What a month! July started off with our Independence Day in the US, including many civic season celebrations around the country. While we are reeling from the murder of Sonya Massey in Illinois who was fatally shot by a deputy while responding to her 911 call, the shooting of former President Trump brought this long-standing issue of political violence to the forefront of public discourse. We are pleased to be able to release a new Guide on Making Political Violence Backfire this month, together with several partners, described more in the READING section below, and appreciate the ongoing work of partners like Urban Rural Action to help address political violence in communities.
As the year of mega elections continues around the world, we are seeing surprises in France; contested results in Venezuela, and lessons to be learned from citizen movements in Africa. The fast-changing political dynamics in the US picked up speed this month when President Biden stepped down and Vice President Kamala Harris became the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party. The abrupt change has spurred questions about the process of choosing a new nominee, as well as reflections on the important role played by political parties during moments of heightened uncertainty.
Horizons continues to be animated by the on-going authoritarian threats to democracy in the US and globally. Don’t miss Ruth Ben-Ghiat’s recent interview with The Guardian on What the Authoritarian Playbook Looks Like; and, congratulations to our partners at the 22nd Century Initiative on their launch of the Anti-Authoritarianism podcast, with a wonderful first conversation on How We Got Here with Suzanne Pharr. As a part of Horizons’ Pillars of Support project, we recently released 30 “caselets” that you can find here, together with the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University exploring the specific tactics and strategies employed by key pillars throughout history and around the world in support of a pro-democracy agenda; notably faith-based organizations, businesses, unions & professional associations, and veterans groups.
Take a listen to the audio recording of Horizons’ Julia Roig and Jarvis Williams’ session at the recent Othering & Belonging Institute conference on “Leaning into Paradox: How We Can Block, Bridge & Build Our Democratic Future Together.” And, enjoy the latest in our Sensemaking with Horizons Series, as Jarvis has a conversation with Shun Tucker-Allen, Senior Faith Partnerships Coordinator at Fair Count about her work organizing with faith communities in the South.
As this whirlwind month comes to a close, we invite you to check out some additional resources we’ve been reading, watching, and listening to:
READING
Harnessing Our Power to End Political Violence (HOPE) Guide
by Hardy Merriman
The HOPE guide was written for the 22nd Century Initiative and the Horizons Project along with allies working to end political violence. “[The guide] is designed to help people across the United States counter political violence. It aims to empower individuals and strengthen communities to make political violence backfire against those who incite, threaten, and enact it. Community response to political violence can both support victims and impose costs on those who incite and engage in abuse. We need to stand up to those who want to silence our voices, who try to deny us our rights, and who aim to bully their way into political influence through intimidation and violence.”
From Waves to Ecosystems: The Next Stage of Democratic Innovation
by Josh Lerner, SNF Ithaca Initiative
“Anti-democratic movements are surging around the world, threatening to undermine elections and replace them with oligarchy…While elections dominate current thinking about democracy, the history and future of democracy is much broader. For over 5,000 years, people have built up competing waves of electoral, direct, deliberative, and participatory democracy. We are now seeing a transition, however, from waves to ecosystems. Rather than seeking one single solution to our ailing democracy, a new generation of democracy reformers is weaving together different democratic practices into balanced democratic ecosystems. This white paper provides a roadmap for this emerging next stage of democratic innovation. It reviews the limitations of elections, the different waves of democratic innovation and efforts to connect them, and key challenges and strategies for building healthy ecosystems of democracy.” You can also watch the launch event of the paper.
Towards a Polycrisis Consciousness
by Mark Gerzon and Mesa Sebree, Mediators Foundation
“This essay explores the nature of the polycrisis and why it requires a different approach for dealing with change…From politicians and philanthropists to activists and ordinary civilians, our way of conceptualizing our struggles must shift to coincide with the unignorable new reality. But what kind of mindset is required? In order to make real steps towards change, [the authors argue] it is critical to first develop holistic ways of thinking:” Think like a mountain range; Retire optimism and pessimism and focus on possibility; Avoid anachronistic – isms altogether; Inner work is not optional but indispensable.
WATCHING
The Brain on Authoritarianism
The Horizons Project & Beyond Conflict
The Horizons Project and Beyond Conflict partnered to create this short video to support broad-based “united front” organizing in response to the rising authoritarian threat in the US and globally. Better understanding the brain’s response to fear, toxic othering, and threats to social identity will help pro-democracy organizers to confront the authoritarian playbook and come together across difference to work more effectively towards a multi-racial, pluralistic, inclusive democracy.
