Promoting defections through non-violent resistance tactics - the case of the Syrian uprising

While the contribution of military defections to the success of non-violent struggles has received significant attention in Non-violent Resistance (NVR) literature, little has been said about the ethical challenges involved in promoting defection through non-violent tactics. Looking into the incidents of the Syrian uprising, this article examines the practical and ethical aspects of the tactics that NVR activists adopt to promote defections and argues that some of these tactics might raise challenges that undermine their contribution to NVR. The costs for defectors might undercut protesters’ ability to encourage defections, and the probability that defectors will resort to an armed revolt undermines the chances of success of NVR campaigns. This article suggests that promoting defections is more likely to be effective when NVR actionists mitigate the costs for defectors by protecting them and their families after they defect. In doing so, activists could reduce the chances of defectors turning to violence and improve NVR’s chances of success.