Violence and Nonviolence

Barry L. Gan is professor of philosophy and director of the Center for Nonviolence at St. Bonaventure University. He is editor of the journal The Acorn: Journal of the Gandhi-King Society and has co-edited the anthology, Nonviolence in Theory and Practice with Robert L. Holmes.

With clarity and insight, Barry Gan has provided an engaging, illuminating, and original perspectiveon the problems of violence and nonviolence. A valuable contribution to understanding these issues, readily accessible to a general audience.

• Part I: ViolenceChapter 1: Molded by MythsChapter 2: The Myth of Physical ViolenceThe Common ViewThe Problem with the Common ViewBut Where Is the Violence in These Examples?A Confusion?ConclusionChapter 3: The Myth of Good Guys and Bad GuysThe Myth at WorkDeconstructing the MythOvercoming the MythChapter 4: The Myth of Necessary ViolenceA More Charitable InterpretationThe Difficulty with the Charitable InterpretationThe Practical Relevance of Means to EndsChapter 5: The Myth of Effective PunishmentRevengeRetributionPunishment as Educative or RehabilitativeDeterrenceRestitution and RecompenseConclusionPart II: NonviolenceChapter 6: An Overview of NonviolenceChapter 7: Selective NonviolenceSharp’s Theory of PowerTheories of Nonviolent StrategyChapter 8: Toward a Theory of Comprehensive NonviolenceThe Implications of a Fuller Account of ViolenceSelf-Suffering and Cognitive DissonanceThe Importance of Offering a Choice to One’s AdversariesAn Example: SerbiaSome Other Examples: Egypt and SyriaToward Comprehensive NonviolenceChapter 9: Comprehensive NonviolenceHow Comprehensive Nonviolence Addresses the Five MythsSelf-Suffering Can Bring RedemptionIf It’s About Winning, It’s Not Nonviolence