Braver Seminars: The Philosophy and Practice of Constructive Nonviolence

Welcome to Braver Seminars, the newest addition to Braver U!

Braver Angels will bring together a small group of individuals across the political spectrum for an online seminar consisting of three 90-minute sessions over the course of three weeks. In order to participate, students must be members of Braver Angels and must be able to attend all three sessions of the seminar:

1. Session I: Monday, October 16th from 5-6:30pm ET
2. Session II: Monday, October 23rd from 5-6:30pm ET
3. Session III: Monday, October 30th from 5-6:30pm ET

This seminar reclaims the philosophy of nonviolence based on reconciling public love. It will describe how constructive nonviolence has powerful resources for the work of depolarization. It is a third way between those who argue for a position of “principled nonviolence,” opposing violence under any circumstance, and those who advocate “strategic nonviolence” as an approach that puts aside the philosophy.

Nonviolence animated movements for change like civil rights in America, aspects of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, and the movement for Indian independence, but nonviolence in such movements is often remembered in incomplete ways, as simply civil disobedience without violence. In fact, these movements had philosophical and constructive dimensions, aiming to build beloved communities across great differences while struggling against injustices. Developing constructive nonviolent dimensions has great relevance for our polarized and fractured world, teaching how to see the public talents and worth even of our enemies in order to build a common life. Using Martin Luther King’s writings and other resources, we will look at how to advance constructive nonviolence for our times.

Harry Boyte is a co-founder of the Institute for Public Life and Work and a Senior Scholar of Public Work Philosophy at the Institute. He founded and for 20 years directed and co-directed the Center for Democracy and Citizenship (CDC) at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. As a young man, Boyte worked for Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during the civil rights movement.

Marie Ström is a co-founder of the Institute for Public Life and Work In 2001, she was an international fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. She directed the Democracy Education Program at the Institute for Democracy in South Africa working across Africa with professionals from diverse backgrounds as well as grassroots leaders. After her time at Idasa, she worked as an independent democracy education specialist in the USA and Africa.