Read the notes, then try the practice. It adapts as you go.When you're ready.
Session Length
~17 min
Adaptive Checks
15 questions
Transfer Probes
8
Nonviolence studies is an interdisciplinary academic field that examines the theory, history, ethics, and practice of nonviolent action as a means of social, political, and cultural transformation. The field draws on political science, philosophy, history, sociology, religious studies, and psychology to analyze how individuals and movements have wielded nonviolent methods to resist oppression, challenge injustice, and build more equitable societies. Central to the discipline is the distinction between principled nonviolence, which views nonviolence as a moral or spiritual imperative, and strategic nonviolence, which treats it as a pragmatic tool chosen because of its effectiveness in achieving political goals.
The intellectual foundations of nonviolence studies trace back to ancient traditions including Jainism's concept of ahimsa, early Christian pacifism, and various Indigenous peacemaking practices. However, the field crystallized in the twentieth century through the towering contributions of Mohandas K. Gandhi, who developed satyagraha (truth-force) as a comprehensive philosophy and method of resistance during the Indian independence movement, and Martin Luther King Jr., who adapted Gandhian principles to the American civil rights movement. Later scholars such as Gene Sharp systematically catalogued 198 methods of nonviolent action and argued that nonviolent resistance succeeds by undermining the pillars of support that sustain authoritarian power, shifting the field toward empirical and strategic analysis.
Today, nonviolence studies encompasses a wide range of research areas including civil resistance movements, transitional justice, conflict transformation, nonviolent communication, restorative justice, and the comparative effectiveness of violent versus nonviolent campaigns. Empirical research by Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan has demonstrated that nonviolent resistance campaigns between 1900 and 2006 were nearly twice as likely to succeed as violent ones, lending quantitative support to the strategic case for nonviolence. The field continues to evolve with attention to digital activism, intersectional approaches to peace, environmental nonviolence, and the challenges of applying nonviolent principles in contexts of extreme repression and structural violence.
One step at a time.
A Sanskrit term meaning 'non-harm' or 'non-injury,' originating in Jain, Hindu, and Buddhist traditions. It refers to the principle of causing no harm to any living being through thought, word, or action, and serves as one of the oldest philosophical foundations of nonviolence.
Example: Gandhi adopted ahimsa as the moral core of his political philosophy, extending it from personal conduct to a mass strategy of noncooperation with British colonial rule in India.
A concept coined by Mohandas Gandhi meaning 'truth-force' or 'soul-force.' It describes a method of nonviolent resistance rooted in the active pursuit of truth and justice, requiring practitioners to accept suffering rather than inflict it on opponents.
Example: The 1930 Salt March, in which Gandhi and thousands of followers walked 240 miles to the sea to make their own salt in defiance of the British salt tax, was a paradigmatic act of satyagraha.
The organized use of nonviolent methods such as strikes, boycotts, mass demonstrations, civil disobedience, and noncooperation by civilians to challenge and transform political power, typically outside institutional or electoral channels.
Example: The 2011 Egyptian revolution, in which millions of citizens used strikes, occupations of public squares, and mass protests to force President Hosni Mubarak from power, is a modern instance of civil resistance.
A concept developed by Gene Sharp identifying the institutions and social groups whose cooperation sustains a ruler's power, including the military, police, civil service, business community, media, and religious institutions. Nonviolent movements succeed by withdrawing or undermining these pillars.
Example: During the Philippine People Power Revolution of 1986, the defection of key military officers and the Catholic Church's support for protesters eroded the pillars of support for the Marcos regime.
An approach that treats nonviolent action as a pragmatic, calculated strategy chosen for its effectiveness rather than as a moral or spiritual commitment. It emphasizes tactical planning, movement organization, and exploiting the political costs that repression imposes on opponents.
Example: The Serbian student movement Otpor used strategic nonviolence including humor, branding, and targeted civil disobedience to mobilize mass opposition and help topple Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.
An approach grounded in moral, ethical, or spiritual convictions that nonviolence is inherently right regardless of its strategic outcomes. Practitioners commit to nonviolence as a way of life, not merely as a tactic for specific campaigns.
Example: Martin Luther King Jr. articulated principled nonviolence in his 'Letter from Birmingham Jail,' arguing that nonviolent direct action seeks to create a crisis that forces a community to confront injustice.
A communication framework developed by psychologist Marshall Rosenberg that emphasizes empathic listening, honest expression of feelings and needs, and making requests rather than demands. It aims to resolve conflicts by fostering mutual understanding rather than coercion.
Example: In a workplace dispute, NVC would guide a person to say 'When deadlines are missed, I feel anxious because I need reliability. Would you be willing to discuss a timeline?' instead of blaming or criticizing.
An approach to justice that focuses on repairing the harm caused by wrongdoing through inclusive processes that bring together victims, offenders, and community members, rather than relying solely on punishment. It emphasizes accountability, healing, and reintegration.
Example: South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, chaired by Desmond Tutu after apartheid, used restorative justice principles by allowing perpetrators to testify about their crimes in exchange for amnesty, prioritizing national healing over retribution.
More terms are available in the glossary.
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