The Commonweal Collection has its own classification system, created originally by the founder, David Hoggett who realised that none of the existing systems such as the Dewey Decimal Classification system would work for a library for social change. Over the years the classification list has been added to and some items removed or renamed to reflect the changing world – some of the terms used have fallen out of use or out of favour but were deemed acceptable at the time.
We are currently working on making further changes to the list as we work on Decolonising the Collection.
Download the classification list here.
Section A: THEORY OF NONVIOLENCE
A Theory of Nonviolence – General
Ae Analysis of Nonviolence
Af Nonviolent Revolution
Ak Training for Nonviolence & NVDA
An Feminism & Nonviolence
Ap Case for Civil Disobedience
At Nonviolent Defence
Au Nonviolent Peacekeeping
Ay Spiritual Basis of Nonviolence
Section B: NONVIOLENCE IN ACTION
B Nonviolence in Action – General
Bd East European/Anti-Soviet NVA
Be Shanti Sena
Bf Satyagraha in Action
Bh Historical examples of Nonviolence
Bi Boycotts
Bj Anti-Fascist Nonviolence
Bl Personal Nonviolence
Bm Housing Nonviolence
Bn Women’s Peace Movement
Bo Peace Camps
Bp Animal Liberation Nonviolence
Bq Climate Justice Nonviolence
Br Anti-Racist Nonviolence
Bt US Civil Rights
Bv Military Tax Resistance
Bw Anti-Militarist Nonviolence
Bx Anti-Nuclear Nonviolence
Section C: POETRY, FICTION & ART
Ca Poetry
Cb Plays
Cf Freedom Classics – Fiction
Cn Utopian Fiction
Cp LGBTQ+ Fiction
Cq Eco Fiction
Cr Anti-racist Fiction
Cs Society – Fiction
Cv Specific Conflicts – Fiction
Cw Anti-war Fiction
Cx Anti-nuclear Fiction
Cy Anti-war Science Fiction
Cz Anti-war Art, Photography and Graphic Novels
Section D: PACIFISM
Da Conscientious Objection
Db British Pacifism
Dh History of Pacifism
Dj Pacifist Writings
Dk Interwar Pacifist Writings
Do Critique of Pacifism
Ds Pacifists in Prison
Du International Pacifist Organisations
Dx Nuclear Pacifism
Dy Christian Pacifism
Dz Pacifist Classics
Section E: PEACE MOVEMENTS & ACTIONS BY REGION
E Peace Movements – General
Ea Peace Movements – Pan-European
Eb Peace Movements – UK
Ec Peace Movements – Northern Europe
Ed Peace Movements – Eastern Europe
Ee Peace Movements – Southern Europe
Eg Peace Movements – South Asia
Eh Peace Movements – Southeast Asia
Ei Peace Movements – East Asia
Ej Peace Movements – Middle East
Ep Peace Movements – Oceania
Er Peace Movements – Africa
Es Peace Movements – Central & South America
Et Peace Movements – North America
Eu International Peace Organisations
Ew 1918 – 1939 Peace Movements
Section F: FREEDOM STRUGGLES
F Freedom Struggle – General
Fc Identity Based Rights Movements
Fd Soviet/East European Dissent
Fe Revolution
Ff Independence Movements
Fg Indian Independence Movement
Fh Freedom Struggle in History
Fi Industrial Action
Fj Asian Freedom Struggles
Fk Student Protest
Fl Anti-Globalisation Movement
Fm Protest Movements
Fn Women’s Liberation Movement
Fo Critique of Violent Struggle
Fp Philosophy of Violence
Fq Animal Liberation Freedom Struggle
Fr South African Freedom Struggle
Fs Central & South American Freedom Struggle
Fu Global Resistance
Fz Freedom Classics
Section G: GANDHI
G Gandhi Bibliographies
Ga Satyagrahas led by Gandhi
