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The aim of this thesis is to assess Martin Luther King Jr.’s theory, practice, and pragmatic function of Nonviolent Direct Action, and to propose that it must be understood as violent in a substantive way. The purpose of interpreting King’s Nonviolent Direct Action as violent is to show the efficacy of the theory, which is to fend off critiques of futility and to expose the psychological and philosophical depth of the seemingly simple tactic. Nonviolent Direct Action is commonly considered to be a method of civil disobedience that aims to motivate substantial social or political change without a physically violent clash. However, this thesis identifies more fundamentally the presence of an intention to inflict a harmful or painful psychological effect on those it is directed against, to affect a response from the conscience that motivates a change of behaviour. For that, there must be a strategic staging of events by the oppressed and their supporters who are unable and unwilling to overcome the oppressor on traditionally physically violent terms. The unviability of traditional violence for the oppressed group necessitates a reliance on a psychological tactic to invoke negative emotion in the oppressor. After an introductory chapter, this thesis will proceed to reconstruct King’s theory of nonviolence by examining a collection of his written works, written records of his sermons and speeches, and Jonathan Eig’s biography King: A Life. Next, a chapter is devoted to analyzing the novel categorization in this thesis of Nonviolent Direct Action as violent by considering what psychological violence means, and how other nonviolent tactics that exclude psychological violence are insufficient to effect social or political change in contexts of the oppression of Black Americans. The fourth chapter examines Richard Gregg’s book The Power of Nonviolence, which supports the case for the use of nonviolent tactics in the face of physically violent oppression. Maintaining, among other things, that nonviolent tactics promote the well-being of the oppressor and the oppressed and allow for good standing between the groups in the future. The fifth chapter contains an exposition of William James’s work including Principles of Psychology and other essays. Comparisons between James’s theory and King’s practice will be drawn, especially concerning their positions on innate moral feelings of harmony, dissonance, and the moral universe. The sixth chapter will make concluding remarks.

Race is a potent discourse within the world of pop culture, particularly in television where viewers are witnessing more racial diversity in scripted shows. However, show creators must maintain standards that emphasize distinct social roles among characters in order to appeal to large heterogeneous audiences. These roles tend to be characterizations of racial stereotypes that often lead to biased opinions and inaccurate perceptions of minority groups. Previous studies detail that racial biases in media adversely shape public opinions about African Americans and depress the desire for racial integration. This seems somewhat confounding since the shift in programming towards racial diversity presumes increased affirmation, importance, and validity of African Americans and other minority groups. This study investigates the affective response of Black and White college students to cross-race relationships on TV and the perceived realism of these media depictions. Since these relationship forms are now becoming part of television's pop culture, and pop culture reflects co-existing attitudes and values in society, it is important that they be examined. Additionally, examining cross-racial relationships may help in understanding larger race relations in the United States.

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This thesis examines the integration crisis that the City of Norfolk, Virginia underwent between 1954 and 1959 with an epilogue that carries Norfolk's desegregation story through to 1986. / Master of Arts

Based on the author's Thesis (Ph. D.--University of Denver, 1994). / Includes bibliographical references (p. [126]-179).

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)