Wolff Peace – Max Weber & Abdul Ghaffar Khan

Power, legitimacy, and the courage of nonviolence.

In this episode of the Wolff Peace series, host Avis Kalfsbeek explores political philosopher Max Weber’s stark definition of the modern state as the “monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force,” and pairs it with the bold life of Abdul Ghaffar Khan—the Muslim pacifist known as the “Frontier Gandhi.”

While Weber wrestled with the ethics of power and governance, Khan led a movement of over 100,000 nonviolent Pashtun activists against British colonialism, grounded in faith, discipline, and love. Together, these thinkers raise urgent questions: Can peace be built without force? And what kind of power heals rather than harms?

This episode includes:

• A look at Max Weber’s Politics as a Vocation
• A portrait of Abdul Ghaffar Khan and the Khudai Khidmatgar movement
• Two reflection questions to apply the episode to real life

Visit aviskalfsbeek.com to learn more about the podcast, books, and upcoming episodes in the Wolff Peace series.

Music: Dalai Llama Rides a Bike by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez. Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Robert Paul Wolff’s book Political Man and Social Man on Amazon (I am not an affiliate)

Wolff Peace – John Austin & Audre Lorde

Power, obedience, and the poetry of resistance.

In this episode of the Wolff Peace series, host Avis Kalfsbeek explores the tension between legal authority and moral justice through the lens of 19th-century legal theorist John Austin and radical poet and activist Audre Lorde.

Austin’s theory of legal positivism defines law as the command of a sovereign backed by force—regardless of whether it is just. His focus on structure and obedience set the stage for modern legal systems but left little space for resistance or morality.

Enter Audre Lorde. With poetry, protest, and fearless truth-telling, she challenged not only unjust laws but the cultural norms that sustain them. Lorde rejected the separation of power from morality and insisted that real peace begins with liberation—for those silenced by race, gender, class, and sexuality.

This episode includes:

• A concise introduction to John Austin’s legal philosophy
• Audre Lorde’s challenge to systemic oppression and her vision of peace rooted in truth
• Two peace questions to guide reflection in both public and personal life

Visit aviskalfsbeek.com to learn more about the podcast, books, and upcoming episodes in the Wolff Peace series.

Music: Dalai Llama Rides a Bike by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez. Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Robert Paul Wolff’s book Political Man and Social Man on Amazon (I am not an affiliate)

Wolff Peace – Richard Hooker & Dorothy Day

A new series on political philosophy, power, and the pursuit of peace.

In this opening episode of the Wolff Peace series, host Avis Kalfsbeek introduces the legacy of political philosopher Robert Paul Wolff and his influential book Political Man and Social Man. Each episode in this special series pairs a classic thinker from Wolff’s anthology with a modern or historical peacemaker, exploring how ideas about law, authority, and society shape the world we live in—and the peace we hope to build.

We begin with Richard Hooker, a 16th-century Anglican theologian who argued that true political authority must be rooted in reason, consent, and the shared moral order of the community. His vision of peace arises not from force, but from lawful agreement shaped by collective participation.

To balance and expand Hooker’s view, Avis pairs him with Dorothy Day—co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement and a living embodiment of radical hospitality. Day didn’t argue for peace in the abstract—she fed, housed, and cared for those most in need, demonstrating that love in action is the foundation of community and resistance.

This episode includes:

• An introduction to the Wolff Peace series and its mission
• A short profile of Richard Hooker’s theory of law and reason
• A peace pairing with Dorothy Day and her radical ethic of hospitality
• Two reflection questions to take with you into your own life

Visit aviskalfsbeek.com to learn more about the podcast, books, and upcoming episodes in the Wolff Peace series.

Music: Dalai Llama Rides a Bike by Javier “Peke” Rodriguez. Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Robert Paul Wolff’s book Political Man and Social Man on Amazon (I am not an affiate)