The Center for Interfaith Dialogue along with the Interfaith Peace Working Group and UW-Madison’s Nonviolence Project welcomed Dr. Maria J. Stephan for a talk on the relevance of nonviolence as an effective way to address political crisis. The talk and student response considered questions like the relationship between nonviolence and communities of faith, as well as what an active role in nonviolent struggle would look like for students and citizens. The talk was followed by a Q&A.
Dr. Stephan has an extensive career in the history and application of nonviolence: she was the former director of the program of on nonviolent action at the United States Institute of Peace and co-authored Why Civil Resistance Works (2010).
“I was really interested in Dr. Stephan’s approach to nonviolence as a means to create change, it made me reflect on my own views on war, violence, and fear tactics…When men, women, youth, elderly, able-bodied, disabled, rich, and poor unite under a cause and a common passion, much change can be made. This was very inspiring.”
–Jaden Schultz, UW-Madison junior, majors in Religious Studies, Health Promotion and Health Equity, and English.
View the full talk.