1c. Introduction to Peace Movements

In this first module we’ll create a foundation for understanding the peace movements to be examined in the course.

What is a Peace Movement?

There are probably many equally valid definitions for ‘peace movement.’ For the purpose of this course, we will use this one I've created from an amalgam of ideas and concepts:

A Peace Movement is an organization, an action/response, or an individual philosophy which seeks – using nonviolent means – to replace diverse forms of violence, especially war, with a state of social justice and reconciliation.1

We sometimes think of a ‘movement’ as a large number of people acting together for a cause. Which is true enough, and one way to look at it. But for the purpose of this course we are including peace-related organizations, specific actions and responses that advocate for peace, and individual philosophies – systems of thought – that are created to advance peace in some way.

How is a peace movement different from a social movement? A social movement covers a broad range of collective activity that advocates for, or resists, social change. A social movement might focus on the rights of particular groups in society – workers, women, LGBTQ+, Indigenous peoples, for example. Many peace movements could be considered social movements, but the converse is less likely. That is, some social movements are not nonviolent or are not formed to address specific forms of conflict or war. These terms sometimes overlap, and that is okay.

Both social movements and peace movements must become public in some manner for there to be impact and outcomes. They may start with an individual or small group of people, but to be effective they must grow and gather adherents.

Here is an entertaining clip about how movements grow:

Sivers, D. (2010, February 11). First Follower: Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8amMCVAJQ

Are you the crazy guy who starts dancing alone, without much concern whether anyone will follow? Are you the ‘first follower,’ perhaps the bravest of all, who likes what the crazy guy is doing and chooses to join in? Are you among the others who, once a critical mass of dancers confirms that it is okay, join the dance with enthusiasm?

While leaders are important in peace movements, the ‘first follower’ can be even more crucial, and ultimately it is a multitude of followers that creates a movement. These levels of participation can all be found in the movements we will examine in the course.

There are other terms that come up repeatedly in the course and warrant some definition here:

Pacifism
This is a term that comes up frequently when studying peace in history. The Oxford International Encyclopedia of Peace states,

Pacifism is moral opposition to war and other forms of violence as well as moral commitment to cooperative personal, social, and international conduct based on agreement rather than force.3

 
A pacifist stance can be a continuum of expression relating to ideology or action:
  • Some pacifists reject violence under all circumstances, even self-defense. Others make exceptions for certain circumstances such as in self-defense or for the protection of others.
  • Some pacifists are absolutist – meaning they are opposed to all wars and will not cooperate with any activity deemed to be supportive of war or violence.
  • Some pacifists are pragmatic – meaning they are opposed to war in principle, but not necessarily all wars.
Nonresistance
This is mainly a religious, historic form of pacifism. For Christians, its origins lie with the biblical passage that says “But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”2 The term is not used much today because, in part, it is viewed as a passive, rather than active, approach to peacemaking. 
Nonviolence
Stately simply, nonviolence rejects “the use of force that harms or kills human beings and, in some cases, other living creatures.”3 Nonviolence is both a theory and a form of action. The question of whether a peace movement can use force at all to achieve its goals is one that comes up in some situations; for example, if Hitler had been killed at the outset of the Second World War, could millions of lives been saved and peace achieved sooner?
Civil Disobedience
Civil Disobedience is a method adopted by many peace movements, but is also a principle and is so central to peace movement history that it is worth noting at the outset. It is: 

The open defiance of specific laws in a nonviolent manner in order to change those laws or to effect a wider social change. It implies a willingness to accept legal penalties.4

 

Throughout the course, other terms and expressions will come up that are relevant to specific peace movements and time periods.

Characteristics of Peace Movements

Illustration of peace symbol as a pie chart with four sections: aims/goals, methods/tactics, ideology/philosophy, and symbols
The Four Characteristics of Peace Movements

Aims/Goals

All peace movements have a particular aim or goal at which they are directed. It might be as simple and broad as ‘to create world peace’ or it might be more targeted and narrower.

