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"Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. Indeed, it is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it." That was how Martin Luther King, Jr. described nonviolent resistance in his 1964 Noble Peace Price lecture. In the time since, both of King's claims--that nonviolence is powerful and that it is just--have been questioned as often as they are supported. Is nonviolent resistance the most effective way to produce political or social change? Is it the most just? In this course we will grapple with these questions and more through an exploration of the history of pacifism as a political philosophy and nonviolence as a form of political action: from their origins in multiple global religious traditions, to their role in some of the major political struggles of the 20th century, to their challenged status in present-day political movements. We will read about and discuss the lives and ideas of those who have advocated for nonviolence around the world, both famous--like King and Gandhi--and lesser-known. Throughout, we will critically engage with arguments both for and against nonviolence as a just and effective method of resistance and grapple with how nonviolence might fit into the political and social struggles of today.