7:30 pm, Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Rieth Recital Hall

David Cortright Lecture"The Power of Nonviolence: Lessons from the Unarmed Revolution in Egypt"

Yoder Public Affairs Lecture Series David Cortright "The Power of Nonviolence: Lessons from the Unarmed Revolution in Egypt" Nonviolence is usually thought of as a moral and religious choice, but significant practical considerations reinforce the preference for using nonviolent means of social action. The successful social movements of Gandhi and King and the increasing number of unarmed struggles all over the world today show the effectiveness of nonviolent means of achieving peace and justice. Recent empirical studies confirm that nonviolent campaigns have a higher rate of success than armed struggle and are also more likely to produce freer and more democratic societies. The practical dimensions of nonviolent struggle are illustrated in the experience of the Egyptian revolution of January/February 2011. The lecture will review how the Egyptian people succeeded in bringing down the entrenched Mubarak dictatorship. It will distill lessons from the revolution and pose questions about the philosophy and practice of nonviolent struggle for the future.

Contact: Jan Shetler, phone 7108, email jans@goshen.edu