leave pressure unchanged, or a useful response coexist with a net loss?
  • What did the changed-setting replay hold fixed, and which components remain inseparable?
  • What was implemented or remains unconfirmed, and what would test a rival explanation?

What to assess

Assess the actor-dependency mechanism, specific evidence and its status, costs, a plausible rival with discriminating evidence, thoughtful revision and transfer. The writing-first report retains all original evidence and revisions. A favorable political ending and completion word floors are not learning grades.

Read the complete teaching guide →

Syllabus description, rubric & printable companion →

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Syllabus description & discussion prompts
Syllabus description
Lead a movement through five decisions about rallies, workplace refusals, repression and political offers. Track whose cooperation changes, sustain participants, and test the same move under a different outside-backing package. A promise, a leader’s departure and democracy are different outcomes. Students produce field report with forecasts, first explanations, revisions, a changed-setting comparison and a transfer argument.
Questions for a discussion board or class debrief
  1. Which institution changed what it did, and whose cooperation mattered?
  2. When did greater attention leave pressure unchanged, or a useful response coexist with a net loss?
  3. What did the changed-setting replay hold fixed, and which components remain inseparable?
  4. What was implemented or remains unconfirmed, and what would test a rival explanation?
Open printable teaching companion →