tactical mapping
TRANSCRIPT
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics in Human Rights Project
www.newtactics.org
Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory.
Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
More than 2,000 years ago, Sun Tzu—(the Art of War) taught:
• Planning without action is futile
• Action without planning can be fatal
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
Why talk about 'strategy' and 'tactics'?
Strategy defines what is important to do.
Tactics embody how to do it.
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
KnowYourself
From Sun Tzu —the Art of War
Know YourAdversary
Know theTerrain
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
Tactical Mapping is a way to better understand your “terrain”
What is tactical mapping?
Why should I use this tool?
How do I make a tactical map?
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
What is tactical mapping?
A method to:
visualize relationships and institutions (the terrain) sustaining human rights abuses
track the nature and potency of tactics
monitor the implementation of strategy
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
Because our efforts to combat abuses are often
uncoordinated
use relatively few tactics
affect very narrow parts of the systems
Why did we develop the Tactical Map tool?
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
Tactical mapping helps you to find and explore:
Key relationships which need to be affected.
Tactics currently at play.
Key relationships or social groups that are unaffected by current tactics.
What allies could be engaged for a more comprehensive and effective strategy.
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
How do I make a tactical map
?
Resources needed to create a tactical map?
You don't need any fancy resources to make a tactical map.
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
Tactical map ingredients?
Victim Family Advocate Lawyers
Torturer
1st Level
A center relationship, Other relationships and institutions Connecting lines Tactic targets
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
How do I make a tactical map?Center relationship: Determine the relationship you seek to change or disrupt.
Questions to ask yourself to help find this center relationship from an 'issue':
Are you trying to prevent or stop an abuse? What is the barrier of the person in the center of your issue?
Who is in their way?
What is the “smallest level”of relationship you are
seeking to change?
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
Center relationship
How do I make a tactical map?Relationships and institutions: Brainstorm together – think of all the people that are closely connected
to the two people in the center relationship. These are people that have 'face-to-face time' with the two in the
center. (Family, friends, boss, coworkers, classmates, etc)
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
ProfessionalAssociations
Education &TrainingSystems
JudicialSystem
GovernmentInstitutions,
bodies available, etc.
Victim-relatedFamily, organizations,Community of faith,
work, etc.
How do I make a tactical map?Other relationships and institutions: Identify people that may or may not be as closely connected to
the center relationship. For example - this level might include national level of actors.
Non-Governmentbusiness, media,
civil society, religiousbodies
Center relationship
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
United Nations Committees &
Monitoring Bodies
InternationalProfessionalAssociations
InternationalNGOs,
Trade Unions, Religious
organizations, etc.
How do I make a tactical map?More relationships and institutions: Identify international relationships that impact the core that may or
may not have direct contact.
International Economic Bodies
IMF, WB, WTO, Regional Bodies(e.g., EU, ASEAN)Private businessFoundations, etc
Center Relationship
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
How do I make a tactical map?Where do YOU fit in the terrain? Put yourself – your organization – on the map. Where do you fit? Who are you and your colleagues connected to?
Center Relationship
YOU!
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
How do I make a tactical map?
RED line Power relationshipBLUE line Mutual benefitsGREEN line Exploitive relationshipGREY line Potential relationshipYellow line Conflict relationshipLight BLUE line --- Tactic target
Center Relationship
YOU!
Connecting lines: Determine the NATURE of relationships between the different “nodes” by
color-coding lines and arrows.
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
Victim Family Advocate Lawyers
Torturer
EXAMPLE
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project
How do I make a tactical map?
Center Relationship
YOU!Tactic 1
Tactic 2
Tactic Targets: Identify your targets and brainstorm appropriate tactics to each target. (Looking for tactic ideas? Check out our online Tactics Database on
www.newtactics.org)
The Center for Victims of Torture—New Tactics Project