Nonviolence in theory and practice

Nonviolence has yet to emerge fully into the light of recognition in institutions of higher learning. One can learn about violence in its various forms: Courses abound on the history of this or that war or revolution or, in colleges or universities with ROTC units, about military history, tactics, and strategy. In most major universities, one can even receive military training and instruction, for credit, given by military personnel holding professorships. But relatively few such institutions have courses in which students can learn about the alternative that nonviolence presents to the whole set of assumptions, attitudes, and values that are taken for granted in our history and culture.

This situation is changing slowly as new programs develop in peace studies, conflict resolution, and related areas; as feminism, which by its nature seeks to reorient our thinking in fundamental ways, gives more and more attention to nonviolence; and as institutes and resource centers dedicated to peace and non violence provide models of new ways to approach education in this area. Even so, many of these developments go only part way in challenging the whole way of thinking that has governed our attitudes about social, political, and international affairs; so in a sense the educational work has only begun.

The aim of this book is to provide a re source for people willing to take seriously the challenge of nonviolence. It is designed primarily for those with little or no background in either the history of nonviolence or its re cent and contemporary expressions; but there are works here that should be of value to those who are experienced in both the theory and practice of nonviolence as well, if only because they are not widely known, and in one case have not been published before. [Reading about nonviolence is not the only way to learn about it. It may not even be the best way. But it is one of the ways. And quite apart from whether one gravitates to nonviolence or ends up dismissing it as hopelessly naive, one can not t appreciate it it without considering its many dimensions; and one cannot presume even to begun a critical assessment of basic social, have begun and cultural values without understanding it.)

A few debts of gratitude: to Ken King. philosophy editor at Wadsworth, for wise counsel at just the right moments; to John Ansbro for initiating the idea of such a collection; and Barry Gan, Saint Bonaventure University; Nigel Young, Colgate University; Adrienne Kaufmann, The American University; and Duane Campbell, California State University, Sacramento, for reviews of the initial proposal for this book.