Here are some examples of the aims and goals of peace movements:

  • anti-war; against specific civil and international military conflicts
  • anti-war; eliminate war in general
  • to stop particular aspects of war that might be viewed as contrary to international ‘rules’ about warfare
  • against colonialism and for self-rule; independence movements
  • against dictatorships and oppressive regimes; often civil conflicts
  • for human rights; against systems that persecute or oppress
  • against military conscription, which is mandatory service in state armies
  • movements of remembrance or commemoration; looking back to end future conflict
  • against manifestations of militarism and types of weaponry
  • to promote reconciliation between opposing groups
  • to educate and raise awareness around peace

Perhaps you can think of others…

Methods/Tactics

All peace movements develop methods and tactics for spreading their message, gaining support, and achieving goals. Most of these are deliberate strategies, while others are less intentional but emerge over time. All movements have multiple methods that sometimes change or escalate over time. Certainly, some are more successful than others. Some methods are simple and low risk, while others are complex and life-threatening, depending on the context. 

As you look at this list, consider which you would consider low risk and which you would consider high risk?

Here is a preliminary list to get you thinking about the many possibilities:

  • strikes
  • parades and demonstrations
  • boycotts
  • blockades
  • nonviolent sabotage
  • fasting
  • emigration
  • creation of utopian communities
  • courage, getting in the way
  • petitions
  • shock tactics
  • research and education
  • celebrity activism
  • mail campaigns
  • media and culture

Gene Sharp, who died in 2018, was an important figure for the global peace movement in the latter half of the 20th century and to the present. He developed arguments and strategies for nonviolent resistance that have been used around the world. Dr. Gene Sharp founded the Albert Einstin Institution to study and encourage the use of nonviolent action in response to conflict.

Dr. Sharp was convinced that "pragmatic, strategically planned nonviolent struggle can be made highly effective for application in conflicts to lift oppression and as a substitute for violence."5

 

He developed a list of 198 Methods of Nonviolent Action (PDF) which are really interesting to review.

Can you think of methods missing from Gene Sharp’s list? Especially ones that might reflect more recent methods for spreading peace messages.

Portrait of Dr. Gene Sharp
Dr. Gene Sharp
1928-2018

Today, the internet and its various means of disseminating information and arousing action, are extremely important for peace movements. As such, internet activism is certainly a method that should be added to the list. There are upsides and downsides to this. The term ‘click-activism’ has been coined to reflect the act of simply clicking to ‘like’ a cause or event, leading one to feel involvement in a peace movement with minimal effort. Critics of this describe it as a form of ‘slacktivism’ which makes the ‘activist’ feel good but has little impact.

On the other hand, internet activism has great potential for reaching masses of people around the world almost simultaneously. Your reading, by Deva Temple, suggests that the Web 2.0 holds great potential for contributing to peace in the world, but only if human agency is also involved. Temple offers three examples of how a “technorganic” – the combination of technology and human action – can promote “peace, democracy, and social justice.” These are: the women’s movement (specifically CODEPINK who you will learn more about in Module 10), the rise of Barack Obama, and protest in Iran in 2008. 

Ideology/Philosophy

Many, but not all, peace movements are rooted in some kind of ideology, philosophy, set of values and beliefs, or system of thought.

 

Some examples are:

  • socialism
  • left-wing politics
  • religious pacifism
  • environmentalism
  • feminism
  • interest group or identity-based politics
  • pro-democracy
  • mindfulness

These are not always immediately evident in peace movements that are focused on a very specific goal. Some movements may also include a range of ideologies, for example people might be opposed to a particular war because of both anti-capitalist and feminist views. Not all peace movements have clearly identifiable ideologies, but it is good to reflect on if and where they may exist.

Symbols

Symbols and other forms of visual ‘branding’ are often used by peace movements as non-verbal or textual forms of communication.

 
peace symbol

Most people are familiar with the popular ‘peace sign.’

