Richard Jackson PhD, Professor of Peace Studies at the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Otago, New Zealand, will present a talk titled Pacifism as a discursive resistance to contemporary studies in International Relations.

The theory and practice of pacifism has long been silenced and ignored in international relations, in large part because of a series of misconceptions and misrepresentations about its credibility and relevance. However, a growing body of recent research highlights the growing success of nonviolence and the decline in the efficacy of violence. In this talk, he argues that pacifist theory has a great deal to offer IR, both in terms of normative theorizing about war and the use of force, and for thinking about practical challenges such as dealing with political differences, civilian protection, peacebuilding, responding to terrorism and resistance.

Dr Jackson has published 10 books and more than 60 articles and book chapters on critical terrorism studies, the causes of war, political violence, conflict resolution and pacifism. Recently, he published a novel entitled, Confessions of a Terrorist (2014, Zed Books), which tries to explore why someone would become a terrorist. His latest academic book is The Routledge Handbook of Critical Terrorism Studies (2016, Routledge, editor).

For more information, please visit www.otago.ac.nz/ncpacs/staff/otago029983.html.

Refreshments will be served.

All are Welcome!