The Force of Nonviolence

The Force of Nonviolence by Judith Butler illustrates how an ethic of nonviolence must be intricately linked to a broader political struggle for social equality. It argues against the common misconceptions that nonviolence is a merely passive practice arising from a calm, inner tranquility, or just an individualist ethical approach to existing power structures. In contrast, nonviolence is described as an ethical stance found amidst the political arena.

This form of nonviolence acknowledges that hostility forms a part of our psychic makeup, yet it values ambivalence as a means to prevent aggression from escalating into violence. A current challenge to nonviolence politics highlights the differing opinions about what constitutes violence versus nonviolence. This distinction can be exploited to support the state's exclusive right to use violence.

Understanding nonviolence as an ethical issue within political philosophy involves critiquing individualism and grasping the psychosocial facets of violence. Butler incorporates insights from Foucault, Fanon, Freud, and Benjamin to explore how the prohibition against violence excludes those lives considered 'ungrievable.' By examining how 'racial phantasms' justify state and administrative violence, Butler reveals that violence is often attributed to those most vulnerable to its deadly consequences.

The pursuit of nonviolence emerges in movements for social change, which reframe the concept of livability under the lens of social equality. These movements make ethical claims rooted in recognising life's interdependency as the foundation for social and political equality.