IPE 381: Nonviolent Revolutionary Movements

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Patrick Van Inwegen

Fall 2004 Tuesdays & Thursdays 11:00 to 12:20

Office: McIntyre Hall 302                                                                     Office Hours: MW 1:00 – 2:00

Office Phone: 879-3490                                                                                               or by appointment

 “Nonviolence is the law of our species as violence is the law of the brute.” – Gandhi

Course Description

This course introduces you to the legacy of nonviolence, a technique used to control, combat and destroy an opponent’s power without destroying their people or property.  We will examine the processes that lead up to and create the possibility for successful change in politics and society.  We will begin by studying theories of revolution and nonviolence.  Using these tools we will analyze several key cases of nonviolence in revolution from the perspective of those most directly involved: Mohandas Gandhi in Indian independence and Vaclav Havel in the successful nonviolent revolution in Czechoslovakia. 

Course Objectives

(1) To provide you with a firm grasp of the major theories of revolution as well as a background in some of the major revolutions that have shaped our international system.

(2) To create familiarity with the basic terms and concepts of nonviolent action as well as recognize the strategic choices possible in social movements.

(3) To make you more aware of the role of nonviolent action in political and social movements.

(4) To allow you to participate in advanced research on theory development and analysis.

           

Required Books

Goldstone, Jack A. editor. Revolutions: Theoretical, Comparative, and Historical Studies. 3rd Edition. Fort Worth. Harcourt Brace College Publishers. 2003.

Sharp, Gene. The Politics of Nonviolent Action. Boston. Porter Sargent Publishers. 1973.

Steger, Manfred B. Judging Nonviolence: The Dispute Between Realists and Idealists. New York: Routledge.

Gandhi, Mohandas K. An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth. Boston. Beacon Press. 1993.

Havel, Vaclav. Open Letters – Selected Writings 1965-1990. Selected and edited by Paul Wilson. New York: Vintage Books. 1992.

Grading Percentages                                                                         Grading Scale

Reading Reflections:      15%                                         93-100 A                     73-76   C

Paper 1:                       15%                                         90-93   A-                    70-72   C-

Paper 2:                       20%                                         87-89   B+                   67-69   D+

            Nobel Presentation:      15%                                         83-86   B                      63-66   D

            Research Paper:           30%                                         80-82   B-                    60-62   D-

Class Participation:       5%                                           77-79   C+                   0-59     F

Course Obligations and Requirements – more detailed instructions for each will be given

 Reading Reflections – Students will receive topics for reflection for the following week’s readings most Thursdays.  Students will turn in their typed reflections along with one thought-provoking question about the day’s reading(s) at the beginning of class.  These reflections are intended to help students focus on the important themes in the readings to more effectively involve themselves in class discussions.

 Papers – Students will have an opportunity to apply the theoretical lessons from the readings in two five page papers.  The first is due September 28, in class.  The second is due October 19, in class.  Each paper will focus specifically on elements from the theoretical books on revolutions and nonviolence, respectively.  Outside research will not be necessary.  Late papers will be penalized five percentage points per day.  

 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Presentation – Each student will make a class presentation on a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (NPPL).  Students will make a bibliographic outline of their laureate to be distributed to the class prior to the presentation.  Students will give a brief presentation in the first person, as if they are the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, and then answer questions from the class.  Students will make their selection in class, September 30.  NPPL Presentations will begin on October 28.  The date of your presentation will be determined by lottery, held on October 12.

 Research Paper – Students will be required to write an 10-12 page research paper due the day of the final exam (in lieu of the final exam), December 15 (Wednesday).  Late papers will not be accepted, per the university’s final exam policy.  Students will present the findings of their research paper during the university scheduled exam time (12:00 pm - 2:00 pm).

 Class Participation – Students should come to class prepared to discuss the various issues raised in the assigned readings.  Participation is essential to your success in this class.  Acceptable behavior will be characterized by respect for all others in class.                            

