Causes and cures XIV: Nonviolence approaches

The past several years have been a landmark moment for violence prevention, with renewed attention on the part of many international agencies, but especially the United Nations, with its adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The latter invites the world community to collaborate in an inclusive, long-ranging vision for the future, highlighting our interdependence and collective responsibility for humanity's future. A growing awareness that preventing violence does not just reduce death and disability but promotes creativity, economic growth, and general well-being is at the heart of this “movement”. An integration not only of the major disciplines but of various practical approaches is timely, and for this to occur, we require a broader overview of our existing societal structures. In this context, this fifteen article series modeled after a Global Health Studies course entitled, “Violence: Causes and Cures,” reviews the mechanisms that society has used in an attempt to stem violence. Continuing the transition from the “law and order” to the health model, this article examines the power of nonviolence. Contrary to current assumptions, far from being passive or ineffective, nonviolent methods have demonstrated to bring down empires, to topple regimes, and to effectuate long-lasting peace-at greater frequency than violent means. Starting with the personal level, and drawing upon the various spiritual traditions, nonviolence may delve into the depths that are necessary for countering our complex tendency for violence. Nonviolence gives us the lesson that peace is possible, not just by stemming destructive forces, but through fostering constructive ones.