Hi folks,
Hope you found space for rest and care over the long weekend ✨
We’re still reverberating from last week’s extraordinary session with Vanessa Andreotti (more details and recording below), in which we learnt about a University that has a tree for a President and whose Provosts are a snake and a bird. We hope you’ll find it as provocative and encouraging as we did.
Alongside our usual shares, which have a theme of decolonisation and ‘just transition’, there are also some good job opportunities going.
Wishing you well, shared in solidarity.
Session recording
The University Of The Forest
Vanessa Andreotti, Chief Ninawa Huni Kui
This was a special session, ‘extraordinary’ in the words of one attendee. A rare chance to spend time with Vanessa Andreotti, author of Hospicing Modernity, as she took us on a journey through the University of The Forest. Although an institution, both physically and digitally, it quickly became clear that the UOTF is also an orientation, a way to “unlearn” the “narrow-boundary” concepts that keep westernised modernity violent and unsustainable, and hold us in harmful relationships with each other and our world.
This recording is well worth your time, especially if you are curious about the specifics of “unlearning” and “healing”, want to know what “abductive”, “diffractive” and “diachronic” thinking are, would like to engage in “regenerative inquiry”, or want to “foreground the unknowability of the whole” through “quantum wisdom.”
Chief Ninawa was sadly detained by flooding, so although he was with us, we don’t see or hear him in the recording. Vanessa instead shared his message ‘on hope’:
“In modern societies, hope is held hostage by idealised images of the future. However, we need to liberate hope from this captivity so that it resides in the present: in the faith that we can heal our fractured relationship with the earth, with other species, among ourselves, and within ourselves. The future is the outcome of relationships we weave in the present. To make the future different, we must weave relationships differently in the present, rather than focusing on idealisations of the future that perpetuate the relational fractures of the present.” – Chief Ninawa Huni Kui
Shares
Key: 📝 Article | 🎬 Film | ⚙️ Tool
Paraphilanthropy: Giving Money Its Freedom Papers
Bayo Akomolefe
“Decolonial gestures need fugitivity, a longing for the non-legible, and support for social experimentation within undercultures of practice.” A response to “the intelligence of the hour”, encouraging those engaged in “decolonising philanthropy” to consider “paraphilanthropy”: “making sanctuary for the atypical in times of turbulence… a site convened to the co-inquiry of how new worlds might come to be… not as a set of fixed practices but as an inquiry dispersed across networks at the end of the world.” But also to beware “iatropower” (change, but on ‘our’ terms) with its false promise of “a site of purity from which to regulate the world”, which ultimately serves to maintain the “plantation of the human.” Three practical suggestions end the piece, led by an invitation to humble inquiry: “The work of decoloniality is not about knowing the answers; it is about staying with the tensions of not-knowing long enough to be changed by them.”
#deepnarrative #tactics
Philanthropy Lab
The Bio-Leadership Project, Environmental Funders Network
“The Philanthropy Lab is a platform for learning, strategy and collaborative action, designed to help philanthropic funders work together to support greater impact. It is a place in which to set greater goals together, compelling us to work across silos to help more systemic change come about. We facilitate processes to help learn about new models, transform structures, and support new forms of collective action. Our guiding star is to support economies in service to life, with three active workstreams underway in areas of investment, tax and the legal rights of nature.”
#deepnarrative #tactics
⚙️ See here
Liberal Blindspots
Tim Sahay; The Polycrisis, Phenomenal World
“The ‘just transition’ idea may have its roots in the labor movement, but here in Europe it’s become more of a liberal shibboleth, and I don’t hear working-class people talk about a just transition. The vision presented is basically: ‘this world, but without the emissions.’ But there is just no understanding of working class experience. It’s all, ‘Come on, care! Be concerned about this heat pump, get behind dropping meat from your diet one day a week, be part of this transformation.’ And for what? The same as now. Nothing changed about the status quo, the structures, the norms, what it’s possible to hope for and aspire to… The lie being that the liberal middle classes of the global North are the carriers of the light, the masters of our future, the saviors of humanity. But liberalism is now destroying the foundations of life.” Also see.
#deepnarrative #tactics
The Reality Of The Green Transition
Rachel Donald; Planet:Critical
“There is no way to dematerialise our economies—they are material. Even the digitisation trend is materials and energy-consumptive… We cannot and must not talk about our political economies without demanding we reflect upon our energy and material needs, and ultimately contracting those needs… It’s bad design, but centralising energy systems makes it possible to hoard power. The system is badly designed—in every respect—but fulfilling its purpose… Planned degrowth as political economic strategies which include the decommissioning of stranded assets rather than suffer the fall-out will likely be the only way through.”
#deepnarrative #messaging
The Leadership Able To Bring About a “Just Transition”
Gail Bradbrook
“We need to face the fact that the existing system will not choose a just, sustainable, decolonial, degrowth economics, despite our best efforts to encourage it. This system consolidates vast wealth and power in the hands of those with the least interest in making real change… A just transition could be led by Global South countries rising up and throwing off the yokes of neo-colonialism, controlling their own resources and refusing to pay debts… that moment is happening - and it is time we paid attention. Might we play our parts in helping colonialist consumerism have a good death and build what might be able to replace it?… These times call for humility, for apology for our complicity, for finding our way back into life and our global human family.”
