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P rivilege , E mpowerment, and N onviolent I ntervention
Author(s) -
Boothe Ivan,
Smithey Lee A.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
peace and change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1468-0130
pISSN - 0149-0508
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0130.2007.00408.x
Subject(s) - privilege (computing) , empowerment , intervention (counseling) , dominance (genetics) , business , public relations , political science , psychology , law , biochemistry , chemistry , psychiatry , gene
When the important work of third‐party nonviolent intervention is undertaken by people with relative privilege, it runs the risk of hindering the empowerment of the local movements they aim to assist by replicating racist or classist dynamics in the struggle itself. By relying on the status attached to the economic, cultural, and military dominance of the Global North, nonviolent intervention organizations can facilitate a relationship of dependency that offers short‐term strategic advantages but that in itself is less likely to promote the nonviolent empowerment of local movements. Sensitivity training within intervention organizations may help activists strategize in ways that avoid some of the pitfalls of operating from positions of privilege.