Category Archives: Social change

Community Gardening As Social Action

Drawing on social movement theory, the thesis investigates the ways community gardeners in these organisations approach environmental and social justice issues and considers the relationships between community gardening and wider movements. In particular, the thesis considers the political logic of … Continue reading

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Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Social Movement in History Is Restoring Grace, Justice, and Beauty to the World

Paul Hawken has spent more than a decade researching organizations dedicated to restoring the environment and fostering social justice. From billion-dollar nonprofits to single-person dot.causes, these groups collectively comprise the largest movement on earth, a movement that has no name, … Continue reading

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The social business

Almost all leadership concepts start with the assumption that a key role for the leader is to set a direction. This usually means designing and communicating a vision and a set of goals. Traditionally, the roles of vision and goals … Continue reading

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On Emergent Leadership

“Without an active leader who takes responsibility for building a network, spontaneous connection between groups emerges very slowly, or not at all.” So, what are the five key elements of Emergent Leadership? 1. Encourage/ stimulate lots of actors (help build … Continue reading

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Self-Liberation: A Guide to Strategic Planning for Action to End a Dictatorship or Other Oppression

Many people live in countries with governments that can be identified as dictatorships, or less harshly, authoritarian regimes. Usually, most of the people in those countries would like their oppressive regime to be replaced by a more democratic and free … Continue reading

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Beyond Consensus or Majority: Notes about Decision-Making in a Leaderless Movement

On October 18th I participated in the general assembly meeting in OccupyOakland. On October 22nd I posted a piece about that experience, which I named In Search of Dialogue. Even before writing that piece I have been engaging in my … Continue reading

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The Stigmergic Revolution

It was long believed that the queen played a central role in the complex social order of an ant colony, through the exercise of direct command and control over her subjects. Not so. Biologist Pierre-Paul Grasse coined the term “stigmergy” … Continue reading

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Change the World Without Taking Power: The Meaning of Revolution Today

The wave of political demonstrations since the Battle of Seattle in 2001 have crystallised a new trend in left-wing politics. Modern protest movements are grounding their actions in both Marxism and Anarchism, fighting for radical social change in terms that … Continue reading

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What Would It Mean to Win?

Connecting some of the more remarkable events of the last decade–including the rioting in Oaxaca and in the outskirts of Paris and the modern crises of neoliberalism–this critical analysis suggests new strategies for the progressive Left and that forward-moving change … Continue reading

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Change the World by Taking Power

Is power something negative? Does it always have to corrupt? And does “taking power” necessarily have to mean taking state power? This critique of John Holloway shows that communalism and autonomism provides two different answers to these questions. In 2001 … Continue reading

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