An Introduction to Nonviolent Protest and the Practice of Nonviolence in Aotearoa/New Zealand Joe Llewellyn PhD Candidate National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (NCPACS) University of Otago, New Zealand Course Aims and Overview This course has two aims: (1) to provide students with an overview of the practice of nonviolence (2) to provide an overview of the impact nonviolent protest has played in shaping Aotearoa/New Zealand and the Globe. It is hoped that by the end of the course, students will have gained knowledge on the mechanisms that nonviolence uses to create social change; research findings on the practice of nonviolence; and examples of nonviolence globally and locally. The course will be split into eight sessions, made up of four lectures and four discussion sessions. These will be split into two sections, the first focusing on nonviolence theory, and the second focusing on the practice of nonviolence in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Section one will provide an overview of nonviolence theory. This will include an overview of the two key theories of nonviolence, pragmatic and principled, as well as a discussion on what violence actually is. Research findings on the effectiveness of nonviolence will be discussed. This section will also include examples of real nonviolent campaigns from Aotearoa in order to demonstrate how people have used nonviolence to make positive social change. These examples will then be discussed in the global context. This will include an analysis of the successes and failures of specific nonviolent movements. Section two will focus specifically on the practice nonviolence in Aotearoa. This will contain a strong focus on nonviolent resistance against colonialism and for Te Tiriti O Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi) to be honoured. As well as demonstrating how nonviolence has been used in Aotearoa, this section will also provide an overview of the history of Aotearoa in relation to the movements discussed and a brief introduction to Te Tiriti O Waitangi. Theory from second one of the course will be applied in detail to these examples. The course will provide a background to the Wellington trip that the students will embark on. It is hoped that the course will have provided multiple lenses with which they can view the things that they are going to see. This will help them to understand different perspectives and critically engage with them. The 1 combination of visits to the Te Papa National Museum, Parliament and the Archives (as well as the Gandhi statue that is in-­‐between all three) will give ample opportunities to do this. It will also allow them to see some of the effects of the nonviolent movements we have been discussing, analyse what they have achieved and where they have fallen short, and speculate on where they may go in the future. Breakdown of Each Session Section One – An Introduction to Nonviolence Theory Week 1: Lecture – An Introduction to the Theory of Pragmatic Nonviolence What is Violence? Pragmatic Nonviolence Key Thinkers The Pillars of Support Theory The 198 Methods of Nonviolent Conflict Civilian Based Defence Research Findings Examples of Pragamatic Nonviolence – Here we will draw on important cases of nonviolence used in Aotearoa on local and national levels. These will then be related to international cases and compared. Discussion class Plan a nonviolent campaign exercise. Readings Week 1: 1) Schock, K. (2003). Nonviolent action and its misconceptions: insights for social scientists. PS: Political Science & Politics, 36(4), 705-­‐712. 2) Chapter one and two (pp. 1-­‐15) of: Sharp, G. (2012). From Dictatorship to Democracy A Conceptual Framework for Liberation. New York. Available online here: http://www.aeinstein.org/wp-­‐content/uploads/2013/09/FDTD.pdf Week 2: Lecture – An Introduction to the Theory of Principled Nonviolence Principled Nonviolence Key Thinkers Pacifism Different definitions of violence – What does Principled Nonviolence Reject? Means and Ends Examples of Principled Nonviolence – – Here we will draw on important cases of nonviolence used in Aotearoa on local and national levels. Most focus will be given to the nonviolent resistance at Parihaka – an important movement in the shaping of the country today. We will then explore Parihaka in comparison to campaigns that have occurred in other parts of the world, such as those lead by Gandhi and Martin Luther King Discussion class The benefits and failures of each approach. 2 Is nonviolence realistic? What is a violent society – colonialism and Parihaka. Readings Week 2: 1) Weber, T. (2003). Nonviolence Is Who? Gene Sharp and Gandhi. Peace & Change, 28(2), 250-­‐270. 2) Shiva, V. (2009). Gandhi for today’s world. Yes Magazine. Retrieved 18/08/2016 from: http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/the-­‐new-­‐economy/vandana-­‐shiva-­‐on-­‐gandhi-­‐for-­‐
today2019s-­‐world 3) Chabot, S., & Sharifi, M. (2013). The Violence of Nonviolence: Problematizing Nonviolent Resistance in Iran and Egypt. Societies Without Borders 8:2 (2013) 205-­‐232. Section Two – Nonviolence in Aotearoa Week 3 Lecture -­‐ Nonviolence in Aotearoa 1 Colonialism in Aotearoa Nonviolent Resistance at Parihaka in more detail. An overview of Te Tiriti O Waitangi and the nonviolence used to get it recognised. Discussion class Link to previous learning Reflect on the similarities and differences to colonisation and resistance in other parts of the world The Rongo memorial Readings Week 3: 1) Came, H. (2010). Policy origins of institutional racism in Aotearoa. Retrieved 18/08/2016 from: http://www.polsis.uq.edu.au/docs/Challenging-­‐
Politics-­‐Papers/Heather_Came_Policy_Origins_of_Insitutional_Racism_in_Aoteaora.pdf 2) Te Tiriti O Waitangi in Maori and English: http://nwo.org.nz/files/Treaty_Poster_with_Declaration_of_Independence.pdf Week 4 Lecture – Nonviolence in Aotearoa 2 Nonviolent Protest and Te Tiriti O Waitangi The Anti-­‐Nuclear Movement The Springbok Tour Archibald Baxter The Save Aramoana Campaign Discussion Class – Nonviolence in Aotearoa 3 and Conclusion Individual vs. collective action Remaining questions and assignment questions Course conclusion Readings Week 4: 1) Cumming, A (DATE). “How Nonviolence Works”: https://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/how_nonviolence_w
orks_2011.pdf 3 Assessment: The course assessment is split into three components. Students must finish the course with at least a 50% mark (C-­‐) in order to pass. 1) Contributing to class discussions – 10% (pass/fail) Students will be marked on participation in the discussion classes. This will involve participating in activities and asking and responding to critical questions which will be given to students at the end of each lecture. Each student will have to give a short summary of one of the required readings during one of the lectures. If they do this they will gain 10% of the total grade, however the activity itself will not be graded. 2) Group Assignment -­‐ “Planning a Creative Nonviolent Campaign” – 20% (Graded) In week one, students will be given a scenario and are to plan a creative nonviolent response in small groups. They must present their plan in the following session. The scenario will be: “Dunedin is about to be invaded by a foreign military. You have the responsibility of organising nonviolent resistance to the military occupation. What will you do?” Students will be marked on the creativity and thoughtfulness of their plans. They must give reasons for why they have planned their response the way that they have and for the specific tactics that they plan to use. 3) Individual Assignment -­‐ Essay – 70% (Graded) Students are to write an essay on an aspect of nonviolence that has been discussed in the course. They may pick their own topics, but must check the titles with the course lecturer before by the end of week three of the course. References are to be written using the APA (6th) referencing style. The word limit for this essay is a maximum of 3000 words. Marks will be given for: 1) Demonstrating a good understanding of the topic chosen 2) Critically engaging with the topic 3) Providing a clear argument with an introduction and conclusion 4) Correct referencing. Work presented in these assignments must not include any form of dishonest practice, including plagiarism, as defined by the University of Otago. For more information see: http://www.otago.ac.nz/study/otago001533.html#dishonest 4