Civil Society – Page 252 – Public Intelligence Blog

2011/01/312011/01/31

Resources for Powerful Conversations

11 Society, Augmented Reality, Civil Society, Collective Intelligence, Counter-Oppression/Counter-Dictatorship Practices, Cultural Intelligence, Methods & Process

Dear friends,

A large and growing body of knowledge exists about how to carry on powerful conversations — methodologies, facilitation know-how, dynamic understandings, and more. This knowledge informs professions ranging from therapy to diplomacy and conflict resolution, from organizational development to creativity and innovation, from community revitalization to activism and deliberative democracy, from family relationships to education and spiritual development.

At the leading edge of the deeper understandings of conversation's power are innovative contributions like Peggy Holman's recent book Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into Opportunity, and her related earlier paper, Engaging Emergence — and the ambitious project to create a “pattern language” for group process now nearing its first stage release by Tree Bressen, Co-Intelligence Institute president John Abbe, and many others (including me).

Stepping back from the leading edge, we find a wealth of incredible knowledge, broadly useful in many aspects of life. Over the last year I've found some excellent resources about this, compilations of pathways into and around the world of powerful conversational practice. You'll find these resources in this email.

One amazing compilation is the “Best-of-the-Best Resources about Dialogue and Deliberation” compiled by Sandy Heierbacher, coordinator of the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation (NCDD). Read over her list below and, if you find something interesting, go to the original URL. There you will find active links to virtually everything on her list.

Building on Sandy's work, I've developed an additional list, given first below: “The Best Online Compilations of Conversational and Participatory Processes”. Together, the sites linked there describe and link you to well over a hundred different processes.

May this information serve you well in your efforts to serve your groups, your community, your organization, your world and the unfolding future we all share.

Blessings on the Journey.

Coheartedly,

Tom

Lists with Links Below the Line….

Continue reading “Resources for Powerful Conversations”

2011/01/30

Leading Tunisian Islamist returns from exile

08 Wild Cards, Civil Society, Cultural Intelligence

Leading Tunisian Islamist Rachid Ghannouchi returned home on Sunday from 22 years in exile, witnesses said. Thousands turned out to greet him at
the airport.

His return is the most powerful symbol to date of the change that has
swept this country since its president was toppled by popular protests
this month.

. . . . . .

Speaking to Reuters a day before his return, Ghannouchi said the party's role would be to help “anchor a democratic system, social justice and to put a limit to discrimination against banned groups.”

“We are taking part so we can move from a one-party system to a true multi-party system without corruption or oppression.”

Read entire article and view 18 photos….

Phi Beta Iota: The USA has a one-party system or a two-party tyranny, whatever you want to call it: corrupt politicians that work for special interests and betray the public trust. There is no difference between Democratic and Republican politicians, and sadly, the good people who think of themselves as Democrats or Republicans have no idea they are being deceived, screwed, stolen from, and generally dismissed.

2011/01/302011/01/30

Egypt Online Access Work-Arounds Updated

05 Civil War, 07 Other Atrocities, Advanced Cyber/IO, Civil Society, Collective Intelligence, Counter-Oppression/Counter-Dictatorship Practices, InfoOps (IO), IO Multinational, IO Technologies, Methods & Process, Mobile

Despite Severed Connections, Egyptians Get Back Online

Nicholas Jackson

The Atlantic, 29 January 2011

As the #jan25 revolution continues in Egypt, many people are finding that some of the oldest tricks in the book are working to get them connected, which authorities have tried to stop from happening with enforced curfews and cuts to Internet service.

Read rest of article….

Without Internet, Egyptians find new ways to get online

IDG News Service – “When countries block, we evolve,” an activist with the group We Rebuild wrote in a Twitter message Friday.

That's just what many Egyptians have been doing this week, as groups like We Rebuild scramble to keep the country connected to the outside world, turning to landline telephones, fax machines and even ham radio to keep information flowing in and out of the country.

Read rest of article….

2011/01/292011/01/29

Regime Dominos–and Global Solidarity Protests

05 Civil War, 07 Other Atrocities, 08 Wild Cards, Advanced Cyber/IO, Civil Society, Corruption, Counter-Oppression/Counter-Dictatorship Practices, Government

Fearless protesters challenge regimes around Middle East

Los Angeles Times, 30 January 2011

The toppling of Tunisia's president is having a ricochet effect across the Arab world with demonstrators trading fear for solidarity.

. . . . . .

The uprisings are having a ricochet effect across the Arab world. People are watching the events unfolding on television and Facebook and identifying with the people in the streets.

. . . . . .

“It's political challenge to autocratic systems that have degraded and dehumanized people and humiliated them to the point where they just can't take it anymore and they finally started to erupt,” said Rami Khouri, a commentator and analyst affiliated with the American University of Beirut. “That's combined with intense social and economic pressures and disparities which are accentuated by the lavish lifestyles of the rich who made their money by being close to the regime.”

Read rest of this very fine overview….

