- IDENTIFYING THE TARGET AUDIENCE
- Analyzing stakeholders and power to identify advocacy targets
- Engaging Advocacy Targets
- Advocacy strategy toolkit
Because the CAS that we target for advocacy are very complex systems tied to a very complex larger environment, there are a very large number of weak constraints (WC) available for potential destabilization. Obviously, not all weak constraints might be similarly effective in producing a specific advocacy outcome. And, in fact, we tend to use multiple weak constraints to effect a positive advocacy outcome.
But because it seems easier or more efficient to use techniques that have proven successful in the past, we build habits of ignoring other possibilities (a kind of faux “efficiency” argument). I would argue that creativity is an essential part of successful advocacy, if only because the target system will adapt to your advocacy efforts, and you must have a ”habit” of introducing novelty into your advocacy efforts to not have them degraded significantly over time.
So I offer this list, not as anything like a complete one, but to allow meditating by review of the possibilities. Perhaps one of these might trigger a realization on your part that would point to a more sophisticated novel approach to a high-quality advocacy outcome.
Legal WC:
- Complaints
- Fair hearings
- Lawsuits of various kinds
Political WC:
- Publicity
- Politician-targeted problem solving
- Boards and Councils
- Elections
Financial WC:
- Public Funding
- Resource Allocation
- Financial Disparities
Systemic WC:
- Threatening Governing Constraints
- Introducing Novelty
Organizing WC:
- Emerging an Insurgency
- Building local or community resistance
- Effective Advocacy Training
- Building Community Advocacy Supports
Any single or combination of these WC’s could be targeted for destabilization in a specific advocacy strategy.
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