Nonviolence and the Grand Inquisitor: A Dostoevskian Framework for Political Theory

by Alexei Anisin

Overview

This monograph develops a new ethical framework for understanding nonviolence through leveraging Dostoevsky’s parable of the “Legend of the Grand Inquisitor” from The Brothers Karamazov. In doing so, it engages in a critical examination of classical and contemporary theories of nonviolence and engages with prominent thinkers ranging from Gandhi to Žižek to Judith Butler. The book also integrates literary analysis with empirical data and presents readers with innovative perspectives on the efficacy and challenges that nonviolence poses activists in different contemporary socio-political contexts. With interdisciplinary appeal, this monograph identifies under-explored connections between literature, philosophy, and civil resistance which makes it a valuable resource for academics and activists alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781839996917
Publisher:	Anthem Press
Publication date:	03/03/2026
Pages:	180
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

Alexei Anisin, PhD, is research fellow in the Centre for Ethics as Study in Human Value in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Pardubice, Czech Republic and has widely published on nonviolence and civil resistance.