Protest and the Problem of Credibility: Uses of Knowledge and Risk-Taking in the Draft Resistance Movement of the 1960's

Abstract

In order to expand their base in society, protest movements must establish credibility with potential recruits and allies. This dimension of protest strategies is explored through a case study drawn from participant observation in the draft resistance movement in Boston in 1968-69. The strategies of two different Resistance groups are compared: draft counseling, or the offering of expert knowledge to outsiders; and non-cooperation with the draft, a strategy based on risk-taking. These strategies involved different methods of gaining access to and credibility with outsiders; overall, they embodied contrasting styles of persuasion. The service aspect of draft counseling involved minimizing differences between movement members and outsiders, while non-cooperation was tied to a more polarizing approach to persuasion. Comparison of these two strategies and their implicit strains highlights a dilemma many protest movements have experienced: to gain legitimacy involved the risk of compromising the movement's political goals, but staying true to the group's differences with the existing culture may limit the movement's effectiveness.