Gandhi: Toward a Vision of Nonviolence, Peace, and Justice

One cannot think of nonviolence, peace, and justice without considering the influence of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. An intellectual activist working primarily in twentieth-century India, Gandhi advanced nonviolent philosophies that resonated with liberation movements in his home country and around the world. Integrating Eastern and Western thought into new approaches to education as a form of liberating individuals and communities, his conceptualization of Nai Talim – which translates to Basic Education – provides a framework for compulsory education steered toward peace. Through this philosophy, Gandhi presents readers with a contrast to the corporate perspective of education that trains people to be homogenized workers and community members to a perspective of peace and social justice in which previously marginalized groups are included and given a voice. To better understand these contributions, this chapter focuses on essential aspects of his life; five conceptual contributions from Gandhian principles that reflect theoretical, methodological, and practical implications for education today; new insights; and lasting legacies.