`All repressive regimes must go!' — Asian socialists in solidarity with the uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia and the Middle East

January 29, 2011 — The Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) would like to express its solidarity with the revolutionary masses in Egypt, as well as in Tunisia and other countries in North Africa and the Middle East, for their courageous struggle against repressive regimes which are mostly backed by US-led imperialist powers.

January 29, 2011 — The progressive movement and peoples of the Philippines stands in solidarity with the Egyptian people and the mass movement in the streets in these critical moments in their struggle for the ouster of the dictatorial Mubarak regime. We salute them for their tremendous courage in fighting a vicious regime, which has an infamous reputation for the brutality of its police and security forces, and that has been responsible for arbitrarily arresting and cruelly torturing government opponents. We support the people’s message that Mubarak must go and that the people no longer want his government and system.

We also salute the upsurge of the Tunisian peoples in overthrowing the US-backed dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on January 14, and how their victory has electrified and inspired the people of Egypt and the Middle East, while dictators shake with fear.

Phi Beta Iota: The repeated refrain associated with the regime change movements singles out the USA for its decades of support for oppressive regimes. Two things are happening here: the public has lost its fear and found its solidarity; and the public is now thinking in historical context and holding the USA accountable for its role in supporting Israeli genocide against the Palestinians, and dictators all over the world (less North Korea and Cuba).

Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Anger

Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Class War (Global)

Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Corporate & Transnational Crime

Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Corruption

Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Culture

Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Dissent

Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Evil

Worth a Look: Book Reviews on Empire as Cancer Including Betrayal & Deceit

2011/01/29

SOCIAL SYSTEMS AND TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE

Advanced Cyber/IO, Civil Society, Cultural Intelligence, Officers Call

SOCIAL SYSTEMS AND TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE

by Tom Atlee

Transformational change depends primarily on changing social systems.

A social system — an economic or political system, for example — is how a society is organized. It is a pervasive and powerful pattern of social arrangements that shapes people's lives and interactions.

Any time we seek to do something with other people, we run into the structures, processes, institutions, technologies, and beliefs of our dominant social systems. These then powerfully shape and channel our efforts.

If we want to get or give a product or service, we have to use the economic system — which in the dominant form usually involves money, buying and selling. If we want to change a law or a war, we have to use the political system — which in the dominant form usually involves fighting against those who oppose us and convincing politicians we have votes or dollars to influence their next election.

Whenever we try to do something with others, we have to use the existing systems — or else create new systems that those other people will use with us.

. . . . . . .

The only way to change this, to reduce this habitual co-creation of messes, destruction, suffering, apathy, insanity and catastrophe, is to change the social systems that create them — or, more accurately, change the social systems that cause US to co-create these problems over and over and over again.
Continue reading “SOCIAL SYSTEMS AND TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE”

2011/01/292011/01/29

Revolution & Secession: The Game is ON!

08 Wild Cards, Advanced Cyber/IO, Civil Society, Collective Intelligence, Collective Intelligence, Corruption, Counter-Oppression/Counter-Dictatorship Practices, Cultural Intelligence, Ethics, Government, InfoOps (IO), Intelligence (government), Military, Money, Banks & Concentrated Wealth, Officers Call, Peace Intelligence, Policies, Threats

NIGHTWATCH Complete Report for 28 January 2011

Jordan: Protesters across Jordan called for the government to step down. In Amman, more than 5,000 marched. Demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans, blamed the government for rising prices and called for the resignation of Prime Minister Samir Rifai.

Egypt: Today was the Day of Rage and so it has been. Roughly an hour after Friday prayers, the demonstrations began in Cairo, Suez and Alexandria, then spread and continued into the night. Buildings were set alight; curfews ignored and the Army moved in. The night closed with President Mubarak's mildly concessional speech which promises to incite the protesters, more than placate them. Expect more confrontations on 29 January.

Special comment: Background. Research and analysis of more than 50 internal instability episodes since 1980, NightWatch has tracked order in what appears to be chaotic security situations. Once internal discontent metamorphoses into a breakdown of public order, the government begins searching for a set of responses that will halt the decline in its fortunes. A government will follow a three-phase cycle in applying different ideas and resources alternately to placate or crush an insurrection or to buy time to try to find “a line it can hold.” That phrase refers to a set of actions over an expanse of national territory that will stabilize internal conditions.

If the government finds a set of responses that match the protestors' grievances, the downward cycle can be halted. If not, it will continue until the government falls or is changed, usually by the Army, the ultimate guardians of the state.

Below the line: complete NightWatch analytics, followed by comment on Davies J-Curve and Power of the Powerless.

Continue reading “Revolution & Secession: The Game is ON!”

2011/01/282011/01/31

Egyptian Protests Live Video (Al Jazeera) / “Revolution-in-Progress”

08 Wild Cards, 11 Society, Civil Society, Corruption, Government, Law Enforcement, Media, Military, Videos/Movies/Documentaries

Comment: Kuwait gov paying citizens money and food mentioned during the broadcast as a move to pacify and prevent uprisings by Kuwait citizens.

Preconditions of Revolution in the USA Today

Continue reading “Egyptian Protests Live Video (Al Jazeera) / “Revolution-in-Progress””