Thesis on Alternative Service

by Philipp Rodriguez (Nov 7, 2008)

Recently a thesis on SCI was published at university of Fribourg. Karin Jenni student in history investigated the last two years the SCI engagement for an alternative service for conscientious objectors which is linked to the SCI history from the beginning.

Les Ormont 1924

Recently a thesis on SCI was published at university of Fribourg. Karin Jenni student in history investigated the last two years the SCI engagement for an alternative service for conscientious objectors which is linked to the SCI history from the beginning.

After first work camp in 1920, the SCI founder Pierre Ceresole got into a political campaign to establish an Alternative Service in Switzerland. In order to support the campaign Ceresole organised 1924 a workcamp in Les Ormont, in order to clean farmland after an avalanche. He invited conscientious objectors to work there in order to prove that alternative service is feasible. Although the the parliament eventually decided against any kind of alternative service, the concept of alternative service remained in SCI as political program.

Karin Jenni analyses in the 150 pages study the role of politics within SCI and in particular the position towards the army. She describes in detail the activities SCI developed in the last 80 years for the promotion of alternatives service. By this she outlined the character of a SCI workcamp, that interfere between utopian and realism: a peace service.
The thesis, written in German language, is available in SCI Archives. On demand a PDF Version can be orderd.