The Study and Practice of Nonviolent Action

Over the last 100 years, how effective have nonviolent resistance movements been to effect social and political change, compared to armed violent uprisings? This was the question that researchers Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan set out to answer as they dug deep into the historical data on the subject over the period of 1900-2006. They conclude empirically that nonviolent resistance campaigns were more than twice as effective as violent ones in achieving their goals. On this edition of Peace Talks Radio, Ms. Chenoweth talks with Carol Boss about some of the data, including the conclusion that successful nonviolent resistance was also more effective at creating durable peaceful democracies. Erica Chenoweth is an assistant professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver and an Associate Senior Researcher at the Peace Research Institute of Oslo. Carol also talks with Ken Butigan executive director of Pace e Bene, an organization with a mission to work with individuals, organizations, and movements to strengthen their efforts to abolish war, protect human rights, end poverty, challenge injustice, heal the planet and to meet today’s profound spiritual task: to build a more just, peaceful and nonviolent world. Ken’s a peace and justice worker, workshop facilitator, and writer for two decades. He also teaches at DePaul University in Chicago.