Our Value System for Nonviolence

From Peacebuilding

Contents 1 Aims: 2 Time: 3 Participants: 4 Materials: 5 Procedure: 6 Debriefing: 7 Source:

Aims:

• To explore values surrounding nonviolence

• To discover/develop a value system for nonviolence

Time:

60 minutes, or more if necessary

Participants:

At least 3-4 participants, although this activity works better with larger groups

Materials:

• Flip charts, prepared in advance, with a three-circle target (see below)

• Markers

• Paper or notebooks

• Pencils

Procedure:

I) You might need to start this activity with a short discussion on the meaning of the word value. Write the following question on a flip chart: What do we mean when we say values? Facilitate a brainstorming session. Note down the participants’ ideas on a flip chart. You could also provide the following definition: “Values – beliefs about what is right and wrong and what is important in life.”

II) Write the following question on a flip chart: What values surround nonviolence in your community or culture?

III) Ask participants to work individually and prepare their personal list of values. Allow sufficient time (5-10 minutes).

IV) In the plenary, ask everyone to read out their values. Write these on a flip chart, making a bulleted list. Stick all the sheets of paper up the wall so that everyone around the room can see them. Example: Participants might come up with:

• Respect for all human beings
• Vegetarianism
• Support for the death penalty
• Support for corporal punishment in schools
• Obedience of authority
• Equality of women in society
• Freedom of thought
• Inviolability of the dignity of every fellow human being
• Freedom of speech
• Etc.

V) Ask participants to form groups of 4-7 individuals. Distribute a flip chart with a target to each group. See the example below:

• • • INSERT IMAGE HERE***

VI) Each group’s task is to develop their own value system. By looking at the flip charts with all the lists of identified values, they should choose the values they agree on and position them within the target, with core values in the inner circle, secondary values in the middle circle and marginal values in the outer circle. If necessary, give this definition of “value system”:

“A value system is in essence the ordering and prioritisation of the ethical and ideological values that an individual or society holds. While two individuals or groups may share a set of common values, they may differ in their determination of which values in that set have precedence over others. In essence, a value system (if sufficiently well-defined) is a formalisation of a moral code.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_system

VII) Start group work. Allow sufficient time and give help if needed.

VIII) After group work, return to the plenary and debrief.

Debriefing:

The following question are only suggestions. Feel free to omit, supplement and change them as you see fit.

• How do we prioritise values?

• Why do some values take precedence over others?

• How important is it to base our nonviolent engagement on values?

• What happens when we have to work with people who don’t share the same value system as ours? How should we deal with different value systems if we are to engage in nonviolent struggle?

• What does it take for us to be prepared to compromise over our values?

• What conditions make it possible for values to move from the outer to the inner circle (or vice versa)?

• How do value systems of communities/societies change over time? Why?

• What kinds of actions prevent emerging or contested values for nonviolent engagement from becoming central values?

• What can power-holders do to prevent communities or society from getting bogged down regarding values for nonviolent social change?

• What role can nonviolence play in forming a value system?

Source:

Adapted from the original design by Iain Murray from Pt’chang Nonviolent Community Safety Group. The activity is included in the Trainer’s Resource Manual of the Nonviolence Training Project. The manual is available at http://www.nonviolence.org.au.