Constructive Noncooperation: Living in Truth

Mohandas Gandhi often indicated that nonviolence was “a science,” and he appears to have meant this literally. Consistent with this vision, in this paper, we outline and apply principles of behavioral systems science, an emerging data-based approach to understanding the dynamics of complex cultural systems, to the practice of constructive noncooperation (Gandhi’s “constructive programme”). Although Gandhi emphasized that constructive action was the most important and potent of nonviolent strategic options, constructive alternatives have been the least developed in the literature of nonviolent struggle. The reconceptualization of constructive noncooperation in behavioral systems terms offered here suggests that rigorous analysis of Havel’s “living in truth” and Gandhi’s “truth force” may be both possible and practically useful in challenging oppression and supporting human rights

Strategic Nonviolent Power: The Science of Satyagraha

Strategic Nonviolent Power is a unique and important contribution to a field that is flourishing in the current global milieu. Mattaini demonstrates a sweeping knowledge of the field of resistance studies as well as systems theory. I don't know of another study that does what this one does apply a new theoretical framework to nonviolent resistance, synthesize existing material, and provide numerous illuminating examples from history in a single book

Contributions of Behavioral Systems Science to Leadership for a New Progressive Movement

We argue in this paper that we are in the midst of a period in which fundamental global change will be required if societies and many species, perhaps even our own, are to survive. The realities are inescapable, and the potential implications are likely to affect nearly every dimension of human life in the USA and globally. Current trends are discouraging and will be extraordinarily difficult to shift, given global structural realities. It is hard to imagine a time when effective leadership is more necessary or will be more challenging. Our thesis here is that behavioral systems science can contribute in meaningful ways to shaping and sustaining such leadership, leadership required to advance a new progressive movement

Collective Leadership and Circles: Not Invented Here

Issues like police-community relations, violence—from neighborhood to global levels, economic inequality, and climate change have been only minimally addressed within behavior analysis, despite the oft repeated mantra that they are all at root behavioral. Disciplines determine the scope of their interests; behavior analysis and behavioral systems analysis have long claimed at least potential expertise in changing not only individual behavior, but also the collective and interlocking functioning of larger institutions and systems. In this paper we note that standard organizational behavior management (OBM) practices primarily emphasizing centralized leadership are unlikely to be adequate for such work. We therefore argue that collective leadership, a strategy that has not been emphasized in OBM, will be required to operationalize behavioral systems interventions in situations where centralized leadership is impossible or dangerous, and suggest circle processes as one behaviorally specifiable approach to constructing collective leadership, an approach that behavioral systems analysts are well-positioned to test and refine

Social work in Africa: Decolonizing methodologies and approaches

Decolonizing social work requires becoming genuine, returning to one’s cultural roots for direction. Decolonization entails resistance to social work’s ‘West to the Rest’ movement, which seeks to ‘internationalize’ and ‘standardize’ the profession. For social work to be useful in Africa, reorientation of its methods toward facilitating holistic and indigenous intervention is mandatory. This conceptual article analyzes literature on decolonization, indigenous methodology, and social work in Africa, stressing that decolonization of social work requires challenging dominant models of practice and research, while integrating traditional values and practices that have withstood centuries of oppression into culturally consonant forms of service and inquiry

Youth Activism as Violence Prevention

Interpersonal violence remains a serious social issue, particularly among street gangs and other groups of armed young people in marginalized urban communities. Much of this violence and gang membership can be understood functionally as responses of resistance—however self-destructive—to experiences of marginalization and oppression. Given this analysis, one potential approach to violence prevention that has received little attention from researchers and practitioners lies in engaging alienated youth involved in violence in progressive activism and organizing initiatives. Young people have historically played a central role in social movements, and the power of these movements has often drawn in gang members and other street youth and redirected their energies in prosocial directions. This chapter offers an overview of youth activism as a promising approach to violence prevention, drawing on behavioral science, historical examples, current research with gang members in Chicago, and an appraisal of the contemporary Black Lives Matter movement