Facing crusading fervor, Erasmus preached peace by arguing that violence is irrational and unchristian. But his reluctant acceptance of war as a final defense blurs the lines, leaving us to ponder: How should his pacifism be approached?
Europe
Danilo Dolci: Nonviolent Action in Sicily
Danilo Dolci’s activism made a significant impact on the practice of peaceful protest in Italy. His inspirational nature is reflected in his nickname, the “Sicilian Gandhi,” aptly given for his commitment to nonviolent action. Through hunger strikes and reverse strikes, community organization and education, as well as published literature, Dolci made significant progress towards improving life in Sicily.
Unsung Heroes of the Second World War: The Nonviolent Contributions of Female French Resistors
After France was defeated by German forces in 1940, many military-aged French men were taken as prisoners of war. Therefore, it was left to women and older men to establish the initial resistance groups in occupied France. Celebrated French Resistance member Lucie Aubrac asserted that the Resistance movement was, in all likelihood, primarily female.
Church Resistance to the Nazi Regime
In 1934, those who actively opposed Hitler’s ideology and its application to the church organized themselves into the Confessing Church of Germany. The interest of this church was mainly in the separation of church and state, as well as being in opposition to the German Christians.
The White Rose – Resistance in Nazi Germany
In Munich, Germany, in the summer of 1942, there was an explosion of youth resistance activities.
The UK’s Protests of 2010: A Struggle for Democratic Education
Revolution and Response – This is the second part of a four part series exploring England’s Education System.
The UK’s Protests of 2010: A Struggle for Democratic Education
A Brief History of the English Education System – This is the first part of a four part series
Addiopizzo: Sicily’s Anti-Mafia Movement, Past and Present
The anti-mafia movement is often associated with the actions of the Italian police and criminal justice system against the mafia, but grassroots approaches to anti-mafia work have an even longer history. The Addiopizzo movement is the most recent in a long legacy of Sicilians organizing against the mafia.
Civil Protest in Northern Ireland
Since the partition of Ireland in December of 1920, Northern Ireland has been characterized as a deeply polarized society…By the 1960s, a loose network, activists, groups, and organizations (known as the CRM network) began to challenge the discriminatory practices.
Bobby Sands and the 1981 Hunger Strike
Bobby Sands was an incredibly multifaceted figure in modern Irish history. He was a writer and poet, a member of Parliament, and a volunteer to the Irish Republican Army (IRA).