#tactics #messaging
Defining Imperialism, Colonialism and Neo-colonialism
The Decolonial Centre, Climate Vanguard
The final post in the series exploring “the pillars of global capitalism” that are “oppressing the many for the benefit of the few” which “have recently been brought to the forefront of popular consciousness through the ongoing genocide in Gaza.” They offer straightforward clarity, as “It can be difficult to understand what these systems actually are and how they relate to each other… A strong analysis of these systems is essential for developing revolutionary organising strategies.” See the full brief: ‘Defining Imperialism, Colonialism, and Neo-Colonialism’.
#deepnarrative #messaging #tactics
Life Ennobling Economics
Dark Matter Labs
“What would a desirable future economy actually look and feel like - globally and for you, in your specific context? What could be unlocked if we looked beyond our current understanding of terms such as natural resources, money, institutions and governance? What would it mean to fundamentally reimagine ourselves as dynamic interbecomings, deeply entwined in diverse right relationships and joyfully part of a full planetary consciousness? In this publication, we are introducing a dialogue that we are hoping to explore with diverse voices and across multiple contexts. We are holding numerous, cascading questions and a set of working hypotheses. Beyond that we are open to how the next stages unfold - if you would like to join the conversation then we would welcome all perspectives.” Also see Indy Johar discuss ‘Designing Our Futures.’
#narrativestrategy #tactics
📋 See here
The Awe Exchange
Laura François, Benjamin Von Wong (co-founders)
“We anchor change-making in our shared capacity to experience awe. We develop awe-based tools for change-makers to reimagine the possible, to foster collective action rooted in curiosity and wonder… Awe is an emotion of overwhelming wonder, admiration, respect, or fear elicited by something grand, sublime, or extremely powerful. It involves a sense of bewilderment, astonishment, and transcendence in the face of something that defies our usual frames of reference. Awe makes us feel small in comparison to the vastness of the universe, yet also connected to forces larger than ourselves.”
#deepnarrative #tactics
⚙️ See here
The Power Of The Whole
Iris Andrews; New Constellations
“To welcome the whole and hold space for the enormity of all we are facing, especially in times of such unimaginable horror and suffering, feels big because it is big. But I think the sooner we embrace that, the better our chances of breakthrough. And the conditions for breakthroughs are shaped by us: by our campaigns, by our cultures and stories, and by the human conditions that pull us either further away from or closer toward each other.”
#deepnarrative #tactics
Events, Courses & Jobs
Key: 🗓️ Event | 💼 Job
The Story Gathering
James Broadley | Apr 8th, 16:00-19:00 GMT | London
“If you are feeling overwhelmed by all the difficult news or you need help understanding how your creative gifts can help people, we have THE perfect event for you! Immerse yourself in a refreshing experience of connection and renewal at our upcoming ‘The Story Gathering.’ Inspired by the transformative principles of ‘The Work that Reconnects’!”
Meaningful Mischief
UAL: AKO Storytelling Institute | April 11th, 18.30-20.00 GMT | London
“Culture jamming activist duo The Yes Men bring performance art to political activism. Impersonating big-time criminals in order to publicly humiliate them, they use humour, pranks and trickery to draw attention to government and corporate practices. In our latest salon, we are delighted to be joined by longtime trickster practitioner and innovator Mike Bonanno, one half of The Yes Men. During this conversation, Mike will discuss the ancient tradition of tricksterism that uses humour, subversion and surprise to fight oppressive power. We will explore the art, strategy and tactics of creating meaningful mischief, to support movements and campaigns.”
🗓️ Book here
Ceasefire NOW Campaign Coordinator
Crisis Action | Deadline: April 14th
“The #CeasefireNOW in Gaza campaign is made up of a diverse group of humanitarian and human rights organisations, dedicated to advocating for an immediate ceasefire and measures to protect and save lives in IOPT. So far, the campaign has provided a platform for collective advocacy across 800+ organisations to address humanitarian issues in Gaza and engage in public diplomacy to support the humanitarian diplomacy efforts and negotiations undertaken between parties to the conflict to end the war and expand humanitarian access.”
Interim Director (Maternity Cover)
Social Change Lab | Deadline: April 14th
“Lead our small team in delivering cutting-edge research on the outcomes and strategies of social movements and ensuring widespread communication of this work to key stakeholders. You would play a significant role in shaping our strategy and the programmes we want to deliver, such as research, capacity building, training or philanthropic advising.”
Consultancy: Climate Justice
Oxfam | Deadline: April 14th
“Would you like to help Oxfam GB contribute to shifting the UK’s narrative about the climate crisis? Oxfam GB wants equality and justice to be at the heart of how the UK understands and takes action to address the climate crisis. We are looking for a consultant to assess Oxfam’s GB current narrative on climate justice and to work with us to help formulate a compelling, coherent and evidence-based narrative that works for all our engagements including with the public, our supporters, the private sector and donors.”
Quotes
(This selection of quotes is intended as a resource, in the hope that they may be useful for your own communications.)
“Life is very short. What we have to do must be done in the now." – Audre Lorde
“The only thing you need to remember, is that when people stand up, Imperalism trembles.” – Thomas Sankara
"Western intellectual and academic discourse is so configured that it is easier to talk about abstract economic systems than it is to address racism, imperialism, and the structures of organised violence that sustain global hierarchies of power." – Amitav Ghosh
“I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hates so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain.” – James Baldwin
“We are going to a different place, let’s go differently.” – Nora Bateson
Thanks for joining us, see you here again in two weeks.
A reminder that if you have something that you’d love to see in these newsletters, or work you’d like to share in the community sessions, or if you have any feedback, please reach out at inter-narratives@greenfunders.org
Very best,
Paddy & Ella