FROM the DIRECTOR Altogether Without Thought and Reflection
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FROM THE GUEST EDITOR CAL POLY POMONA NEWSLETTER www.csupomona.edu/ahimsacenter INAUGURAL EDITION: WINTER 2007 Ahimsa is nonviolence rooted in courage and compassion, fearlessness and forgiveness. It connotes reverence for all life. It evokes civility and promotes lasting peace and justice in society. out with a sense of suspended thought, if not alternate housing for the slum dwellers whose FROM THE DIRECTOR altogether without thought and reflection. dwellings were repeatedly destroyed by the police. Azmi decried the idea, “Big is beautiful” as it Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Ahimsa Ahimsa assigns primacy to individual leads to degradation, social inequities and Center Newsletter! responsibility. It is worth noting that Gandhi felt injustices. “The Ahimsa Center,” she noted, “is highly skeptical about the idea of inventing The Ahimsa Center in the College of Letters, looking at nonviolence with a holistic approach, “a system so perfect that nobody had to be Arts and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Pomona which includes nonviolent economics.” The good.” Therefore, individual transformation is focuses on interdisciplinary education about Center emphasizes education about not only inseparable from, but is also a precon- nonviolence and nonviolent social change. Its nonviolence and the relevance of nonviolence dition to social transformation. various educational initiatives and programs are to all walks of life, including the economic designed to benefit three major constituencies: I hope our readers will find the newsletter a arena. Nonviolent economics, Azmi mentioned, K-12 education sector, higher education sector friendly forum to share their thoughts and is possible only with social equality and justice. and the community at large. reflections and help expand the community of Accordingly, nonviolence is possible not only on Fundamental to the Ahimsa Center's vision and ahimsakas (people dedicated to a culture of the basis of high moral ground, but because it philosophy is the recognition that ahimsa or nonviolence and peace). is the only way that works. nonviolence is a force that enriches and enno- I wish to congratulate the guest editor and the bles life, while violence corrodes and diminishes column editors for their leadership and efforts to life. help launch the newsletter. Ahimsa is Tara Sethia is a Professor of History and rooted in unity, Director of Ahimsa Center at Cal Poly Pomona. in oneness, in the integrity of Shabana Azmi and Javed a whole. This sense of unity Akhtar at the Ahimsa Center applies within Shabana Azmi, an internationally acclaimed the individual, activist actress from India, and Javed Akhtar, to mind body an award winning script writer for the films, lyri- harmony, and cist and an distinguished Urdu poet recently Javed Akhtar focused on communal harmony also to the unity spoke at the Ahimsa Center on “Films, Politics based on a shared progressive outlook of of thought and and Social Justice.” The event was attended by respect for human rights. Religion, he said, has action, and on a larger scale it applies to the nearly 400 people including students, staff and been used time and again to cover for social indivisibility of all existence. Violence, in con- faculty of the university, and members of the inequality, to create divisions and even war. In trast, is premised in separation, in divisions. larger Southern California community. These divisions can be within one-self, between this manner, religion has aided in usurping the the self and others, between “us” and “them,” Shabana Azmi began by making a connection voices of the masses. Akhtar's current project, or between humans and nature. between art and social justice. She noted that Citizen for Peace and Social Justice, is aimed artists draw from life experiences of people at creating harmony among communities. Ahimsa seeks to transform hearts, to change around them and use their art to express and Their talks were followed by a lively dialogue, minds and cultivate a sense of care and com- communicate the social issues arising from their featuring numerous questions and comments passion, civility and trust. In contrast, experiences. She has been involved with two about films, politics and justice- in particular violence aims to defeat and exploit and does so projects focusing on women's empowerment the politicians' manipulation of fears along the by causing harm and hurt. Violence perpetuates and alternate housing for slum dwellers. Azmi line of “us versus them,” the empowerment of hate and mistrust. Ahimsa operates on the basis regards women's empowerment as a precondi- women through micro-credit as promoted by of conscious and mindful