From Principles to Practice: A Self-Reflective Activity to Understand the Boundaries and Values Underlying Nonviolent Action

Abstract

Every generation, from Boomers to Generation Alpha (Gen A), has participated in some form of activism. While many organizations encourage nonviolent training before partaking in collective strategic social action, all individuals should reflect on their stances on nonviolence. Stances on nonviolent action can be easily incorporated into discussions on civic engagement, civil disobedience, conflict resolution, ethics and values, and healthy communication across a variety of adult education contexts. It is especially relevant to engage in these discussions when disciplines have an ethical responsibility to support social justice initiatives. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to introduce a self-reflective activity that allows individuals to reflect on their values and boundaries associated with nonviolent action. Key concepts related to nonviolence will be defined, and the relevance of teaching values, principles, and practices of nonviolence will be briefly explored. The article will provide the reflective activity and suggested reflection questions, and conclude with a discussion on how to incorporate the activity within adult education contexts.