Academic Honesty at University of Puget Sound – excerpted from The Logger

The University is a community of faculty, students, and staff engaged in the exchange of ideas contributing to individual growth and development. Essential to the successful functioning of the academic community is a shared sense of enthusiasm for learning and respect for other persons. The successful functioning of the academic community also demands honesty, which is the basis of respect for both ideas and persons. The suspicion of dishonesty in the academic community is a serious matter because it threatens the atmosphere of respect essential to learning. Academic dishonesty can take many forms, including but not limited to the following: plagiarism, which is the misrepresentation of someone else's words, ideas, research, etc. as one's own; submitting the same paper for credit in more than one course without prior permission; collaborating with other students on papers and submitting them without instructor permission; cheating on examinations; and mistreatment of library materials.

Any act of plagiarism will result in a failing grade for the course.  Additional rules concerning academic integrity and examples of acceptable and unacceptable conduct can be found in the undergraduate catalogue.

 

Course Outline and Calendar of readings and assignments

Have assigned readings and assignments completed by class time for the dates below.

SECTION I.  THEORIES OF SOCIAL/POLITICAL CHANGE

31 August         Introduction to the course, content, and syllabus

 2 September     Introduction to the Comparative and Historical Study of Revolutions

Goldstone pp. 1-20

 7 September     Classic Theories of Revolution 

                        Goldstone pp. 23-55                                                                            Reading Reflection

 9 September     Origins of Revolutions

Goldstone pp. 55-84 

 14 September   Communist Revolutions: Russia, China & Cuba

Goldstone pp.   183-212                                                                       Reading Reflection

 16 September   Revolutions Against Dictatorships: Mexico, Nicaragua, Iran & The Philippines

            Goldstone pp. 213-254

 21 September   Revolutions Against Communism: Eastern Europe, Soviet Union & China

            Goldstone pp. 255-284                                                                        Reading Reflection

 23 September   Revolts and Revolutions: Latin America, South Africa, Palestine & Afghanistan

Goldstone pp. 285-324                       

 SECTION II.  A THEORY OF NONVIOLENCE

 28 September   The Theoretical Assumptions of Nonviolent Action

Sharp pp. 7-48                                                                                     Paper #1 Due

 30 September   The Theoretical Assumptions of Nonviolent Action

Sharp pp. 63-102                                            

 5 October        Judging Nonviolence

Steger pp. 1-19                                                                                    Reading Reflection

 7 October        Critics of Nonviolence

Steger pp. 19-57

 12 October      Advocates of Nonviolence

Steger pp. 61-105                                                                                Reading Reflection

 14 October      Conclusions on Nonviolence

Steger pp. 107-120

 SECTION III.  NONVIOLENT REVOLUTION: SPIRITUAL ORIGINS – GANDHI & INDIA

 19 October                                                                                                                  Paper #2 Due

 21 October      Gandhi’s Youth and Foundations

Gandhi pp. 3-28, 42-52, 87-105

 26 October      South African Experiments

Gandhi pp. 185-222, 300-320                                                             Reading Reflection

 28 October      Independence from the Empire

Gandhi pp. 373-428                                                                             NPPL Presentations

 2 November     Gandhi pp. 439-478                            

 4 November     Gandhi pp. 478-506                                                                            NPPL Presentations

 

SECTION IV.  NONVIOLENT REVOLUTION: PRAGMATIC ORIGINS – HAVEL & CZECHOSLOVAKIA

 9 November     The Prague Spring & Aftermath                                                           

Havel pp. 3-9, 25-35, 50-84                                                                Reading Reflection

 11 November   Havel pp. 84-124                                                                                NPPL Presentations

 16 November   The Power of the Powerless                                                                

Havel pp. 125-214                                                                               Reading Reflection

 18 November   Havel pp. 125-214                                                                              NPPL Presentations

 23 November   State Response to Nonviolence

Havel pp. 215-271                                                                               Reading Reflection

 25 November   NO CLASS – HAPPY THANKSGIVING

 30 November   The End of Communist Czechoslovakia

Havel pp. 351-397                                                                               NPPL Presentations

 SECTION VI.  TOWARD THE FUTURE: NONVIOLENCE IN PERSPECTIVE

2 December     Havel On-line at www.geocities.com/pvaninw                           Reading Reflection

7 December     Comparing Nonviolent Movements      

 15 December   Research Paper due 12:00 pm.  We will discuss your research papers until 2:00 pm       (regularly scheduled time for final exam).

 

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