Praxis of Emerging Liberations: a Transdisciplinary Knowledge-Making of How to Liberate Within-Against-and-Beyond Systems of Violence

What is it about?

This article argues that in order for studies of pacifism and nonviolence to become relevant, it need to adopt an approach that is primarily critical of violent systems (not single events), such as colonialism, racism, sexism, militarism, capitalism, etc., and aims to undermine, transform or abolish such systems. That means that "revolutionary nonviolence" is what is needed. Such an approach needs to be developed together with different knowledge experts from different traditions and orientations, especially from the Global South and movements mobilizing Black, Indigenous and People of Color. It also needs to be a type of knowledge-making that is aiming to mobilize joint liberation struggles between people suffering under different violent systems. Such a revolutionary nonviolence would be one that act in solidarity and cooperation with different liberation movements, also if they use violent means, in an effort to develop more nonviolent means and strategies of struggle for liberation. Such an approach to pacifism and nonviolence would be more in line with the tradition of Mohandas K. Gandhi and the anti-colonial movement, which arguably was the modern inspiration for studies of "nonviolence". If such an approach of revolutionary nonviolence was adopted it would become of relevance for those people that are affected by the most violent systems and are trying to struggle against them. If such an approach is not adopted it risks making pacifism part of liberal colonizing.

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