Resource Center

Marshall Ganz discusses public narrative, a leadership practice that focuses on how to respond to urgent challenges by accessing hope over fear, empathy over alienation, and self-worth over self-doubt. Through narrative, individuals, communities, and nations learn to make choices, construct identity, and inspire action. This workshop was presented at IDEASpHERE at Harvard Kennedy School on May 16, 2014.

Introduction

The Theory of Change: Resistance School Course (Videos) is a dynamic video-based training series designed to equip organizers and movement-builders with the frameworks, tools, and insights necessary to turn values into strategic action. It builds on the core question of how change happens by guiding participants through power-mapping, visioning, strategy development, and campaign planning.

What You’ll Learn

During this course you will engage with:

• Defining your organizing purpose and clarifying what change you seek.

• Analyzing power dynamics: Who holds power? What leverage exists? What alliances can you build?

• Developing a strategic theory of change: linking current conditions, targets, tactics, and ultimate goals.

• Designing action plans: turning strategy and values into campaigns, aligned teams, and measurable outcomes.

This kind of work connects directly to the fundamentals introduced in our “What Is Organizing?” resource which defines organizing as building relationships, shared purpose, and collective power.

How It Connects to Our Resource Framework

If you’re exploring structuring teams and laying out strategy, our resource on Creating Shared Strategy is a key complement — it explains how groups align around outcomes and power in order to act together.
For detailed methods and tools you can use in your organizing work, check out The Organizer’s Handbook.
If you’re looking for a broader overview of organizing, the Guide to Organizing brings together dozens of tools, guides, frameworks and case-studies.
For a narrative and leadership lens on organizing, the book People Power: Change – Organizing for Democratic Renewal by Marshall Ganz offers deep conceptual grounding.
And finally, the Practice of Social Movement Leadership resource emphasizes how leadership is developed in movements, via relationships, risk-taking and sustained action.

Suggested Usage

• Self-paced learning: Watch each session in the series and pause to reflect: What does this lesson mean for your context? What power do you already hold? What power do you need?

• Team workshop format: Use individual video modules as prompts for breakout discussions. Then apply tools like strategy worksheets or power-maps to your own organizing setting.

• Campaign planning retreat: Start with the video series to ground your team in theory of change. Then move into structured sessions using tools drawn from the Handbook and Guide to develop a campaign timeline, assign roles, and set key metrics for success.

Closing Reflection

A robust theory of change translates values into organized action. This course helps you take that step: from vision to strategy, from power-mapping to campaign design, from shared values to measurable impact. By situating it inside our broader organizing ecosystem of tools and frameworks you’ll be better equipped to turn aspiration into movement, and movement into measurable change.