Ahimsa Conversations

Ahimsa Conversations

By Ahimsa ConversationsSociety & CulturePhilosophy
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Ahimsa Conversations episodes

  • Socially Responsible Investing As A Way To Counter Structural Economic Violence.

    Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) has been one of the creative and constructive attempts to counter the structural violence of the economic system, over the last three decades. In Episode 6, Amy Domini, who is known as the ‘Founding Mom of SRI’ in the USA, speaks about how her parents’ experiences and political views made aversion to violence a key element of her childhood. She describes how and why she became one of the pioneers of SRI at a time when there were neither social-environmental rules nor checks and balances on investors. The rise of investors and consumers who are committed to ‘Buying Better’ has both reduced their complicity in the economic violence caused by companies as well as raised awareness about people and planet impacts of production systems. Here Amy speaks candidly about minor successes in the sphere of curbing gun sales and how that remains an uphill task in the USA. She remains hopeful about efforts to foster nonviolent, or less violent, economic systems.

    17 min
  • Episode 5: Jojo Mehta- Making Ecocide A Recognised Crime

    Making ecocide, the murder of nature, a recognised crime would be one step towards a less violent economic system. Jojo Mehta is an environmental campaigner and the co-founder of Stop Ecocide - a campaign that is generating international momentum to establish ecocide as a crime at the International Criminal Court. In Ep 5 of Ahimsa Conversations Podcast Season 4, Jojo explains the reasoning behind this campaign and how its success would be one way of countering the violence of production systems.

    32 min
  • Episode 4: Pervez Hoodboy - Reasoning our way to Peace

    Like apes we have territoriality built into us and we tend to get violent when our tribe is confronted with another tribe. But in the evolutionary process, cooperation effectively trumped competition.

    Pervez Hoodboy, nuclear physicist and political activist, has built upon this knowledge to oppose nuclear weapons and to work for peace between India and Pakistan.

    Though he is not entirely convinced about nonviolence, Pervez says nonviolence is a valid strategy when one party is very weak and cannot afford to start violence.

    Listen to him on Episode 4 of the Ahimsa Conversations Podcast.

    24 min
  • Episode 3: Nayanjot Lahiri - Ashoka and Ahimsa in Rulership

    In what ways was nonviolence evident in ancient India and what is the significance of Emperor Ashoka's response to the violence he himself had unleashed?

    In Episode 3 of Ahimsa Conversations Podcast, historian Nayanjot Lahiri reflects on such questions based on her extensive knowledge on ancient Indian history and archaeology.

    30 min
  • Vivek Sharma - Compassion - The Ultimate Essence of Ahimsa

    Growing up during a period of violence can foster the quest for nonviolence. Social activist and entrepreneur, Vivek Sharma grew up during the times of violent militancy in Punjab. In Episode 2 of Ahimsa Conversations Podcast, he explains how this shaped his quest for ahimsa as an effort in which he has not yet succeeded but which has enriched his life's journey. 

    Vivek is the founder-director of Gandhi fellowship program and is committed to training young people in compassionate processes.

    30 min
  • Episode 1: Johnson Yeung Ching Yin - Non Violence - Challenges as a form of Protest

    Standing up for someone who was being hurt was an empowering experience, even when Johnson Yeung Ching Yin was himself a child. As a university student he became one of the leaders of Hong King's pro democracy Umbrella Movement in 2014. In Episode 1 of the Ahimsa Conversations Podcast, he talks about the challenges of practicing a pure non-violence and highlights the importance of not seeing non-violence in absolute terms. He also talks about his friends in Ukraine and Russia who are opposing the war, many putting their life on the front line, in an effort to reduce the combatants' will to fight.

    26 min
  • Episode 10: Sriram Panchu - The Harmonizing Middle
    मध्यस्थता उन तरीकों से संघर्षों को हल कर सकती है जो दोनों पक्षों को उचित और न्यायपूर्ण लगता है|
    In the final episode of Ahimsa Conversations Podcast S3, Sriram Panchu, an internationally renowned mediator and lawyer, speaks about how mediation can work in diverse situations – be it a father-son property dispute or a quarrel over a place of worship. As one of the three mediators appointed by the Supreme Court of India, to address the Ayodhya Babri Masjid Ram Janambhumi dispute, Sriram explains how one can seek the ‘harmonizing middle’ even in the most trying circumstances.
    2 hr 25 min
  • Episode 9 : Jørgen Johansen - Why is Reaching Out To Russian Voices Important Now More Than
    Jørgen Johansen was 18 years old when he was sent to prison for refusing to become a soldier.
    In Episode 9 of Ahimsa Conversations Podcast S3, Jørgen describes a life-long engagement with peace activism. Speaking about the conflict in Ukraine, Jørgen says that instead of boycotts what is now needed are 'girlcotts', a term which he has coined, which in this case means reaching out to the best voices inside Russian society - those who dare to stand up against the war.
    16 min

About Ahimsa Conversations

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Ahimsa Conversations is a platform for reflections on the possibility of nonviolence and the nature of violence.