1] Kevin O\u2019Brien\u2019s rich and stimulating new book The Violence of Climate Change: Lessons of Resistance from Non-Violent Activists evokes the North-American Christian tradition of non-violent activism as a resource for resisting the destruction and suffering brought about by climate change. How might the commitment, courage and ingenuity of iconic non-violent activists such as John Woolman, Jane Adams, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King Jr., and Cesar Chavez help us achieve climate justice? Writing in a lucid, compelling style, O\u2019Brien directs his book mainly at concerned people of relative privilege who feel defeated by the complexity of climate change, yet realize that they are contributing to destruction and suffering by simply living their day to day lives. O\u2019Brien\u2019s premise is twofold, namely, a) climate change is \u201ca wicked problem of structural violence,\u201d and, b) precisely as a problem of structural violence it is not unprecedented, but should be seen in continuity with other more familiar forms of systemic injustice and violence, such as racism and classism. Indeed, it is this continuity that allows for a turn to the tradition of non-violent activism, a tradition that predates climate change as an area of concern. O\u2019Brien writes, \u201cConcerned people know that we face new challenges, but in order to face them well, we need reminders that we have resources from the past with which to do so\u201d (35).<\/p>\n
[2] The first two chapters of O\u2019Brien\u2019s book unpack his two-fold premise, namely that climate change is a form of structural violence and it can be addressed effectively by the tradition of non-violent activism. Chapters 3 through 7 each bring the witness of one of his non-violent protagonists to bear on a particular issue related to climate change. The structure of this part of O\u2019Brien\u2019s book is deceptively straightforward. On one level, each chapter draws on the biography and activism of one iconic witness for inspiration and encouragement. Thus he asks what lessons might be gleaned from John Woolman\u2019s subversive refusal to wear clothes produced by slave labor, Dorothy Day\u2019s unwavering commitment to pacifism and her courageous radical love for the poor, or Jane Adams\u2019s commitment to democracy on the local and global level. At another level, however, O\u2019Brien relates the lessons gained from these social activists to more abstract ethical dilemmas surrounding climate change; issues such as the relevance of \u201cpersonal austerity,\u201d the balance between social justice and \u201cthe good of all species,\u201d the moral implications of proposals to \u201ctechnologically engineer the climate,\u201d and the claim that \u201cthe industrialized world owes a \u2018climate debt\u2019 to the global poor\u201d (12). In other words, as O\u2019Brien sets out to demonstrate that the tradition of nonviolence offers inspiration and encouragement for concerned people, he at the same time draws on this tradition\u2019s main witnesses for answers to recurring ethical dilemmas in debates on climate change. The result is a very interesting, multi-layered book that is an excellent teaching tool for courses dealing with the ethics of climate change, both at the graduate and undergraduate level.<\/p>\n
[3] The validity of O\u2019Brien\u2019s project centers on his claim that climate change is indeed a form of violence. He moves from a rather generic definition of violence (violence as selfish action that causes harm) to a discussion of structural violence (violence caused by social systems) (32). Although it is not always clear how these two definitions relate to one another, O\u2019Brien\u2019s point seems to be that both these definitions apply to climate change. Following the distinction between direct and structural violence first coined by peace studies scholar Johan Galtung, O\u2019Brien explains that as a form of structural violence, climate change is the result of \u201ccountless small decisions and developments in politics, economics, and technology\u201d and is \u201cnot caused by one person\u2019s decision, and no individual can stop it\u201d (2). He quotes the Lutheran ethicist Cynthia Moe-Lobeda who, in her book Resisting Structural Evil: Love as Ecological and Economic Vocation (Fortress Press, 2013), insists that while climate change may not have one actor it is a form of violence in that it \u201cdegrades, dehumanizes, damages and kills people by limiting or preventing their access to the necessities for life or for its flourishing\u201d (Moe-Lobeda, 72; O\u2019Brien 32). And, as Moe-Lobeda observes, because structural violence typically \u201cremains invisible to those not suffering from it,\u201d relatively wealthy people living high carbon footprint lives can still ignore climate change or pay only lip service to the severity of the crisis. (33) Here is also where O\u2019Brien\u2019s first, more generic definition of violence seems relevant. For whereas climate change may not be a direct form of violence, it still is a form of violence for which some can be held more responsible than others.<\/p>\n
