Thesis advisor: Charles Derber / The institution of apartheid (or official segregation), implemented in South Africa in 1948, drew immediate and prolonged opposition. For decades, groups within South Africa and in countries around the world protested government policies and repression. Many anti-apartheid activists expressed their objections to the system of apartheid through expressly nonviolent actions, including strikes, boycotts, demonstrations, and the formation of alternative institutions. Opponents of apartheid also garnered support from the international community to pressure the South African government with sanctions and embargoes. At the same time, several groups of anti-apartheid activists chose to resort to violent means to protest the government. These acts of violence included sabotage and, occasionally, the deaths of government officials or collaborators. This paper examines historical and contemporary theories of the morality and effectiveness of nonviolent action. After studying the history of the struggle against apartheid and the use of nonviolent action in South Africa, the argument is made that the consistent and prolonged use of nonviolent actions played the most crucial role in the downfall of the apartheid system. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2005. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Sociology. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

Using Gene Sharp’s guidelines for nonviolent action and Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way’s four arenas of contestation (electoral, legislative, judiciary, and the media) that allow opposition forces to challenge, weaken, or defeat competitive authoritarian regimes, this study provides a functionalist analysis of Serbia’s Otpor movement. Serbia under Milošević was a particular type of hybrid regime called competitive authoritarianism, a regime where the rules of a fully democratically integrated government are violated so often and to such extent that competitive authoritarian incumbents fall short of the bare minimum standards of conventional democracy, bordering the line of authoritarian dictators. Combining Sharp, Levitsky, and Way’s functionalist perspective on social movements with those of sociologists Charles Tilly and Lesley Wood and Charles Stewart’s functional approach to the rhetoric of social movements, this study outlines Otpor’s strategies and analyzes them in hopes of outlining a blueprint for future social movements with similar political opportunities available.

Using Gene Sharp’s guidelines for nonviolent action and Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way’s four arenas of contestation (electoral, legislative, judiciary, and the media) that allow opposition forces to challenge, weaken, or defeat competitive authoritarian regimes, this study provides a functionalist analysis of Serbia’s Otpor movement. Serbia under Milošević was a particular type of hybrid regime called competitive authoritarianism, a regime where the rules of a fully democratically integrated government are violated so often and to such extent that competitive authoritarian incumbents fall short of the bare minimum standards of conventional democracy, bordering the line of authoritarian dictators. Combining Sharp, Levitsky, and Way’s functionalist perspective on social movements with those of sociologists Charles Tilly and Lesley Wood and Charles Stewart’s functional approach to the rhetoric of social movements, this study outlines Otpor’s strategies and analyzes them in hopes of outlining a blueprint for future social movements with similar political opportunities available.

Orientador: Rafael Salatini de Almeida / Resumo: O presente projeto procura estudar e debater o tema relacionado à antinomia permanente entre, de um lado, a paz e pacifismo, e, de outro, a guerra e a violência. Assim, partir da doutrina da não-violência em face do conflito político permeado pelos Estados contra seus cidadãos, mesmo perante organizações ditas democráticas, procuraremos compreender os temas da paz e da não violência e sua conformação nos escritos de Gene Sharp. Assim, levantando-se a discussão acerca de um direito humano de resistência não-violenta, tomando por referência a doutrina da desobediência civil e culminando em um direito humano de todos os povos de revolução, todavia, realizável por meios pacíficos. As práticas filosóficas da não-violência, propostas por Gandhi e outros pacifistas, se transformam em teoria política de resistência e em ação coletiva de confrontação e de lutas. Porém, enquanto toda revolução pressupõe violência e uso da força, a prática da não-violência como referencial de um agir político, na esfera nacional e internacional, se mostra como grande potencial de adesões e de conquistas, obtendo cada vez mais o apoio social. Somente se entendendo os estudos políticos e humanitários relacionados à paz e ao pacifismo, conseguiremos mensurar o alcance das teorias e doutrinas de não-violência. Estes se mostram fundamentais para a discussão e análise dos métodos de luta e revolução não-violentos propostos por Gene Sharp. O estudo e a proposta tomam por ponto de convergência desses institutos... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This project seeks to study and debate the theme related to the permanent antinomy between peace and pacifism, and on the other hand war and violence. Thus, from the doctrine of nonviolence in the face of political conflict permeated by states against their citizens, even before so-called democratic organizations, we will seek to understand the themes of peace and nonviolence and their conformation to the writings of Gene Sharp. Thus, raising the discussion about a human right of nonviolent resistance by reference to the doctrine of civil disobedience and culminating in a human right of all peoples of revolution, yet achievable by peaceful means. The philosophical practices of nonviolence proposed by Gandhi and other pacifists become political theory of resistance and collective action of confrontation and struggle. However, while every revolution presupposes violence and the use of force, the practice of nonviolence as a reference for political action and at the national and international levels is shown to be a great potential for adhesions and achievements, increasingly obtaining social support. Only by understanding the political and humanitarian studies related to peace and pacifism can we measure the extent of nonviolence theories and doctrines. These are fundamental for the discussion and analysis of the methods of nonviolent struggle and revolution proposed by Gene Sharp. The study and proposal take as a point of convergence of these institutes of pacifism and nonviol... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Astratto: Questo progetto mira a studiare e discutere il tema relativo all'antinomia permanente tra pace e pacifismo, e d'altra parte guerra e violenza. Quindi, dalla dottrina della nonviolenza di fronte al conflitto politico permeato dagli stati contro i loro cittadini, anche prima delle cosiddette organizzazioni democratiche, cercheremo di comprendere i temi della pace e della nonviolenza e della loro conformazione agli scritti di Gene Sharp. Quindi, sollevando la discussione su un diritto umano di resistenza non violenta facendo riferimento alla dottrina della disobbedienza civile e culminando in un diritto umano di tutti i popoli della rivoluzione, eppure raggiungibile con mezzi pacifici. Le pratiche filosofiche di nonviolenza proposte da Gandhi e altri pacifisti diventano teoria politica di resistenza e azione collettiva di confronto e lotta. Tuttavia, mentre ogni rivoluzione presuppone la violenza e l'uso della forza, la pratica della nonviolenza come riferimento per l'azione politica e a livello nazionale e internazionale ha dimostrato di essere un grande potenziale per adesioni e risultati, ottenendo sempre più supporto sociale. Solo comprendendo gli studi politici e umanitari relativi alla pace e al pacifismo possiamo misurare l'estensione delle teorie e delle dottrine della non violenza. Questi sono fondamentali per la discussione e l'analisi dei metodi di lotta e violenza nonviolenta proposti da Gene Sharp. Lo studio e la proposta prendono come punto di convergenza questi is / Doutor

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.