Preventing war through non-violent direct involvement in conflict: I. Principles and background

International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War now considers prevention of all violent armed conflict as one of its core objectives, as such conflict is incompatible with health. Health professionals have long been involved in this area with an inclination towards non-violent means. The growth of interest in the area of non-military peacemaking, the growth of knowledge and research in the last few years and the post-cold-war nature of most contemporary wars mean that IPPNW needs to approach war prevention in a systematic way, benefiting and co-operating with other creative forces in the field. In this first of two articles we present some important work by contemporary non-violent researchers. We seek to develop an imagination and a mode of thinking to enable health professionals to prepare to engage in Non-violent Direct Involvement in Conflict (NVDIC).