Violence or nonviolence: instrumental nature of protest mobilization

Dehumanization increases instrumental violence, but not moral violence.

Across five experiments, we show that dehumanization-the act of perceiving victims as not completely human-increases instrumental, but not moral, violence. In attitude surveys, ascribing reduced capacities for cognitive, experiential, and emotional states to victims predicted support for practices where victims are harmed to achieve instrumental goals, including sweatshop labor, animal experime...

The Power of Nonviolence

Five studies investigated the effects of nonviolent (vs. violent) strategies on people’s reactions to social movements. In a correlation study with a nested design, across 23 movements perceived use of violence negatively predicted participants’ willingness to support and join the movement (Study 1). This effect was also found experimentally, with Americans being more supportive of nonviolent r...

Analyzing Jaffa Protest Form, Intention and Violence, October 27th 1933

Nonviolence and Communication

Communication is central to the effectiveness of nonviolent action: methods of protest and persuasion are essentially means of communication, while methods of noncooperation and nonviolent intervention have crucial communicative dimensions. As a mode of political communication, nonviolence can be contrasted with rational dialogue, electoral politics and violence, and stands out from them in com...

Buddhism, Nonviolence, and Power

Contemporary Buddhists have in recent decades given the world outstanding examples of nonviolent activism. Although these movements have demonstrated great courage and have generated massive popular support, sadly, none of them has, as yet, prevailed. In this paper I will explore how nonviolent power was exercised in these cases. I will draw upon the work of nonviolent theorist Gene Sharp to he...