active nonviolenceIntroductionThe exercises and hand-outs included here are intended to stimulate discussion, explore and deepen workshop participants' understanding of active nonviolence and debunk the myth that 'nonviolence' means simply not physically violent or mere passivity. The materials ask what do we mean by nonviolence and how we feel about it? It also looks at a variety of nonviolent actions we might take in different situations.
Exercises and hand-outs are listed and briefly described below. Documents containing the full description appear at the bottom of the list. Click here for a taster sheet on 'Active Nonviolence'.
Nonviolence is the finest quality of the soul, but it is developed by practice. Almost everything you do will seem insignificant but it is important that you do it.-- Mohandas Gandhi
Exercises and Hand-outsBreaking the Cycle of ViolenceOver the years we have developed skills for living together more nonviolently, while simultaneously becoming more sophisticated with our technology and accompanying ideology for solving problems with violence. This exercises leads participants to notice the patterns and cycles of violence in their lives so they can begin to take steps to live differently. More. Nonviolence SpectrumThe Nonviolence Spectrum ... or sometimes called the the Barometer/Continuum/Sociogram, whatever the trainer calls it, chances are if you've participated in a nonviolence workshop, you've done this exercise. An all-time favourite, the purpose of the exericse is to get people thinking about what they mean by 'nonviolence' and to hear the range of people's understandings. It usually brings out most of the dilemmas of nonviolence and gives people a chance to see the complexity of nonviolence. More. An Action is Nonviolent if ...This exercise helps people to clarify their understanding of what exactly nonviolence means to them. It also can be used as a follow-up exercise to the Nonviolence Spectrum to have more focused discussion on what we mean by nonviolence. For groups planning a nonviolent direct action (NVD) together, this exercise is a good way to help people should reach some consensus on what attitudes and actions are acceptable for them. More. Responses to ViolenceThis activity allows participants to experience different responses we might make in a potentially violent situation, and to encourage people to examine their feelings in order to highlight the differences between violent and nonviolent responses. More. Explaining NonviolenceUsing TTT's principles of nonviolence this exercise invites participants to reflect on an incident in their own lives or a social change event of as a way of exploring the basis of active nonviolence. More. Fight, Flight or InsightThis exercise explores on a deeper level issus touched upon in the 'Explaining Nonviolence' activity, and particular focus is given to the idea that nonviolence is not simply a strategy or tool. It is an attitude and way of life. More. Nonviolent QuotationsUsing pre-prepared quotes about nonviolence this exercise explores what participants understand about nonviolence and identify characteristics and qualities of nonviolence. More. Dealing with ViolenceWhat is violence? Are behaviours and beliefs violence? This exercise explores our assumptions about violence. How do our assumptions affect our behaviour and vision of the world? More. Reflecting on Ways of Responding to ViolenceBy looking at our own typcial responses to violence we can learn to recogise patterns and typical behaviour, thus taking the first step in learning how to respond in a different way. More. Ways of Responding to ViolenceThis exercise looks 'Fight, Flight or Insight' to get people thinking about their usual way of responding to violence. Similar to Reflecting on Ways of Responding to Violence, but goes fromn a broader deeper. More. Walking in Their ShoesThis exercise is designed to help a person develop empathy with others with whom they need to build a relationship. The idea is to try to understand the other's perspective in order to gain insight into how they view you. Establishing empathy should help you to build a better relationship with this other person or group. More. Beginning to Explore NonviolenceA general opening of the subject of nonviolence by looking at typcial beliefs and stereotypes. More.
Hand-outsTree of NonviolenceUse this hand-out on its own or to flesh out any of the above activities. The roots, branches and tops of the tree depict symbolically the ways of living nonviolently while also demonstrating the connections and differences between the various nonviolent actions that spring from the roots. More. Fred and Joan's Conversation about NonviolenceThis hand-out can be used on its own as a way of introducing nonviolence or to support any of the above exercises. It is a funny and snappy conversation between two friends about what nonviolence means to them. More. Principled NonviolenceThis hand-out will appeal to the 'philosophers' of the group. It is a listing of different types of nonviolence based on Gene Sharp's work. Good on its own or to support discussions generated by the above exercises. More. De-escalating Violence: 8 Basic ResponsesA hand-out to help extend or support any of the exercises that looked at 'fight, flight or insight (or nonviolent response)'. Also could be used on its own in a myrad of ways: ask particpants to come up nonviolent responses to violence and compare the group's strategies to the ones presented in the hand-out. Or present the 8 responses and ask particpants to provide description to how 'remain calm' or 'not act frightened'. More. Transforming our Us versus Them Way of ThinkingThis hand-out is a short reading explaining the history of the 'scapegoat' and the cultural tradition of demonising 'the other'. More. The Myth of Redemptive ViolenceWalter Wink draws on long-running US cartoon Popeye to explain the idea of redemptive violence. The plot never alters, good (Popeye) battles evil (Bluto) and without fail good triumphs over evil. This hand-out is a good discussion starter for thinking about other situations, personal, contemporary or historical, which follow the same pattern. More. Structural/Cultural/Direct ViolenceDrawing from thinking by conflict transformation scholar Johan Galtung, this hand-out looks at how cultural and structural violence cause direct violence ... and direct violence reinforces cultural violence. More.
Full Description of Exercises and Hand-outsTo view our training resources you will need a copy of Adobe® Reader®. If you don't have a copy or if you have an old copy which you would like to update, go to the Adobe website where you can download it for free.
|
