PCON 240 - Waging Nonviolence: Theory, Practice, and Critique

When people think about the social movements behind struggles for revolutionary change or territorial independence, they often imagine armed insurrections, guerrilla armies, and terrorist organizations. Yet nonviolent movements are far more likely to achieve revolution or independence than violent movements. Nonviolent movements are also more likely to install durable and democratic governments after the conflict is over. These nonviolent victories often take place when movements abandon violence and adopt civil resistance as their leading strategy. To understand these global trends, this course investigates the dynamics of violent and nonviolent conflicts using theories of social movements. This theoretical understanding is tested using comparative case study analysis, student research projects, computer game play, and real-world simulations.

Credits: 1.00
Corequisite: None
Prerequisites: None
Major/Minor Restrictions: None
Class Restriction: None
Area of Inquiry: None
Liberal Arts CORE: None

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