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A Paradigm Shift to a Nonkilling World Future
an article by Bill Bhaneja
Is a nonkilling global society feasible? Professor Paige in his path-breaking book asks this simple yet profound question, but goes a step further to challenge his discipline, questioning, if a nonkilling global political science is achievable. On both counts, through insightful analysis and substantive evidence, his answer is a resounding "yes."
Glenn Paige, a political science professor at the University of Hawaii, writes from experience, having served in the Korean war. His use of the term "nonkilling" is very specific, grounded in the evidence-based approach of behavioral sciences. He shows that less than one percent of all homo sapiens have been killers of fellow humans. Why not then to train, people and nations globally to strengthen their resistance to kill?
His vision is for social science research to dedicate itself to a diagnosis of the pathology of lethality, and to discover both prescriptions and treatments that can be shared with all who seek to remove killing from global life.
He refers to medical science as a model. Through its emphasis on research and training on prevention, intervention, and post-traumatic transformation strategies, it has proven successful in producing both knowledge and practitioners for the moral interest of preservation of life. Paige considers that same commitment to non-lethality can be made applicable to social sciences.
Paige concludes that the time has come for a paradigm-shift in the discipline: "If tradition has taught that we must kill to be free, equal and secure -- the present teaches that unless we stop killing not only freedom and equality are in jeopardy but our very survival."
He is optimistic that this goal is reachable. The book is provocative and creative, a wonderful tonic for these troubled times.
Book details: Paige, Glenn D. , Nonkilling Global Political Science, Xlibris: Philadelphia, 2002, 239 pp., ISBN# Hardcover 0-7388-5744-0, Paperback 0 -7388-5745-9
This work can be also downloaded from:
globalnonviolence.org.
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DISCUSSION
Question(s) related to this article:
Are nonkilling societies possible?, If yes, what should we be doing? If not, what will happen to us?
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LATEST READER COMMENT:
Promoting Communication Literacy through Principles of Compassion for a Nonviolent Planet
by Vedabhyas Kundu
At a time when there are conflicts at different level around the world, promoting COMMUNICATION LITERACY through principles of compassion is a necessity so as to bring people together and collectively work for global peace.
Compassion and feelings for others are essential ingredients for human unity. Swami Vivekananda had said, “Do you feel for others? If you do, you are growing in oneness. If you do not feel for others, you may be the most intellectual giant ever born, but you will be nothing; you are but dry intellect, and you will remain so.”
Indeed in today’s contemporary society when there are so much of differences and intolerance, if we can’t promote feeling and compassion for others, we cannot promote oneness amongst one another. There seems to be crisis of values and little respect for each other’s ideas and perspective. For a large number of people, the self seems to be the supreme and are agnostic about the feelings of others. Anger and hatred towards each other seems to be found in abundance. All these will lead to greater conflicts and ill feelings amongst fellow beings. Swami Vivekananda pertinently underlines that howsoever one may acquire intellectual power, without compassion for others, one is nothing. . ...more.
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