Pragmatic Nonviolence Working Toward A Better World

Drawing on the philosophy of nonviolence, the American pragmatist tradition, and recent empirical research, Pragmatic Nonviolence demonstrates that, rather than being merely theoretical, nonviolence is a truly practical approach toward personal and community well-being.

A 2023 Choice Reviews Outstanding Academic Title Assuming no background knowledge of philosophy, John Ryder’s introductory text surveys canonical writings and contemporary applications to inform future teachers’ practice of systematic philosophy of education. Exposing readers to the philosophies that built Western education, the book welcomes the development of alternate approaches through systematic analysis of how theory informs practice. The book systematically analyzes key contributions by the four most influential figures in the philosophy of Western education—Plato, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Dewey, and Paolo Freire. The book then builds on historical theories to help readers develop their own systematic philosophies of education. After questions of why, how, by or for whom, about what, where, and when education should be undertaken, the book delves into metaphysical, epistemological, and socio-political questions that may underlie educational principles. Encouraging readers to practice a philosophy of education rather than follow a prescribed path, the book presents a model of exploration that builds on ideas developed by philosophers such as Nel Noddings that can be applied across contemporary and emerging educational issues. The analytic experience and conceptual background material of this book enables readers to think carefully and reflectively about educational principles, policies, and practices as they dedicate themselves to the profession of education.

Much philosophical work on pop culture apologises for its use; using popular culture is a necessary evil, something merely useful for reaching the masses with important philosophical arguments. But works of pop culture are important in their own right--they shape worldviews, inspire ideas, change minds. We wouldn't baulk at a book dedicated to examining the philosophy of The Great Gatsby or 1984--why aren't Star Trek and Superman fair game as well? After all, when produced, the former were considered pop culture just as much as the latter. This will be the first major reference work to right that wrong, gathering together entries on film, television, games, graphic novels and comedy, and officially recognizing the importance of the field. It will be the go-to resource for students and researchers in philosophy, culture, media and communications, English and history and will act as a springboard to introduce the reader to the other key literature in the field.

Living faithfully isn’t about attending church. Being Christian is about living in right, just relationships with other people and the rest of creation. How can Christian parents avoid being overcome with the pressure to be a perfect parent and make a difference in the world? Parenting for a Better World shows there are all sorts of ways we can make a real difference from within our own homes. Even busy parents can work with their families for global justice. Without pressing you to do it all, this book offers spiritual resources for reflecting on the relationship between your faith, your calling for justice, and your commitment to parenting. Find encouragement from fellow parents who weave together stories of caregiving, activism, and scripture that affirm your sense of calling. Plus, it offers practical strategies to help committed (and over-committed) people integrate caregiving and justice work into their daily lives.

This book provides an overview of nonviolence. It offers answers to the questions of what nonviolence is, how and why it ought to be used, and who ought to employ it. The book discusses examples of successful nonviolent social protest, from 20th Century movements for civil rights and colonial liberation to the Arab Spring and contemporary Black Lives Matter protests. It considers recent research that explains the power of nonviolence. It also explores philosophical and religious sources of nonviolence, while discussing key historical figures including Leo Tolstoy, Mohandas K. Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, and Malala Yousafzai. The book offers insight into the link between nonviolence and democracy. And it reminds us that nonviolence gives us the power to build a better -more just, truthful, and loving- world.

This introduction to peace education and yogic science provides a good toolkit to help bring contemplative peacebuilding (efforts to stop harm) practices to the classroom and community center. The latest research is presented alongside personal reflections of teachers and facilitators who have used these methods for instructing students or participants on facing the hectic realities of life with self-regulation and nonviolence. Exercises and practices are included, along with creative activities for emotional grounding and stress management.

Robert Holmes is one of the leading proponents of nonviolence in the United States, and his influence extends to the rest of the world. However, he has never presented his views on nonviolence in full-length book form. The Ethics of Nonviolence brings together his best essays on the topic, both classic works and more obscure pieces, as well as several important essays that have never been published. Holmes started his career by following Dewey and James, and then turned toward metaethics. The Vietnam War finally led him toward moral problems related to war and violence. For the last forty years he has been a great proponent of nonviolence and pacifism in the style of Tolstoy and Gandhi. If ethics is meant to be more than a purely academic exercise, the theoretical ethics of philosophy must be shown to be relevant to applied morality; the ongoing process of making moral judgments must add value to the world we live in. For Robert Holmes, no aspect of reality is more in need of ethical thinking and reform than the culture of war and violence that cannot be ignored. There are morally viable alternatives to this violence, Holmes argues, and he scrutinizes the sources and implications of such positions. Holmes shows that nonviolence and pacifism can lead us toward a more peaceful and humanely dignified world.

War: A Primer for Christians provides a concise introduction to the main approaches that Christians have taken toward war and examines each approach critically. Some Christians have supported their country's wars as crusades of good against evil. Others, as pacifists, have rejected participation in or support for any war. Still others have followed the just-war tradition in holding that it can be justifiable under some conditions to resort to war, but that then Christian love must limit the conduct of war. In an updated preface and new afterword, Allen explores aspects of current international relations that have a special bearing on the context of war. “Joseph Allen’s War: A Primer for Christians is just that: a succinct, fair-minded, wonderfully reasoned, and accessible account of the major Christian traditions on war—Just War, Holy War, and the Pacifist renunciation of violence. His book is also a primer in the further sense, that it will prime the pump for further discussion and debate as to when wars are just and how a nation might keep the means employed under restraints.”—William F. May