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| Resolving Conflict Through Non-Violence: The Gandhian Model — A representative image. |
File Information
| Document Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | RESOLVING CONFLICT THROUGH NON-VIOLENCE: THE GANDHIAN MODEL |
| Article Credit | Scholarly Research Journal for Humanity Science & English Language, ISSN: 2348-3083, Vol.: 13, Issue: 71, Year: 2025 |
| Author | Sanchita Chakraborty (Assistant Professor, Siliguri College) |
| Subject | An article on Gandhi's nonviolent approach to conflict resolution, drawing on ahimsa, satyagraha, structural violence, and peace-building theory. |
| Category | Journal article |
| Institution | Scholarly Research Journal for Humanity Science & English Language |
| Main Topics | Gandhian model of conflict resolution, Ahimsa and satyagraha, Nonviolent resistance, Structural violence, Peace research and peace-building, Constructive programmes, International and domestic conflict |
| Number of Pages | 9 |
| Language | English |
| File Type | |
| File Size | 411.1 KB |
Summary Note of this Document
RESOLVING CONFLICT THROUGH NON-VIOLENCE: THE GANDHIAN MODEL
This article examines Mahatma Gandhi's nonviolent model of resolving conflict and argues that enduring peace depends on ahimsa, satyagraha, and moral persuasion rather than coercion. It begins by situating conflict as a normal feature of social life and reviews broad traditions of conflict analysis, from classical political thought to modern peace research. The discussion then turns to key theoretical frameworks associated with Lewis Coser, Johan Galtung, John Burton, Edward A. Azar, and John Paul Lederach, using them to show how conflict may arise from power imbalance, unmet human needs, structural violence, and layered social tensions. Against this background, Gandhi's approach is presented as both ethical and practical: it combines direct action with constructive programmes designed to remove the social conditions that sustain hostility. The article emphasizes reconciliation, dialogue, self-discipline, and the transformation of opponents through non-retaliation. It also connects Gandhi's ideas to examples of interstate cooperation, nuclear disarmament concerns, and the broader pursuit of positive peace. The central claim is that nonviolence is not passive resignation but an active, multidimensional strategy for social change, capable of addressing interpersonal disputes, communal unrest, and international conflict.
Core Themes
- Nonviolence as a conflict-resolution strategy
- Moral persuasion and reconciliation
- Structural causes of conflict
- Constructive programmes and social reform
- Positive peace and disarmament
Keywords
About Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi lived from 1869 to 1948. Born in India, he trained as a lawyer and became a political thinker. Colonial rule repelled him. He opposed it fiercely and eventually led India’s independence movement.
Gandhi pioneered Satyagraha, the power of truth and nonviolent resistance. He put these ideals into practice during political and social upheavals. Over twenty years in South Africa shaped his thinking. That’s where he developed his tactics of nonviolent defiance. He returned to India in 1915 and launched major movements against British rule. Non-Cooperation Movement. Salt March. Quit India Movement. Each one challenged colonial domination.
In 1883 he married Kasturba Gandhi. Marriage and family life remained central to who he was. He spoke powerfully about his beliefs. His writing included Hind Swaraj, Satyagraha in South Africa, and The Story of My Experiments with Truth, his autobiography.
His vision stretched beyond political independence. Religious harmony mattered to him. Social equality. Self-reliance. Women’s rights. Ending untouchability. All of these were part of what he fought for.
Nonviolence and Satyagraha shaped movements worldwide. Civil rights activists drew from his example. Freedom struggles across the globe felt his influence. His approach changed how people thought about resistance and change.
Complete Gandhi Research Collection
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