Spirituality and Nonviolent Social Transformation: Gandhi, King, Day, and Chavez

This course will explore the quests for justice through nonviolence of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Dorothy Day and César Chávez. Critical to the course will be an emphasis on the connection between spirituality and social action. What were the influences, e.g., Emerson, Thoreau, Tolstoy, DuBois, that helped shape the zeitgeist of their times? How were strategies determined and employed? What is essential to an effective nonviolent campaign? What were the faith foundations of these extraordinary leaders? What were their relationships to their communities? How did they manage to keep their resolve in times of disappointments? These are some of the questions the course will explore. Limited Skype attendance allowed.
Syllabus for course (pdf)