This familiar symbol first appeared in 1958 in England. It was designed by a British man named Gerald Holtom who was a Conscientious Objector in the Second World War (more about this in Module 5). It was meant to signify despair amidst a growing threat of nuclear weaponry and warfare. Holtom used the letters N (upside down V) and D (vertical line) in the semaphore flag-signing system to indicate Nuclear Disarmament, contained with the circle that meant the world.

The peace sign was brought to the U.S. by Bayard Rustin, a civil rights leader who participated in the anti-nuclear march in England when the symbol was first used. Since then it has been used around the world.

Before continuing, make a list of other peace symbols you can think of.

paper crane

Paper crane

The origami paper crane, based on a traditional Japanese legend, was popularized as a peace symbol after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Sadako Sasaki, a girl who developed radiation-caused leukemia, folded 1,000 paper cranes before she died. This became a symbol of the horror of nuclear warfare and also the many innocent lives that were lost.

olive branch

Olive branch

The olive branch is a symbol from ancient Greece and Rome, associated with the Greek goddess of peace named Eirene and the Roman goddess Pax. Olive wreaths were given to winners at the early Olympic events, during which wars were to be suspended. Even today, when we use the phrase to “hold out an olive branch,” we are offering peace to an opponent.

white dove

White dove

A white dove holding an olive branch began as a religious symbol deriving from the biblical story of Noah and the Flood, in which a dove with an olive branch in its beak returns to the ark as a sign to Noah of forgiveness and deliverance. Christianity often adopted the dove – with or without an olive branch – as a sign of peace. Over time, the dove became popular in secular settings as well and has many meanings attached to it. One of the most famous renditions is by artist Pablo Picasso, whose painting Dove of Peace was used for the First International Peace Conference in Paris in 1949.

white poppy

White poppy

A lesser used but important peace symbol is the white poppy. It was distributed mainly by women in Britain and Europe beginning in the 1930s as a contrast to the red poppy which was worn to remember those who died in the First World War. A group called the Peace Pledge Union chose the white poppy as a pledge against war and because they felt that the red poppy could be used to glorify militarism.

peace sign
Marlene Epp and friend, making the 'peace sign' (fingers in the shape of a V)
This is me (right) at the Climate
Change rally in Waterloo in 2019.
© Course Author and
University of Waterloo
Fingers in a V

The familiar V-sign we often make with our fingers to communicate peace is actually a symbol that emerged from war. It is thought to have begun in Europe during the Second World War as a message of Victory. The V was painted on walls by Allies at the end of the war as a sign of freedom from occupying forces. It then became popular in the anti-Vietnam war movement in the United States and elsewhere. 

You can probably think of other symbols. Sometimes new ones arise to reflect specific peace movements. Do you have a favourite? Feel free to include your favourite peace symbol in your reflective journal.

As we proceed forward in the course, be sure to think about

  • Goals/aims that inspire the movement
  • Methods/tactics used by the movement
  • Philosophy/ideology that characterizes the movement
  • Symbols or signs that communicate peace for the movement

1b. Reflection Question for Journal

Answer all of the questions for your journal entry.

  • Based on the above definitions, have you ever participated in a peace movement?
  • How would you describe that experience? What were its characteristics as outlined above?

Text References 

  1. Duane L. Cady, “Pacifism and Peace Meanings,” in Nigel J. Young, ed., The Oxford International Encyclopedia of Peace (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010). Online.
  2. Matthew 5:39. New International Version. https://biblehub.com/matthew/5-39.htm
  3. William B. Vogele, “Nonviolence, theory and practice of,” in Nigel J. Young, ed., The Oxford International Encyclopedia of Peace (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010). Online. 
  4. Jerry Elmer, “Civil Disobedience,” in Nigel J. Young, ed., The Oxford International Encyclopedia of Peace (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010). Online.
  5. Albert Einstein Institution, "Dr. Gene Sharp," 2019, https://www.aeinstein.org/dr-gene-sharp/

Image References

Albert Einstein Institution, "Dr. Gene Sharp," 2019, https://www.aeinstein.org/dr-gene-sharp/.

Please return to Module 1 to complete this module.