A Greater Story of We with Maurice Mitchell
The Othering & Belonging Conference
“Renowned social movement strategist Maurice Mitchell, a visionary leader in the Movement for Black Lives, and now National Director of the Working Families Party, [gave] the closing keynote on new formations and ways of being and working with each other that are needed to confront the current era of rising authoritarianism, climate emergency, toxic inequality, and widespread precarity and fragmentation.” You can watch all the 2024 OBI conference sessions online.
Addressing Questions from Skeptics of Political Depolarization and Bridge-building Work
by Zachary Elwood
Zachary summarizes a talk between Liz Joyner of The Village Square and Melissa Weintraub, the Executive Director of Resetting The Table. “In this talk, Melissa spent some time addressing some common objections…Why bother engaging with people with whom I disagree? Can’t polarization be a good thing? Isn’t polarization necessary for social progress? Are there “red lines” for people we shouldn’t engage with? How do you draw that line? Is what you do “both sides”-ism? Is it promoting a mushy centrism? What’s a concrete example where you’ve seen this kind of bridge-building effort pay off? What did that look like?” You can re-watch the discussion from Facebook Live.
LISTENING TO
adrienne maree brown on Radical Imagination and Moving Towards Life
On Being Podcast
“We’re listening with new ears as [adrienne maree brown] brings together so many of the threads that have recurred in this season of On Being: on looking the harsh complexity of this world full in the face while dancing with joy as life force and fuel and on keeping clear eyes on the reasons for ecological despair while giving oneself over to a loving apprenticeship with the natural world as teacher and guide. A love of visionary science fiction also finds a robust place in her work and this conversation. She altogether shines a light on an emerging ecosystem in our world over and against the drumbeat of what is fractured and breaking — the cultivation of old and new ways of seeing, towards a transformative wholeness of living.”
Grief Is the Medicine with Malkia Devich Cyril
Becoming the People Podcast with Prentis Hemphill
“In this powerful episode, Prentis is joined by transformative grief activist, movement strategist, writer Malkia Devich Cyril. Malkia shares stories and wisdom from their personal experience of loss, the possibility that emerges when we attend to our grief, their insight about how we choose to grieve can determine how we can change the world.”
Leveraging Networks for Democracy with the Leadership Now Project
Systems Catalysts Podcast
“Systems change can happen through networks, but it isn’t as straightforward as organizing a group of people with shared values. When Daniella Ballou-Aares witnessed American democratic values deteriorating, she gathered a group of concerned business and thought leaders to launch the Leadership Now Project.” In this episode Daniella and Anoop Prakash, the Wisconsin Chapter Lead, talk about the power of leveraging networks to protect and renew American democracy.
Otto Scharmer: What Future is Wanting to Emerge Through You?
Sounds True Podcast
“In a bold conversation that speaks directly to both our individual empowerment and the larger societal changes that are becoming increasingly urgent, Tami Simon and Otto Scharmer discuss: the collective sense of depression and disillusion at this time; reframing a fearful cultural narrative to one of hope and possibility; bridging today’s ecological, social, and spiritual divides; ego-system awareness vs. ecosystem awareness; big changes through small steps; the subtle shift of “opening the will”; letting go of what’s not essential; moving from certainties to not knowing…and much more.”
FOR FUN & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Project Tipping Point: A Glossary for the Appreciation of Life
“Within this document are more than 70 words and their meanings from a breadth of languages and cultures, with the common thread being that these words (re)connect us with nature, ourselves, others, and life in general. We hope it brings some joy to your day.”
War Prevention Initiative’s Essay ‘Un-Contest’ on Peaceful Elections
With half of the global population living in countries with national elections this year, we are concerned about the potential for violence before, during, and after these elections. We want to challenge ourselves and potential contributors to ask: How can we ensure that elections are peaceful—that individuals feel safe expressing themselves politically, free from violence and threats of violence? Selected essays (including written, photo, or audio essays, as well as other forms of creative expression addressing this topic that can be published on a website) will be published in the Peace Science Digest. Author(s) will be compensated $300 for their submission. The due date for submissions is August 28, 2024.