Nonviolence Studies Interdisciplinary Minor

Nonviolence is a weapon of strong.
--Mohandas K. Gandhi

Program Description

The interdisciplinary minor in Nonviolence Studies provides our students an opportunity to learn about the philosophical, cultural, and literary traditions of nonviolence and the histories of nonviolent change. The minor imparts a systematic understanding of nonviolence as a core human virtue, a positive force that is grounded in courage, compassion and conciliation, and is key to creating a peaceful and sustainable future for the humanity.

This understanding is especially critical given the many faceted problems of violence and war. Students taking this minor will feel inspired to become innovators working toward promoting human dignity, advancing social justice and nurturing ecological harmony. At the same time, they will also gain the ability to develop and apply nonviolent methods for resolving conflicts.

Designed to serve as a complimentary emphasis to any major, this interdisciplinary minor will provide students additional career options such as business sector jobs in human resources, industrial and labor relations, and conflict management; and public sector positions in community service or social work agencies, correctional institutions, and government departments. Other potential career paths exist in the non-profit sector including international agencies, and in non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Moreover, the minor will particularly well serve the professional needs of the future school teachers.

Curriculum

Effective Fall 2018, the curriculum for the minor includes two required courses--core and capstone-(6 units) and four support courses (12 units), that is, a total of six courses (18 units) as follows. Please note many of the courses below also fulfill GE requirements and will double count for the minor.

Required Core: 6 Units

The following two core courses focus on an in-depth and interdisciplinary understanding of the principles, philosophies, and methods of nonviolence. These courses are designed to provide students a novel perspective on the history of nonviolent change, facilitate their explorations of nonviolent philosophy and action, provide them the ability to apply these methods to contemporary social settings, and equip them with skills in problem solving through nonviolent methods and peaceful processes.

Foundation core course
HST 4433 Nonviolence in the Modern World (3)
(Also fulfils C3/D4)
Capstone course
CLS 4490 Seminar in Nonviolence Studies (3)

Elective Support Courses: 12 Units

Students will take four additional courses (12 units) as specified from the following three categories.

Faculty Advisor and Coordinator for the Minor