Thursday, Oct 01, 2009

War, Police and Prisons: Cross-examining State-Sanctioned Violence

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Guest speaker: Wayne Northey

The Western state arrogated to itself sole prerogative to commit violence against its enemies. The state’s domestic enemies are criminals, its international enemies whomever the current government declares such. This presentation addresses morally, philosophically and theologically the state’s right to commit violence, especially lethal violence. It will argue that issues of societal violence from schoolyard bullying to murder perpetuate ultimately due to state modelling in training and duties legitimated for its police, prisons and military. It will suggest an alternative.

Wayne Northey is Director of Man-to-Man/Woman-to-Woman – Restorative Christian Ministries (M2/W2) in British Columbia, Canada (www.m2w2.com). He has been active in the criminal justice arena and a keen promoter of Restorative Justice since 1974. He has published a number of articles on non-violence and restorative justice within a theological framework (some posted at http://www.clarionjournal.typepad.com/), and recently published a novel on Western Christianity and violence and non-violence: Chrysalis Crucible (Abbotsford: Fresh Wind Press, 2007). Like all people of faith, he is on an uncertain journey of discovery.

Posted by Streams of Justice at 5:06 PM |  MAKE A COMMENT  

Monday, Feb 16, 2009

Law, Crime and Punishment, Part 4 - Discussion

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[Recorded Monday, January 26, 2009]

Posted by Streams of Justice at 11:28 AM |   

Monday, Feb 16, 2009

Law, Crime and Punishment, Part 3 - Calvin Baird

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[Recorded Monday, January 26, 2009]

Posted by Streams of Justice at 10:36 AM |   

Monday, Feb 16, 2009

Law, Crime and Punishment, Part 2 - Elaine Chau

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[Recorded Monday, January 26, 2009]

Posted by Streams of Justice at 10:26 AM |   

Monday, Feb 16, 2009

Law, Crime and Punishment, Part 1 - Craig Hathaway

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"Law, Crime and Punishment: The Coercive Strategies of Power"

Often the term “justice” is associated with the judicial system that regulates the various dimensions of social existence. Legal codes serve to define right and wrong, and their impartial application is required to maintain the orderly functioning of society. The legal system appears as the great impersonal guardian of truth and justice, the keeper of civility and public safety. In our society, the law occupies a place of unassailable authority and power.

We need to probe this realm of judicial authority to see what’s behind it. Who makes the laws that rule our lives? How did “the rule of law” come into existence? Who decides that certain acts are criminal, a deviation from the norm? Who benefits from the ways in which law and order are determined and enforced? What other cultural institutions align themselves with the coercive contours of power evident in the legal system? Is it possible that pursuing true justice puts us at odds with the legal norms defined by social and political power?

These are the issues we want to explore. Leading us in our consideration and discussion of these matters will be Craig Hathaway (retired criminologist/sociologist, teacher, social researcher, consultant to federal, provincial and municipal justice system agencies), Calvin Baird (philosopher and educator) and Elaine Chau (volunteer with PIVOT Legal Society).

[Recorded Monday, January 26, 2009]

Posted by Streams of Justice at 9:46 AM |   

Wednesday, Apr 02, 2008

Capitalism & The Economics of Enough, Part 3 - Q & A

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Questions from the audience, with responses and further reflections from Paul Williams.

NOTE: The questions from the floor are not entirely audible, but the responses are certainly worth listening to.

(Recorded Monday, March 31, 2008)

Posted by Streams of Justice at 11:14 AM |   

Tuesday, Apr 01, 2008

Capitalism & The Economics of Enough, Part 2 - Calvin Baird

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Calvin Baird reflects philosophically on Paul William's presentation, and offers some potential questions for discussion.

(Recorded Monday, March 31, 2008)

Posted by Streams of Justice at 6:34 PM |