Product details
Biographical note
Kent D. Shifferd has taught for 35 years at Northland College, the University of Wisconsin, Ripon College, and United Theological Seminary. He is a founder and former executive director of the 21-school consortium, the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies.“highly recommendable”—<i>Journal of Peace Education</i>; “details the successes of nonviolent struggle and ideas for abolishing war and building a comprehensive peace system”—<i>Reference & Research Book News</i>.
The world's first peace organizations emerged in the 19th century and since that time, anti-war activism has progressed rapidly. This illuminating book presents a realistic analysis of the extent to which the war system has infiltrated all aspects of Western culture and how it works to perpetuate war rather than promote peace. Additionally, the text describes the historically recent and still evolving parallel system of peace institutions. The values and ideas that have grown out of peace activism offer a very real opportunity to outlaw war in the coming century just as slavery was abolished in the 19th century.
Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.
Preface
Introduction: The Tragedy of War and the Expectation of Peace>
SECTION I. WAR
1. Describing and Analyzing War
2. The Psychology of Killing
3. The War System, Part 1
4. The War System, Part 2
SECTION II. PEACE
5. Defining Peace
6. The History of Peace in Ancient and Medieval Times
7. The History of Peace, 1800 to the Present
8. The Successes of Nonviolent Struggle
9. Abolishing War and Building a Comprehensive Peace System
10. The Wellsprings of Peace
Appendix 1: Twenty-Three Trends of the Last 100 Years Leading to the Evolution of a Peace System
Appendix 2: Some Common Terms to Research for Further Information and Websites
Appendix 3: A Sampling of Peace Organizations on the World Wide Web
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index