Direct Action Network - Definition and Overview

Direct Action Network (DAN) was a confederation of anarchist and anti-authoritarian organizations that was formed to coordinate Seattle's anti-WTO mobilization in 1999.

Soon after Seattle, several DAN chapters formed a Continental Direct Action Network (CDAN) with branches in 12 cities in the United States and Canada. CDAN adopted principles of unity based on those of Peoples' Global Action.

Regional DANs were formed of autonomous affinity groups which coordinated action via spokescouncils using delegation and consensus decision-making.

In the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks, DAN began to fall apart. DAN's last major mobilization was in New York City in early 2000, where the local chapter was responsible for organizing a march against the World Economic Forum attended by between 15,000 and 20,000 individuals. NYCDAN was later eclipsed by The Another World is Possible Coalition (AWIP), a network which was originally formed by DAN members.

The websites for both Continental Direct Action Network (www.cdan.org) and Direct Action Network (www.directactionnetwork.org) are no longer maintained.

See Also

• Indymedia
• Anti-globalization

External Links

• "What is DAN?" Discussion Notes (http://greens.org/colorado/list_archives/discuss-dan/msg00143.html)

Direct Action Network is also the name used by a British organization which employs "tactics of non-violent civil disobedience to promote the full participation and equality of disabled people in society"[1] (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/news/btn/danqa.shtml).