The Force of Nonviolence

The Force of Nonviolence looks at nonviolence as an ethical problem within political philosophy, one requiring a critique of individualism as well as an understanding of the psychosocial dimensions of violence. By considering how "racial phantasms" are used to justify state and administrative violence, she tracks how violence is often attributed to those who are most severely exposed to its lethal effects. Butler shows a way forward for social movements that must avoid the trap of perpetuating precisely what they seek to resist. -- Back cover