[4] This recognition may perhaps do very little for concerned citizens already troubled by their complicity in climate change, yet O\u2019Brien claims that the very act of acknowledging this complicity opens up the possibility for repentance which is a necessary step in breaking the cycle of despair, indifference and passivity. He writes, \u201cthe move to repentance is crucial, as privileged people must learn to think and behave differently, to remake social systems, and to turn away from violence\u201d (33). Because the tradition of non-violent resistance aims at changing social systems, the tradition of non-violence is a helpful resource: \u201c[W]hen violence is structural, resisting violence is about creating structural change, opposing the systems that leave some people destitute, disenfranchised, or dejected\u201d (43). Faced with the structural violence of slavery, segregation, economic disparity and unjust labor practices, the five towering protagonists featured in this book worked \u201cactively to create a more equitable, more democratic, and more empowering society\u201d (44). O\u2019Brien, however, does not turn to the tradition of non-violence to find a solution to climate change. His concern is with climate justice. This is not to say that he thinks that all we can do is adapt to climate change. Rather, he emphasizes that the effects of the alterations to the atmosphere by anthropogenic climate change will be a reality for many generations to come. The concern therefore is to find equity in dealing with climate change.<\/p>\n
[5] While O\u2019Brien is right to call on the tradition of non-violence to achieve climate equity through systemic change, he does not really engage the use of non-violence in actions of peaceful civil disobedience. He operates with a two-pronged definition of non-violence \u201cas (1) a commitment to actively oppose violence (2) without the use of violence\u201d (3). He believes, however, that privileged citizens resisting the violence of climate change are generally not tempted to use violence, and, hence, that the second dimension of his definition of non-violence is less relevant. Yet those of us engaged in non-violent civil disobedience, for instance by standing in solidarity with the water-protectors at Standing Rock in North Dakota, often encounter armed police forces and, hence, do need to practice restraint in the face of violence. O\u2019Brien\u2019s book is oddly silent about this type of non-violent activism, in spite of his discussion of Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chavez, both legendary examples of civil disobedience.<\/p>\n
[6] O\u2019Brien does appreciate, however, that non-violent activism against the violence of climate change asks for courage, self-discipline and perseverance. Indeed, in addition to discussing the commitment of his protagonists in the face of structural violence, he provides examples of courageous activism by other concerned citizens, such as the environmental activist John Francis, who decided to fully abstain from motorized transportation (72). Ultimately, however, O\u2019Brien\u2019s way is not the way of the cross. Whereas there is a role for personal sacrifice and principle, he stresses that at times more is achieved by knowing how to compromise. It is interesting, therefore, that his discussion of the Biblical tradition of nonviolence pays scant attention to the figure of Jesus, who was rather uncompromising in his non-violent resistance to imperial powers. Instead, O\u2019Brien\u2019s reading of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7), arguably the most radical text on Christian discipleship, presents a middle road between principle and pragmatism.<\/p>\n
[7] This assessment of O\u2019Brien\u2019s project does not diminish the accomplishment and significance of his book as a resource for environmental ethics courses or adult education classes. It also should not get in the way of seeing the critical importance of his book\u2019s message: that we should look at these powerful non-violent activists of the past for courage, creativity, wisdom, and vision to resist the violence of climate change and work towards climate justice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Violence of Climate Change: Lessons of Resistance from Non-Violent Activists by Kevin J. O’Brien || Kevin O\u2019Brien\u2019s rich and stimulating new book The Violence of Climate Change: Lessons of Resistance from Non-Violent Activists evokes the North-American Christian tradition of non-violent activism as a resource for resisting the destruction and suffering brought about by climate change. How might the commitment, courage and ingenuity of iconic non-violent activists such as John Woolman, Jane Adams, Dorothy Day, Martin Luther King Jr., and Cesar Chavez help us achieve climate justice? Writing in a lucid, compelling style, O\u2019Brien directs his book mainly at concerned people of relative privilege who feel defeated by the complexity of climate change, yet realize that they are contributing to destruction and suffering by simply living their day to day lives. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-review","category-climate-change"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n