Andrew Fitz-Gibbon – författare

Nurturing Strangers focuses on loving nonviolent re-parenting of children in foster care. This book is a jargon-free mix of narrative and real-life case studies, together with the theory and practice of nonviolence. Nurturing Strangers and the authors’ previous book, Welcoming Strangers, are the first books to apply philosophies of nonviolence directly to the care of children in the foster care system. One of their strengths is that the books are not merely theoretical, but rooted in the practice of nonviolence with children for over thirty years. Nurturing Strangers is for foster carers, caseworkers, case managers, social work students, and parents, as well as the general reader interested in children who have been victims of violence in and out of the foster care system.

Nurturing Strangers focuses on loving nonviolent re-parenting of children in foster care. This book is a jargon-free mix of narrative and real-life case studies, together with the theory and practice of nonviolence. Nurturing Strangers and the authors’ previous book, Welcoming Strangers, are the first books to apply philosophies of nonviolence directly to the care of children in the foster care system. One of their strengths is that the books are not merely theoretical, but rooted in the practice of nonviolence with children for over thirty years. Nurturing Strangers is for foster carers, caseworkers, case managers, social work students, and parents, as well as the general reader interested in children who have been victims of violence in and out of the foster care system.

Jane Hall Fitz-Gibbon and Andrew Fitz-Gibbon have cared for more than 100 children in a foster care career spanning more than three decades. They developed a method, "loving nonviolent re-parenting," to best care for foster children. "Re-parenting" represents the complex task of caring for children who have been parented already, often inadequately, and mostly involving physical, emotional, and/or systemic violence.Welcoming Strangers analyses the violence foster children suffer and raises ethical questions—why violence is morally problematic, what philosophers have said about human nature and violence, and what moral good should be pursued in childcare. Drawing on an ancient form of ethics, sometimes known as "virtue ethics," this book focuses on the traits required to become a loving, nonviolent re-parent.The Fitz-Gibbons tell of their journey in the foster care system with candour, humour, and grace. Covering subjects as diverse as teens, sex, discipline, and the carer's own well-being, they describe the difficulties of foster care and the sometimes impossible task of restoring dignity and joy to young lives deeply damaged by violence. This book will be of immense help to foster carers, adopters, caseworkers, case managers, policymakers, and any parent who wants to integrate nonviolent practices into the way they care for children.

Jane Hall Fitz-Gibbon and Andrew Fitz-Gibbon have cared for more than 100 children in a foster care career spanning more than three decades. They developed a method, "loving nonviolent re-parenting," to best care for foster children. "Re-parenting" represents the complex task of caring for children who have been parented already, often inadequately, and mostly involving physical, emotional, and/or systemic violence.Welcoming Strangers analyses the violence foster children suffer and raises ethical questions—why violence is morally problematic, what philosophers have said about human nature and violence, and what moral good should be pursued in childcare. Drawing on an ancient form of ethics, sometimes known as "virtue ethics," this book focuses on the traits required to become a loving, nonviolent re-parent.The Fitz-Gibbons tell of their journey in the foster care system with candour, humour, and grace. Covering subjects as diverse as teens, sex, discipline, and the carer's own well-being, they describe the difficulties of foster care and the sometimes impossible task of restoring dignity and joy to young lives deeply damaged by violence. This book will be of immense help to foster carers, adopters, caseworkers, case managers, policymakers, and any parent who wants to integrate nonviolent practices into the way they care for children.

This book is a compilation of essays addressing the central issue of humanity: interpersonal violence, and more importantly, nonviolence as its antidote. The essays trace the author’s journey from early pacifist convictions influenced by personal experiences with violence to a nuanced understanding of nonviolence rooted in ethics, love, spirituality, and critical theory. Spanning over two decades, the writings explore various dimensions of nonviolence, from philosophical arguments and historical analysis to practical applications in parenting, political resistance, and care ethics. The book brings together previously published works that have been instrumental in shaping the author’s thinking, making them accessible for scholars, students, and anyone interested in nonviolence. With reflections on the works of Murdoch, MacIntyre, Gandhi, and others, it offers a comprehensive examination of nonviolence as both a personal practice and a social imperative.

This book examines the history of “the Troubles” in Northern Ireland in the 1970s-1990s and compares it with the situation in the Gaza Strip.

Sparked by the recent threats to an open and pluralistic society in both Europe and the United States, The Fragility of Tolerant Pluralism is an exploration of social and political philosophy.

This book examines the history of “the Troubles” in Northern Ireland in the 1970s-1990s and compares it with the situation in the Gaza Strip.

Sparked by the recent threats to an open and pluralistic society in both Europe and the United States, The Fragility of Tolerant Pluralism is an exploration of social and political philosophy.

Written in dialogue format, Andrew Fitz-Gibbon’s Pragmatic Nonviolence argues that nonviolence is the best hope for a better world. Human violence in all its forms—physical, psychological and systemic-cultural—is perhaps the greatest obstacle to well-being in personal and community life. Nonviolence as “a practice that, whenever possible, seeks the well-being of the Other, by refusing to use violence to solve problems, and by acting according to loving kindness” is the best antidote to human violence. By 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.

Positive Peace is a scholarly and creative compilation of articles on peace education, nonviolence and social change. Arun Gandhi (grandson of Mahatma Gandhi) sets the scene in his introduction with the challenge that positive peace is both a resisting of the physical violence of war and the passive violence of the psychological structures that lead to conflict. Peace education rises to meet that challenge. In twelve chapters, philosophers and educators look at a variety of topics from Gandhian nonviolence, to pragmatic conflict solving; hope and the ethics of belief, to the way we use violent language; mothering and peace activism, to multiculturalism and peace. Recurring themes are: pragmatic nonviolence, the ethics of care as an antidote to violence, and hope in a violent world. Chapters on the use of film in peace education, song and nonviolent activism, and teaching art history and peace, demonstrate pragmatic possibilities for would-be peace educators. Arun Gandhi in his introduction asks, “For generations human beings have strived to attain peace, but with little or no success. … Why is peace so illusive? Is it unattainable? Are humans incapable of living in peace?” This book suggests that peace education has a large part to play. It is an important attempt to begin to meet the challenge.

Love as a Guide to Morals is an entry-level introduction to the ethical importance of love. Written in conversational format this book looks uniquely at the complexity of love in human relationships and how love can guide ethical decision-making. The book suggests that love in all its intricacy—erotic/erosic love, friendship, affection, and agapic love—is the great good of human life. The book argues that love has a unifying power for morality, and is more suited to ethical thinking and practice than any other idea. Love as a Guide to Morals uses a modified Aristotelian argument (after Alsdair MacIntyre) and suggests “loving relationships” rather than happiness as the goal of human life.