IRS 373 Non-Violent Conflict: Application and Theory

This course provides a theoretical as well as practical overview of nonviolent direct action. Our goal will be to evaluate and critically assess the nature of nonviolent struggle. By nonviolence, we refer to non-institutional forms of dissent and protest that specifically discourage violence usage. Also known as civil resistance or civil disobedience, nonviolent direct action has been historically pivotal in enabling regular people to achieve political goals. There is something extraordinary about nonviolent protest and the dynamics of nonviolence have led many to investigate the phenomenon both normatively and positively. This course will cover three types of nonviolent direct action: 1) individual usage of nonviolence; 2) group-level usage of nonviolent direct action for political purposes; 3) group-level usage of nonviolent direct for self-determination (independence/nationalist movements). Substantial emphasis will be placed on regime transition and the role of nonviolence in democratization.