“World peace through nonviolent means is neither absurd nor unattainable. All other methods have failed. Thus we must begin anew. Nonviolence is a good starting point. Those of us who believe in this method can be voices of reason, sanity, and understanding amid the voices of violence, hatred, and emotion. We can very well set a mood of peace out of which a system of peace can be built.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Consider the various strategies for change you have reviewed on this site. What are the similarities and differences you noted? Which of the strategies belong within each of the broad categories below:
Discuss the benefits and risks of each approach, the circumstances under which it might be most or least likely to be effective and the aims or desired outcomes. Encourage students to provide contemporary examples of each approach and reflect upon which they are most inclined to take as citizens. Use the handout provided to help organize the discussion.
To conclude, return students’ attention to the familiar and iconic example of the American Civil Rights Movement, which effectively utilized all of these broad approaches to promote change. Encourage them to reflect once again on how and why such tactics are more legitimate and more effective than the use of violence or terror.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Consider the various strategies for change you have reviewed on this site. What are the similarities and differences you noted? Which of the strategies belong within each of the broad categories below:
- Formal systems: All societies are governed by defined institutions, systems and processes. Laws are made and enforced and disagreements are resolved in some fashion. In a democratic system, these processes are regulated by constitutions or other documents that ensure the people have a voice in how laws are made and define the limits of governmental authority. Therefore, citizens have proscribed channels through which they can work to change regulations and how they are interpreted.
- Direct action: Individuals and groups participate in direct action to achieve political, economic or societal change outside of formalized channels. These actions seek to either obstruct something to which participants are opposed or demand something that is not being adequately addressed by current power systems. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., direct action is meant to, “create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue so that it can no longer be ignored.”
- Community dialogue: Community dialogue aims to change the relationship between ordinary people and those in power to empower people to engage in the issues that affect their lives. It brings together coalitions of people through increased mutual understanding and communication to identify and address common problems. This approach taps into the experience available within a community and promotes education and discussion to foster justice, equality and social inclusion.
Discuss the benefits and risks of each approach, the circumstances under which it might be most or least likely to be effective and the aims or desired outcomes. Encourage students to provide contemporary examples of each approach and reflect upon which they are most inclined to take as citizens. Use the handout provided to help organize the discussion.
To conclude, return students’ attention to the familiar and iconic example of the American Civil Rights Movement, which effectively utilized all of these broad approaches to promote change. Encourage them to reflect once again on how and why such tactics are more legitimate and more effective than the use of violence or terror.
