Archive for the ‘Theories and concepts’ Category
Arne Næss – the next hundred years
January 31st, 2012 | 
Author: By Johan Galtung
Speech given in Oslo on January 27, 2012
Norway’s by any comparison greatest philosopher was born one hundred years ago today, and died close to the age of 97. A world philosopher, a human being with an incredible radiation. Nobody who came close to him remained the same.
Arne Næss 27 January 1912 - 12 January 2009
What was his basic theme? In one word: nonviolence, but in a broader and deeper sense than most approaching demanding idea.
Arne Næss was very sensitive to verbal violence in debates; his answer was objectivity. He identified physical violence in political struggle; his answer was Gandhian nonviolence, strongly inspired as a student in Paris early 1930s by Indian students strongly convinced that nonviolence was the way. Read the rest of this entry »
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Where are we heading? History, social groups and fights
By Johan Galtung Alfàs Del Pi, Spain
The clouds are dark.
And we sense one on the horizon, black; a point so far. The description of the cloud: using a major war, even with Russia-China, to revive an economy in depression; destroying capital, rebuilding. Read the rest of this entry »
Warfare and crime is sharply down
By Jonathan Power
At this time of Christmas and thoughts of peace on earth we should reflect that the world over most of public opinion is ignorant of just how much violence has declined over the last 3,000 years. Judging by the historical record the 21st century, thus far, is the least violent and safest century of all despite Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia and Sudan, with less people being killed in war than ever before and despite the preceding century being the greatest killing field of them all. (Only the 17th century with its European Wars of Religion was equally bad.) Read the rest of this entry »
Right wing extremism – or fascism?
By Johan Galtung
This is about neo-nazis underground killing 140 people–foreigners, police, Jews, since the German reunification–, and a monster in Norway going to war against his own country on 22 July 2011–killing 77, in his view traitors paving the way for an islamic take-over.
And it is about how to understand these phenomena. Read the rest of this entry »