choices. Violence is tion for social justice and emphasized the Mohammad Yunus, and about the social roles of often committed unconsciously, and many vio- necessity to work toward equal opportunity for Azmi and Akhtar as celebrities. contd. pg 3 lent actions, such as those in war, are carried them. Azmi has also led a movement to find FROM THE GUEST EDITOR TABLE OF CONTENTS It is a great From the Director 1 honor for me to Shabana and Javed Akhtar Speak at the Ahimsa Center 1 be a participant in the launching From the Guest Editor 2 of the Ahimsa Center's Editorial Board 2 newsletter. The Center was Contributions sumission information 2 inaugurated about three Johan Galtung on Satyagraha 3 years ago at a most historical Newsworthy international conference I had the chance to Yunus Receives Nobel Prize for Peace 3 attend. The theme of the conference was: Ahimsa Center Sponsors 3 “Creating a Culture of Ahimsa: Visions and strategies.” I must admit I was a bit skeptical Nonviolence and Higher Education 4 of such a grand goal. I was also intrigued by the Center's emphasis on “nonviolence in Column Editorial by Thienhoung Hoang 4 thought and action.” How can one apply nonvi- Learning about Nonviolence by Jolene Kladurous 4 olence to the twenty-first century global world? Ahimsa and College Education by Elyse Petersen 4 Would this be a gathering of touchy-feely naive Ahimsa and Economics Education by Amit Basole 5 utopians, nostalgic liberal peaceniks or dull aca- Nonviolence in Higher Education by Shayna Parekh 5 demics? Discovering Anekanta by Steve McCaulley 5 What I found, to my great surprise, were Poetic Inspiration 5 activists successfully engaged in nonviolent Featured Speakers 6 means of transforming society. Many speakers had been involved in life and death situations University Honors Ahimsa Center Sponsors 7 (wars, refugee camps, ethnic clashes) while doing their work as peace builders. They had Nonviolence and K-12 Education 8 made many personal sacrifices for public good, Column Editorial by Christian Bracho 8 including serving in the prison. This group was Ahimsa in Math Classroom by Johnny Reyes 8 tough-skinned, impressive, inspiring and Expressions of Nonviolence by Andrea Hansen 8 humbling. Nonviolence in Schools: An Interview with Barbara Nakaoka, Superintendent, HLPUSD 9 It is with growing admiration that I witnessed Nonviolent Classroom by Susanna Barkataki 9 the Center's activities following that extraordi- Building Soul Force Through Drama by Teresa Burke 9 nary conference. The Center's newsletter is an essential tool to communicate with the growing Nonviolence and the Community 10 numbers of participants in the Ahimsa Center's Column Editorial by Pallavi Gala 10 programs and activities. Igniting the Genius, an Interview with Prasad Kaipa 10 The Way of Nonviolence by Eva Malhotra 11 Through this newsletter, you are being Association with Ahimsa Center by Anila Strahan 11 connected with a rich array of thoughts and Ahimsa in Daily Life by Nitin Shah 11 actions pertaining to nonviolence. Here you will find specific ideas about how to construct About the Ahimsa Center 12 a culture of ahimsa or how to inculcate ahimsa within yourself, or operationalize in the Announcements: Upcoming Programs of the Center 12 workplace, integrate in educational curricula of the elementary school, the colleges and universities, and promote it the community at Editorial Board large or the world. All contributors to this inaugural issue and the Executive Editor: Tara Sethia column editors deserve special thanks for Guest Editor: Louise Ghandhi their efforts in sharing their rich and varied K-12 Education Column Editor: Christian Bracho perspectives. I will not be alone in finding it Community Column Editor: Pallavi Gala appropriate to express here our most profound Higher Education Column Editor: Thienhuong Hoang gratitude to the Director of the Ahimsa Center, Dr. Tara Sethia, who has been an inspiration to us all, a living role model of ahimsaka. Deadline for submitting write-ups for the Summer Issue of Newsletter is March 31, 2007. Write-ups can be emailed to: [email protected] Louise Ghandhi, Guest Editor For submission guidelines contact the Center Director, Professor Tara Sethia She teaches at Pasadena City College. History Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA 91768 [email protected] :: (909) 869-3868 :: www.csupomona.edu/ahimsacenter 2 Satyagraha and the Moral Johan Galtung, Yunus’ compassionate approach to banking founder of makes him a worthy follower of the Gandhian tra- TRANSCEND, a dition. The Nobel Committee stated that lasting and Political Genius of peace and peace is unachievable as long as widespread Mahatma Gandhi development network. He poverty prevails. Johan Galtung delivered the Gita Gandhi's moral genius was related to his and Tulsi Savani Lecture