Religion 120 - Nonviolent Protest

Nonviolent Protest

Spring
2026
01
4.00
Andy Rotman,David Howlett

M 3:05 PM - 4:20 PM; W 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Smith College
REL-120-01-202603
arotman@smith.edu,dhowlett@smith.edu
“Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial moral and political questions of our time,” claimed Martin Luther King, Jr. What is the power of nonviolent protest? What does it do for protesters and their communities? Can it really change the world? This course examines nonviolent protest—its history, methods, spiritual commitments, promises, and limitations. Topics include Gandhian mass mobilizations, Civil Rights marches, Chicano-led farmworker strikes, antinuclear sit-ins, pro-democracy community organizing, Indian farmers’ encampments, and recent protests on college campuses. Class materials include speeches, films, manifestos, poems, posters, songs, archival documents, academic articles, and meetings with activists. (E)
Permission is required for interchange registration during the add/drop period only.
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