Narrative Interventions:

A Guide to Rejecting Collective Responsibility and Embracing Our Right to Resist and Organize

When members of marginalized communities commit acts of violence, there is often pressure to condemn the perpetrator on the basis of a shared identity.  The Muslim community has faced this pressure and some within have responded with condemnations that not only echo the narratives of the state, but which entrench the idea of collective responsibility.  After decades of responding in such problematic ways, it is critical for us to reject the burden of collective responsibility and in so doing, refuse to participate in the perpetuation of harmful narratives that result in the targeting of our own communities.

To this end, MCL offers a set of tips and interventions below that we hope will provide guidance to Muslim communities and our allies on how to avoid the collective responsibility trap. Our hope is that this guide supports scapegoated communities in building new narrative foundations that are rooted in our inherent humanity and dignity.