Resistance and nonviolence: ideas and proposals for activists


Resistenza e Nonviolenza Creativa (Resistance and Creative Nonviolence), edited by Laura Tussi, came out a few months ago at Mimesis, in the Heterotropies series, with an excellent introduction by Alex Zanotelli.

The book deals with a recompilation of articles by the editor and numerous activists and scholars of the proposed topics that link the theme of resistance and antifascism to the theme of nonviolence. Not only does it give framing and clarification of the deep connection between partisan action and nonviolence but it also provides, in short articles, numerous useful insights for nonviolent activists.

We know that now more than ever a view of resistance as an exclusively armed activity and of antifascism as a “war of liberation” is resurgent. This view denies the whole nonviolent aspect of partisan resistance: this is framed in the bellicism that is increasingly propagated in most of the mass media.

But, starting from the themes enunciated in the title, Laura Tussi gathers contributions, including [contributions] from different views, that emphasize the positive and purposeful aspect of nonviolence.

In particular, she dwells on an important theme, which is that of education: “the school at the center of change,” when the educational institution seems to completely lose its constitutional mandate as a place of citizen formation (and here an appropriate reference is also made to active citizenship) to take on [the mandate] of a place of uncritical indoctrination, of the formation of the future citizen subject of the Company.

Differences between pacifism and nonviolence, writing, the feminine, and music are some of the other themes the anthology touches on in small, intensely written pieces, always with an eye to providing material and insights for those who want to pursue a culture of antifascism, nonviolence, solidarity and participation.

Olivier Turquet