Ari Cowan

The Book

each child born into the world comes the message that God is not yet discouraged of humankind.*

— Rabindranath Tagore

Bengali Philosopher and Poet

Recipient, 1913 Nobel Prize

My hope is that we make all children, our children,
that we heal the broken and wounded among us,
and that we bring peace to our precious Earth,
thus sending the message that
we are not yet discouraged of God.**

— Ari Cowan

Acts of Courage, Acts of Cowardice:

Transcending the Culture of Violence

of Courage, Acts of Cowardice: Transcending the Culture of Violence breaks free of the ancient and outdated "punitive model" in which we traditionally view, respond to, and treat violence. Using a new "Violence Integrative Prevention & Restoration (PAR) Model," Acts of Courage provides a new vocabulary for describing violence, a new structure for organizing our concepts about violence, and ideas for applying the model to violence from the interpersonal to the international level.

This model takes a public health/epidemiological approach which rests on a foundation of understanding, compassion, and positive results. To view how the new PAR model Ari Cowan proposes compares to the more traditional, punitive model, click here.

Readers learn the basics of the PAR Model (provided in more detail in Violence and the Alchemy of Being), how violence permeates world cultures, how we unwittingly support violence, and what we can do to end our epidemic of harm. Acts of Courage proposes that — like slavery, mass illiteracy, and the black plague — violence is not insurmountable. It can be dramatically reduced and, eventually, eradicated.

In a fascinating, understandable, and heartfelt way, Acts of Courage shows how the new PAR Model can be applied to:

Diagnose, treat, and prevent violence among individuals and groups .

Impact all forms of violence — interpersonal to international.

Understand the nature of and human need for power.

Increase healthy power and control.

Recognize and overcome many of the myths, problems, and barriers which frustrate the effort to reduce and end violence.

Meet the challenge of a continuing expansion of America's prison system.

Reduce conflict in international settings such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Israel, Sudan, and central Africa.

Address religious, tribal, racial, economic, sexual, and other forms of violence.

Identify and respond to economic and political dynamics which have been and continue to be destructive to worldwide peace and security.

Acts of Courage is clear, practical, and hope-filled. It stresses the unique role America has in freeing the world from the tyranny of the insidious culture of violence.

For samples from the book and to listen to the author read from the book, go to the Samples page.

"Generally, violence can be defined as
any action resulting
from an intention to do harm."

— from Acts of Courage, Acts of Cowardice

Acts of Courage will be fully supported by this web site which will include resources, information, and connections related to the book and its message.

* Cowan translation of Tagore quote.

** Please note that references to "God" by the author are spiritual and philosophical, not religious.