Constructive Resistance

Constructive resistance occurs when people start to build the society they desire independently of and in opposition to the dominant structures already in place. Through case studies and illustrative examples from around the world, this book explores how people working for a more just, sustainable and peaceful future combine construction and resistance. The book provides students and practitioners of resistance with tools to detect, critically discuss and evaluate cases of constructive resistance. While some movements focus mainly on either construction or resistance, the authors argue that those who manage to creatively combine the two are likely to achieve more far-reaching goals and see their results become more durable.

This book examines constructive resistance practices that range from street protests to the use of photographic images, and displays their role in local and global political processes. By building on a rich selection of interview material and other empirical research, the book elaborates on different cases of constructive resistance, where close attention is paid to the productive qualities that are involved. It offers new perspectives on the undertakings of different epistemic battles that occur around current issues such as gender, nationalism, climate change, migration and the right to land, and explores personal narratives, artistic expressions and public statements that are utilized as means of resistance, and performed in order to negotiate different established truths. More specifically, the book discusses the discursive struggles regarding migrant bodies, where artifacts that pertain to the hardship are presented in Swedish museums; the Preah Vihear temple conflict between Cambodia and Thailand; the border conflict in West Sahara; the self-making of (self-defined) women politicians in Cambodia; and climate activism communication. Through discussions on the importance of figurations, posters, narratives, photographs, artifacts and buildings in the establishing of contemporary discussions and world views, the book inquires how and why these representations are (re)imparted with meaning and the effect that this has. The book does not only illustrate different forms of resistance, but also contributes theoretically to our understanding of repetitions, emotions and time, which are properties that must be embarked upon in order to capture the various dimension of resistance. Given that the type of constructive resistance that is expanded upon is about processes of significations, the time aspect—how alternative truths are repeated and thereby established over time—becomes crucial. And, resistance has a temporality of its own; for example, close authorities are instantly resisted here and now, while meaning-making resistance suffers from the inescapable time-lag of processes of signification. In all forms of resistance, emotions prevail as an important engine of political struggles and, as is displayed in this book, emotions are an important means of constructive resistance.

Professor Toshiki Mogami, the featured figure of this memorial edition, has developed his academic career in international law and politics. Professor Mogami’s original normative and analytical framework is characterized by himself as Jus Contra Anarchism et Oligarchism: international law against interstate and institutionalised violence. The editors extract the very essence of his teachings from Professor Mogami’s masterpieces, specifically, International Law as Constructive Resistance towards Peace and Justice.

Constructive Anarchy draws on over a decade of direct study within a variety of anarchist projects to provide the most wide-ranging and detailed analysis of current anarchist endeavours to date. The book offers compelling discussions of anarchism and union organizing, anti-poverty work and immigrant and refugee defence, and is a ground-breaking achievement from one of the rising scholars of contemporary anarchism.

This ethnographic volume features fresh research by junior scholars of contemporary Kurdish studies. The contributions are assembled around four themes: women’s participation, paramilitary, space, and infrapolitics of resistance.

Having published in 11 languages and sold in more than 100,000 copies, this fully revised edition of How We Learn examines what learning actually is and why and how learning and non-learning takes place. Focusing exclusively on learning itself, it provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to traditional learning theory and the newest international contributions, while at the same time presenting an innovative and holistic understanding of learning. Comprising insightful and topical discussions covering all learning types, learning situations and environments this edition includes key updates to sections on: School-based learning Reflexivity and biographicity E-learning The basic dimensions and types of learning What happens when intended learning does not take place The connections between learning and personal development Learning in the competition state How We Learn spans from a basic grounding of the fundmental structure and dimensions of learning and different learning types, to a detailed exploration of the differing situations and environments in which learning takes place. These include learning in different life stages, learning in the late modern competition society, and the crucial topic of learning barriers. Transformative learning, identity, the concept of competencies, workplace learning, non-learning and the interaction between learning and the educational approaches of the competition state are also examined. Forming the broadest basic reader on the topic of human learning, this revised edition is integral reading for all those who deal with learning and teaching in practice. Particularly interested will be MA and doctoral students of education as well as university and school based teachers.

This book is a revision of the author’s original doctoral thesis on emergency preparedness through community radio in North Indian villages into a widening array of possible reapplications in other community development fields. The author expands on the process of transforming emergency preparedness education through community media in rural North India and applies this to the development of community-prosperity, defined simply as human and planetary well-being, anywhere in the world. A new theoretical framework is presented which combines the pivotal Integral Worlds Approach developed by Lessem and Schieffer with Critical Theory, thus exploring a new way to envision and implement social change, leading to innovation and social transformation. This book introduces the term "constructive resilience," which is a type of community-building that occurs alongside dominant societal structures that are either oppressive or ineffective. An evolving field of study and practice, it is emerging from the work of academics and community-builders who are members of the Bahá’í Faith. Bahá’í "consultation," a process of inquiry and decision-making, is offered as a systematic and effective method of defining problems and enacting solutions and is examined in the context of emergency preparedness education and local capacity-building. With its integral development approach, its unique combination of themes and theoretical components, and integration with the Bahá’í Faith, as well as its interdisciplinary nature, this book will be invaluable reading for researchers in many fields. It will be of particular interest in university-based training programs in disaster management and the various disciplines of international community development, as well as practitioners in the areas of micro enterprise, disaster management, community development, rural communications, rural economics and emergency preparedness education.

Ron J West (ronjwest.com) has been inspiring corporate transformation for more than 25 years, in in companies large and small. He wrote Corporate Caterpillars - How to Grow Wings to provide a kind of "blueprint" you can use to create your own individual and corporate transformation to move from limited to limitless. The book is not modeled on a single analogy like the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly, nor does it reduce the concept to a set of simple steps. But it does strive to recognize the richness of reasons why we often seem to be left with few choices. Everything shows up exactly when it is supposed to, just like this book! You are holding this book perhaps because you feel that either you or your company is stuck in some way. As an individual, maybe you have caught yourself repeating a pattern to sabotage your efforts to get to where you want to be. Perhaps you are a CEO, CFO, President, Vice President, Department Manager, or Project Leader. You are probably a business leader in a position to affect change in your organization; maybe your enterprise is a small family business or an international conglomerate. It matters not whether your company is a for-profit or a not-for profit, a public or a private enterprise, this book will show how to move from a world of limited options to a realm of limitless possibilities, transforming both you and your company.