NEW TACTICS – TACTICAL MAPPING TO ADDRESS THE U.S. USE OF TORTURE

The ancient Chinese military strategist, Sun Tzu, once said that good strategy is founded upon three spheres of knowledge, that of yourself, your adversary, and your terrain. When representatives from 13 U.S. human rights organizations gathered in St. Paul, Minnesota from November 28^th to 30^th for a meeting on New Tactics’ Tactical Mapping project, they worked to visualize the terrain of human rights work, focused specifically on combating the U.S. use of torture.

"I was very impressed with the tactical mapping process," said meeting attendee Mary Fabri of the National Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs (NCTTP). "I found it insightful, challenging, and innovative. It stimulated my creative juices."

Tactical Mapping, developed by the New Tactics Project at CVT, is designed to serve as a planning tool. Through visualization, mapping assists organizations in identifying allies for networking and the coordination of efforts working towards similar goals. However, in addition to building alliances, mapping can inform the work itself, sharing information that can assist in the development of more comprehensive strategies.

According to Tom Glaisyer, Connect US fellow with Netcentric Campaigns, another participant in the meeting, tactical mapping has proven useful in helping him to reframe the ways in which he thinks about his work.  

"It provided me with a clear picture linking many of the elements of a critical issue," Glaisyer said.

Still, there is much work to be done to further develop the outcomes of the meeting. Major goals included identifying areas of organizational expertise, and mapping out inter-organizational connections. Additionally, representatives worked to examine tactics currently being employed or that have been used in the past.

A central objective of last month’s effort was to put tactical mapping into action.  Visualizing the terrain helps identify potential alliances between American human rights organizations and facilitates the collaboration their efforts when working to stop the use of torture by the United States at Guantanamo and elsewhere.

Since returning from the meeting, Fabri has been energized to seek new targets and partnerships for her advocacy, and is seeking to make NCTTP an adjunct member of other organizations.  "The meeting helped launch me into action!!" she exclaimed.

Mapping serves as an especially useful planning instrument in light of the complexity of human rights issues themselves, as well as the diversity in perspective of the activists and organizations involved in efforts to protect them.

It seeks to depict a terrain, which, unlike the physical territory, is the locale of a struggle, which takes place across borders and within complex social systems.

"My sense is that this tool can be widely applied in advocacy," Glaisyer continued, "especially where members from across a coalition need to gain a shared understanding"