Nonviolent Social Movements: A Geographical Perspective [Paperback]

Stephen Zunes (Editor), Sarah Beth Asher (Editor), Lester Kurtz (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 5, 1999 | ISBN-10: 1577180763 | ISBN-13: 978-1577180760 | Edition: 1

Nonviolent Social Movements is the first book to offer a truly global overview of the dramatic growth of popular nonviolent struggles in recent years.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"At the end of the bloodiest century in human history it is vital that we learn how to solve problems and generate effective social and political change non-violently. This book demonstrates that many brave people in diverse political situations are effective because they have decided that the means are as important as the ends, that one does not defeat evil with more evil, repression with repression, violence with violence. Scholars and activists alike will find much to ponder in this collection. I commend it to everyone with an interest in the future of the human species." Kevin Clements, George Mason University <!--end-->

"This is an excellent collection of case studies knitted together by the editors' presentation of a sound set of theoretical issues. Both help us understand the dynamics of nonviolent social movements." Paul Joseph, Tufts University

"A timely book." Pacifica Review

From the Back Cover

Nonviolent Social Movements is the first book to offer a truly global overview of the dramatic growth of popular nonviolent struggles in recent years. From the civil rights movement in the United States, and the 'People Power' movement in the Philippines, to the pro-democracy movements of Asia, Latin America, and Europe, nonviolent action has emerged as a key element of political change in recent decades.

Despite its widespread diffusion as a conscious movement around the world, we still understand little about nonviolence as a technique for social change. This volume seeks to provide an understanding of the extent to which organized nonviolent action can be used to replace violent struggle and the conditions under which it can succeed. Nonviolent Social Movements brings together case studies from around the world to demonstrate how nonviolent action works and what possibilities and limitations it holds for achieving social change and deterring aggressors.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition (November 5, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577180763
• ISBN-13: 978-1577180760
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,171,952 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #88 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > International & World Politics > Australian & Oceanian

More About the Author

Lester Kurtz is professor of sociology at George Mason University, where he teaches comparative sociology of religion, peace and conflict, social movements , nonviolent civil resistance, globalization, and both western and nonwestern social theory. He also lectures regularly at the European Peace University. See samples of his publications at http://works.bepress.com/lester_kurtz/.

He was previously director of Religious Studies at Texas and holds a Master's in Religion from Yale University and a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Chicago.

He is the editor of a 3-volume Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict (Academic/Elsevier), co-editor of Nonviolent Social Movements (Blackwell's), and The Web of Violence (U. of Illinois Press) as well as author of books and articles including Gods in the Global Village (Pine Forge/Sage), The Nuclear Cage (Prentice-Hall) and The Politics of Heresy (U. of California Press), which received the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion's Distinguished Book Award. He is currently working on books on Gandhi's Paradox and Gods and Bombs, as well as co-editing a book on The Paradox of Repression and a 2-volume work on Women, War and Violence.

Dr. Kurtz is the past chair of the Peace and Justice Studies Association as well as the Peace, War, and Social Conflict Section of the American Sociological Association, which awarded him its Robin Williams Distinguished Career Award in 2005. He has lectured in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America and taught at the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Delhi University in India, and Tunghai University in Taiwan.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars some good material here April 2, 2005

By varmint

Format:Paperback

Like all anthologies, this is a bit of a mixed bag, but overall it is strong. Even the weaker peices are OK. Some of the essays are just summaries of the history of nonviolent action in some geographical region. Sort of interesting, but I found those pieces to have too much information crammed into too little space. Fortunately, most of the articles are case studies of particular nonviolent campaigns or movements. Some of them are simply narratives--it's not clear what lessons are to be drawn. Most of these case studies analyze the movement or campaign in question in such a way that activists can draw some valuable lessons from them, although in some cases the lessons are left implicit instead of being spelled out, which is kind of annoying. These lessons include both ideas on the application of nonviolent tactics and examinations about how these tactics have diffused from one group or region to another. Finally, there are a few more theoretical pieces, including the conclusion by Zunes and Kurtz, which I thought was the best thing in the book. They critique much nonviolent theory as being overly voluntarist--focusing too much on what social activists do and not enough on how the social and political contexts they are operating create different opportunities and constraints. Zunes and Kurtz argue for a balanced approach that analyzes systems of power and tries to understand how nonviolent activists can best put pressure on them, which is going to differ immensely depending on the larger context. Zunes and Kurtz also examine why nonviolent tactics have increasingly come to be favored over armed struggle--but also the ways in which nonviolent activists have needed to continually innovate as governments have gotten wise and adopted effective means of diffusing the power of nonviolent activism (means that range from making it easy to get permits for marches to paramilitary death squads, depending on geographical region). Overall, this is a valuable source of information on nonviolent movements, what has worked and what hasn't.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars nonviolent social movements:a geographical perspectives. July 18, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

This Book provides an overview of nonviolent movements around the world.It shows how organised nonviolence action can be used as a weopan to bring democracy and to bring social chang. It begins from Africa,from 1919 revolution in Egypt against British occupation to Iranian revolution where opposition leader Khomeni called for non cooperation movement with shah'regime.It also covers nonviolent movements in Palestinian independence struggle against Israeli occupation. In Europe,Grassroots movement in Germany in 1972-1985 using nonviolent action to transform society.Then nonviolent struggle against communist regime in East Europe Hungary,Czekoslavekia,Romania and Baltic states. In Asia,it includes from Phillipines "people power revulution"against dictatorship to Thailand and Burmish revolution against military power. In Africa,nonviolence in anti-apartheid movement in south africa as well as struggle of Ogani people(a distinct ethnic community)of Nigeria for political and environmental rights. In Latin America it focusses on nonviolent struggle against violent oppression by military regimes and organisation of SEPRAJ and other church related institutions. Lastly,In America nonviolent civil rights movement carried out by Martin Luther King jr. It is a very good reference source .

4.0 out of 5 stars nonviolent social movements:a geographical perspectives. July 18, 2000

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

This Book provides an overview of nonviolent movements around the world.It shows how organised nonviolence action can be used as a weopan to bring democracy and to bring social chang. It begins from Africa,from 1919 revolution in Egypt against British occupation to Iranian revolution where opposition leader Khomeni called for non cooperation movement with shah'regime.It also covers nonviolent movements in Palestinian independence struggle against Israeli occupation. In Europe,Grassroots movement in Germany in 1972-1985 using nonviolent action to transform society.Then nonviolent struggle against communist regime in East Europe Hungary,Czekoslavekia,Romania and Baltic states. In Asia,it includes from Phillipines "people power revulution"against dictatorship to Thailand and Burmish revolution against military power. In Africa,nonviolence in anti-apartheid movement in south africa as well as struggle of Ogani people(a distinct ethnic community)of Nigeria for political and environmental rights. In Latin America it focusses on nonviolent struggle against violent oppression by military regimes and organisation of SEPRAJ and other church related institutions. Lastly,In America nonviolent civil rights movement carried out by Martin Luther King jr. It is a very good reference source .