Course Syllabi

History and Theory of Nonviolent Movements-Fall 2002, Carol Hunter

On May 6, 2002, Burma’s military government released pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. Suu Kyi, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 has been under house arrest for defying a military ban confining her to the capital city of Rangoon. 12 years ago, the National League for Democracy, Suu Kyi’s party, won 82% of the seats in parliament, but the results were invalidated by the military who killed and imprisoned thousands and caused thousands more to become refugees. She represents just one of many movements for democracy and justice being carried on globally and the story in Burma is one of many that we will learn more about this semester.
This course uncovers the largely hidden history of just how widespread and prevalent dynamic nonviolent movements have become in struggles against myriad forms of political, social and economic oppression.

This oppression has historically fallen with disproportionate weight upon the poor and people of color, so uncovering their stories often requires rethinking our approach to history. History approached “from the underside” challenges some common assumptions about history told to serve national interests where the major players are the politicians, the military leaders and the empire builders; those who require the masses of people to buy into systemic injustice and wars defending national interest. As Walter Wink suggests “Historiography has too long been supinely in the service of the myth of redemptive violence.” On the other hand, the power, courage, dedication and effectiveness of creative nonviolent movements may serve as an antidote to the current propensity towards an overly cynical view of history.

The course will encourage exploration of questions of means and ends, uses of violence and a wide spectrum of nonviolent practices, and how to fight injustice without creating more injustice. An underlying hope is that students will more deeply recognize their interconnectedness and actively seek alternatives to the destructiveness of war and violence.


There are three main objectives:

1. To develop a knowledge of the vast and varied history of nonviolent movements and to know in detail the patterns, development, strategies and consequences of key movements
2. To understand the varied theories behind nonviolent movements; the difference between pragmatic and principled nonviolence, and the differing philosophical assumptions about power and human nature that have shaped movements.
3. To integrate lessons from these movements into one’s own personal life and values

Required Readings

Stephen Zunes et.al Nonviolent Social Movements: A Geographical Perspective
Staughton and Alice Lynd, Nonviolence in America
Easwaren Eknath, Nonviolent Soldier of Islam
Gene Sharp, The Politics of Nonviolent Action
Fisher, Essential Gandhi

Reprints (available in the bookstore) and on reserve (Required)

Star Hawk, “Power-Over and Power-From-Within” from Dreaming the Dark
Howard Zinn, “The Use and Abuse of History” from Declarations of Independence
Walter Wink, Engaging the Powers pp3-31; 175-193
Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Step 109-124 (especially “Love Letter to your congressman,” Roots of War and “Call me by my True Names”)
Lynne Olson, “The Most Daring of our Leaders” and “She Never Listened to a Word” from Freedom’s Daughters (151-199).
James Farmer, Lay Bare the Heart pp 1-32; 196-207
George Lakey, “Beyond Tactics” and “Nonviolent Action as the Sword that Heals”
Bill Moyers, excerpts from Doing Democracy
Howard Richards, “Peace Education: The ISMEM model”
Elise Boulding, essays from One Small Plot of Heaven
Malcolm X , “The Ballot or the Bullet”
Martin Luther King, “A Time to Break Silence” (address at Riverside Church)
a few others may be added as interest or current events emerge


Assignments

30% Group Project: 20-30 pages and class report on major non-violent movement
15% Individual Research: Topic or “Experiments with Truth” 6-8 pages
20% Response to Readings: Standard form or Free-form Journal
20% Class Participation: class attendance and discussion leading; background research and current events reports
15% Final: 2-5 page reflective paper on personal integration of the course material.

higginsSenior Seminar Caroline Higgins