Ikkevold

Ikkevold is a Norwegian term used to describe the principle or practice of non-violence in social and political contexts. The word combines ikke meaning not and vold meaning violence, and is typically treated as a neologism in discussions of peaceful conflict resolution. In formal Norwegian orthography, the standard form is often written as ikke-vold, with the hyphen, while ikkevold may appear in slogans, titles, or informal usage as a coined label.

In usage, ikkevold refers to strategies and actions that aim to resolve disagreements without resorting to violence. This includes de-escalation, dialogue and mediation, nonviolent protest, civil resistance, and noncooperation with violent methods. The term functions in academic writing, journalism, and public debate as a compact way to denote approaches that prioritize safety, ethics, and dialogue over coercion or force.

Relation to related concepts is one of nuance rather than strict equivalence. Ikkevold is closely aligned with pacifism and nonviolent resistance but is often employed as a descriptive label for practices within a broader spectrum of conflict-resolution theories. Because it is primarily used within Norwegian-language discourse, references in English-language sources are limited and the term may be encountered mainly in regional discussions on ethics, policy, or social movements.

See also: Nonviolence, Pacifism, Civil resistance, De-escalation.