Gb British Raj vs Gandhi
Gd Satyagraha Theory
Ge Research in Gandhi
Gf Gandhi Memoirs & Reflections
Gg Gandhi Biographies
Gh Particular Periods
Gi Economic/Industrial Thought
Gj General Compilations
Gk Gandhian Perspectives on Growth & Development
Gl Gandhi on Decentralism
Gm Gandhian Perspectives on Education
Gn Gandhi on Spiritual Discipline & Health
Go Critique of Gandhi
Gp Gandhian Perspectives on Political Philosophy
Gr Gandhi on Communalism & Caste
Gt Gandhi & Indian Politics
Gu Gandhi & World Problems
Gy Gandhi & Religion
Gz Gandhi – Collected & Selected Works
Section H: PACIFISTS & RADICALS
H Pacifists & Radicals – Collective Biographies
Ha Pacifists & Radicals – US
Hb Pacifists & Radicals – UK
Hc Pacifists & Radicals – Europe
Hg Gandhians
Hh Radicals in History
Hi Pacifists & Radicals – Middle East
Hj Pacifists & Radicals – Asia
Hk Educationalists
Hl Decentralists
Hm Freedom Fighters
Hn Feminists
Hp Pacifists & Radicals – Oceania
Hq Environmentalists
Hr Pacifists & Radicals – Africa
Hs Pacifists & Radicals – Central & South America and the Caribbean
Ht Anarchists
Hy Spiritual Pioneers
Section J: PEACE ORGANISING: CONFLICT RESOLUTION & RESEARCH
Jb Reconciliation & Peacebuilding
Jd Peace Organising
Je Peace Research
Jh Peace Museums & Memorials
Jn Conflict Resolution
Ju International Relations Theory
Jz Bibliographies
Section K: CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE & EDUCATION
K Children, Young People & Education – General
Kb Progressive Schools
Kc Peace Education Theory & Research
Kd Peace Education Materials for Teachers
Ke Peace Education Materials for Students
Kf Children’s Rights
Kh History of Education
Kj Parenting
Kk Play
Kn Educational Radicalism
Kp Philosophy of Education
Kq Bullying & Conflict
Kr Cultural Identity in Education
Ks Social Issues
Kt State Education
Ky Children & Religion
Section L: SOCIAL DECENTRALISATION
L Decentralisation – General
Lg Rural Life
Lh Decentralisation in History
Li Industrial Democracy
Ll Political Decentralisation
Lp Decentralist Thought
Lq Economic Decentralisation
Lt Anarchism
Lz Decentralist Classics
Section M: INDIAN DECENTRALISATION
M Indian Society – General
Mg Sarvodaya Movement
Mi Gandhian Economics
Section N: VISIONS OF THE GOOD SOCIETY
N Visions of the Good Society – General
Nc Utopian Visions
Nj Economic Futures
Nl Common Land
Np Philosophy of Nonviolent Social Order
Nr Indigenous and Tribal Peoples
Nu World Languages – Gloso and Esperanto
Section O: ALTERNATIVE SOCIETY
O Alternative Society – General
Oc Intentional Communities
Oe Alternative Guides & Directories
Of Healthy Eating
Og Alternative Medicine & Therapies
Oi Technological Self Sufficiency
Oj Alternative Work
Ol Alternative Housing
Om Organic Farming & Self Sufficiency
On Counter-culture
Op Decision Making
Oq Alternative Economy
Ot Alternative Media
Oz Music and song
Section P: IDENTITY
Pa Psychology
Pl Personal Growth
Pd Disability rights
Pm Masculinity
Pn Feminism
Po LGBTQ+
Pq Human Relations
Ps Social Psychology
Pt Social Therapy
Pv Biology of Aggression
Pw Psychology of Violence
Section Q: ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS
Q Environmental Crisis – General
Qa Eco-action
Qb Transport
Qc Conservation
Qe Ecological Research
Qf Food Crisis
Qh Environmental Organisations
