Spontaneity, Creativity and Resourcefulness in Community Self-Protection

This chapter explores notions of spontaneity, creativity, and resourcefulness, by drawing on existing literature in unarmed civilian protection (UCP) and primary data collected from several context-specific projects in Cameroon, Colombia, Myanmar, and South Sudan. The chapter begins by charting the diverse range of self-protection measures that have emerged seemingly instinctively across a range of contexts, before progressing to outline some of the contextual factors which can be seen to have informed several locally led spontaneous and creative approaches to unarmed civilian protection. Reflecting on the contextual nature of UCP, the chapter will examine the different ways in which creativity and spontaneity are understood and practiced by local communities and actors, and how existing social, cultural, political, and religious dynamics shaped notions of self-protection and understandings of locally led approaches. Furthermore, evident challenges to locally led initiatives will be considered, and consideration will be given to how they can be supported in scaling up. Where relevant, the interplay and relationships between spontaneous and creative UCP activities and ‘external’ organisational strategies and programmes will be explored. The authors will attempt to understand how, given the power relations and dominance of external organisations in some contexts, existing national and international UCP organisations and programmes attempt to retain and nurture locally owned and led creative approaches to UCP, whilst simultaneously attempting to document, systematise, and share knowledge about locally led creative practices. In recognition of the authors’ roles in this process, the chapter will conclude with some reflection on the complex process of researching and documenting creative approaches to self-protection, whilst attempting to ensure that these often-spontaneous processes are in no way compromised.