Dr. Veena Rani Howard
University of Oregon
Speaker's biography
Veena Rani Howard teaches in the Religious Studies Department and Asian Studies Program at the University of Oregon, U.S.A. She is a frequent presenter at conferences.
Her publications include “Gandhi, The Mahatma: Evolving Narratives and Native Discourse in Gandhi Studies” in Religion Compass, “Non-violence and Justice as Inseparable Principles: A Gandhian Perspective” in Justice and Mercy Will Kiss: The Vocation of Peacemaking in a World of Many Faiths, “Gandhi’s Reconstruction of the Feminine: Toward an Indigenous Hermeneutics” in Woman and Goddess in Hinduism: Reinterpretation and Re-envisionings, the book Gandhi’s Ascetic Activism: Renunciation and Social Action, and “Rethinking Gandhi's Celibacy: Ascetic Power and the Empowerment of Women”.
more info
Gandhi’s Methods for a Peaceful Existence: Western Movements and Popular Imagination
Students of GITAM Institute of Management
2.9.2013
Are Gandhi’s methods relevant for modern day challenges in a globalized and technology-driven world? How was Gandhi able to mobilize people from different religions, castes, and ages for action against the powerful forces of colonialism? What was his strategy? Many scholars and activists ask these questions as they continue to search for alternative solutions to resolve social and political problems.
The presentation of Dr. Howard focussed on the influence of Gandhi’s teachings on nonviolence and passive resistance in Western social and political movements, and their effects on popular culture in the United States. Furthermore, she considered the essential components of Gandhi’s strategy, including his appeal to widely felt injustices, and his use of religious symbols and vocabulary. She stated that this kind of analysis will lead us to consider how Gandhi’s methods might be utilized in the confrontation of modern issues in today’s world.