Qi Environment vs Economics
Qj Climate Change
Qk Environmental Education
QL Personal Ecology
Qm Recycling
Qn Ecological Social Order
Qo Critique & Discussion
Qp Ecological Thought
Qq Soil Erosion & Deforestation
Qr Public Health
Qs Population
Qt Pollution
Qu Energy & Mineral Resources
Qv Eco-feminism
Qw Critique of Modern Farming
Qx Threat of Technology – inc GM
Qy Ecology & Religion
Section R: RACISM & ANTI-RACISM
R Racism – General
Ra Racism in Europe
Rb Racism in Britain
Rh Colonialism
Rj Anti-Semitism
Rl Islamophobia
Rm Slavery
Rr Apartheid
Rs Indigenous Resistance
Rt US Racism
Rv Ethnic Conflict
Section S: SOCIETY
S Society – General
Sb Class
Sc City & Metropolis
Sp Community Politics
Ss Modern Social Crisis
St Prison
Section T: NATION STATES
T Nation States – General
Ta European Union
Tb British Imperialism
Tc Totalitarianism in Germany
Te Freedom of Speech
Tf Human Rights
Tg State Surveillance
Th Growth of the State
Ti Capital Punishment
Tj Freedom of Information
Tk Press Freedom
Tl Legal System
Tm Multinationals
Tn Neutralism
To Individual vs State
Tp Marxism
Tt US Imperialism
Tu World Government
Tv United Nations
Tw Militarism
Tx East/West Relations
Section U: GLOBAL JUSTICE
U Global Justice – General
Uf International Development
Uj Trade
Ul Debt & Global Finance
Um Decentralisation
Un Women & Development
Uq Environment & Development
Ur Refugees & Asylum Seekers
Us Famine
Uu International Aid
Uz Directories
Section V: SPECIFIC CONFLICTS
V Specific Conflicts – General
Vb Falklands War
Vc Northern Ireland
Vd Post-Communist Europe
Vg South Asia
Vh Southeast Asia
Vi East Asia
Vj Middle East
Vk Gulf Wars
Vp Oceania
Vr Africa
Vs Central & South America
Vu First World War
Vv Second World War
Section W: WAR
W War – General
Wb Western Defence Policy
Wc Cold War
Wd Disarmament
We Psychology of War
Wf Guerrilla War
Wg Defence Conversion
Wh History of Warfare
Wj Anti-personnel War
Wk Children & War
Wl Law & War
Wm Morality of War
Wq Chemical & Biological War
Wr Weapons
Ws Struggle for Peace
Wt Arms Trade
Wu International Peacekeeping
Wy Church & War
Section X: NUCLEAR
X General
Xa Nuclear Arms Race
Xb Unilateralism
Xd Nuclear Disarmament
Xe Nuclear Arms Control
Xf Non-nuclear Defence
Xg Non-proliferation
Xh History of the Bomb
Xj Hiroshima & Nagasaki
Xl Legality of Nuclear Weapons
Xm Morality of Nuclear Weapons
Xn Civil Defence
Xo Anti-nuclear Writing
Xp Nuclear Testing
Xq Nuclear Radiation
Xr Nuclear Accidents
Xs Nuclear Power
Xt Nuclear Waste
Xu Nuclear Transportation
Xw Nuclear War Planning
Xx Nuclear Weapons
Section Y: RELIGIONS & PHILOSOPHIES
Y Religions & Philosophies – General
Yc Ancient Religions
Yg Hinduism
Yh Buddhism
Yi Sikhism
Yj Judaism
Yk Christianity
Yl Islam
Ym Bahá’í
Yn Quakerism
Yo Atheism & Humanism
Yp Moral Philosophers
Ys Taoism
Yt Theosophy
Yu Anthroposophy
Yv Krishnamurti
Yw Gurdjieff
Yx Ouspensky
Yy New Age
Yz Other Religions & Philosophies
Section Z: RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE & SPIRITUAL LIFE
Z Religious Dialogue & Spiritual Life – General
Ze Psychology of Religion
Zf Interfaith Dialogue
Zh History & Practice of Religions
Zi Science & Religion
Zj Paranormal
Zn Comparative Religion
Zp Feminism & Religion
Zs Political Theology
Zu Mysticism
Zx Yoga
Zy Meditation & Prayer
Zz Spiritual Poetry