beyond POLARIsation
A learning journey in regenerative reconciling
Polarisation is fracturing our communities.
POLITICAL SPACES | COMMUNITY PLACES | OUR WORKPLACES |
HUMANS VS NATURE | HUMANS VS HUMANS | CULTURE | DIALOGUE |
We are seeing an ever increasing flow of polarisation in human cultural systems. Whether in politics where countries are swinging from left-orientation to right-orientation with increasing frequency, or in general culture where the drive for certainty in an uncertain world is pushing people into every more rigid positions. From cancel culture to the determined pursuit of 100% responsibility or blame on opposite sides of conflict, polarisation is a handbreak on our potential to move forward to a regenerative future.
Our traditional approaches of compromise and conflict resolution offer only temporary patches on the deep fractures in our society. We need approaches that reach down to the root causes of our separation, and heal them through finding new future-focused perspectives.
A different way is possible. A reconciling pathway which opens up the potential of a new way of seeing the future and relating to each other.
This short learning journey focuses on regenerative ways to heal the polarities arising between humans. These take many forms.
- Divisive dialogue where entrenched positions prevents movement.
- Rigid adherence to a particular process or way of doing things, where any alternative becomes the ‘wrong’ way.
- Fear of change which can push people to cling onto a position or narrative that maintains the status quo
- All the ‘ism’s that we were once simpe ways to navigate difference that have become weaponised: racism, sexism genderism, nationalism and more
- Stringent advocacy where there is no possibility of taking alternatives into account
- Blind spots that we all have which prevent us from seeing other points of view or pathways forwards
Regenerative practice offers a radically different way to approach polarisation through a reconciling practice that seeks to move entrenched positions towards future potential rather than problem-solving or conflict resolution.
Next programme starts 23 September 2024 – Registration open – scroll down to price table for booking
This short workshop programme offers insights into regenerative practice for reconciliation by:-
- Understanding the root causes of the story of separation between humans and humans.
- Understanding how humans pattern for difference and how to disrupt that patterning.
- Sharing different practices for reconciling our internal responses to polarisation
THE JOURNEY
6 weeks | Weekly Live Sessions | 3 deep-dive modules
ROOT CAUSES OF POLARITIES
For 98% of our time on planet Earth, humans have inhabited this place in co-mutual right relationship and reciprocity with life – all life. So how did we arrive at polarisation as a way of being in the world?
Humans naturally make sense of the world through a process of differentiation. Through self-differentiation and group identification, we tend to find polar opposites and then attempt to define things by examining them in that frame of opposites. We create difference and a story of separation in many different ways: gender, race, age, ethnicity, social class, urban-suburban-rural, religion, worldviews, character, personality.
In this part of the programme, we explore the patterns and processes of human behaviour that lead to polarisation so that we can work with the complexity of the root causes of separation in subsequent sessions.
PRACTICES FOR POLARITIES
The challenge of polarisation is that it shows up in many sneaky ways, not just in the communities we work with but also in ourselves. As always in regenerative work, we work on our Selves while learning how to work with Others and on Systems.
In this session we will explore practices that are available to us to recognise when we too are captured by polarised thinking, and how we can help the teams, groups and communities we work with see the sources of their own thinking so that they may find ways forwards.
We explore:
- Self observation and awareness
- Whole-Keeping through causal loops that help us see the whole picture and find value in polarised positions
- Upstream Thinking to surface values driving difference
- Reconciling complementary values
FRAMEWORKS FOR POLARITIES
Good frameworks capture and allow us to work with universal truths. Regenerative practitioners have many different frameworks at their fingertips to help them de-veil the invisible patterns that are driving toxic or damaging behaviours and to help entrenched and stuck communities move towards a reconciling future.
In this session we look at:
- Gregory Bateson’s theory of schismogenesis
- J G Bennett’s Law of Three
- Dilemma practice
We will explore how to design live interventions using these frameworks.
We will work in live fishbowls with the specific challenges you bring.
The Law of Three with BILL REED
Principle, Regenesis Inc.
Bill Reed is a founder member of Regenesis Group. For more than 40 years he has worked in the built environment to bring regenerative design and practice to that field. He is an internationally recognized planning consultant, design process facilitator, lecturer, teacher, and author in sustainability and regeneration. He is a principal of Regenesis, Inc. one of the first organisations working on regenerative design and development.
Bill will host a special session on working with J G Bennett’s Law of Three.
JENNY ANDERSSON
Position
Jenny Andersson is founder of Really Regenerative and host of this programme. She has worked extensively on truth and reconciliation programmes, as well as developing future strategies and narratives that help shift whole regions, businesses and communities towards a reconciling future.
An upstream and framework thinking specialist, Jenny will host live fishbowls working together with participants on the intractible paradoxes and binds they are currently facing using a variety of methodologies and frameworks shared in the programme.
COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ONLINE PROGRAMMES.
How much time do I need to allocate to this programme?
You will gain the most form the programme if you:-
- Spend up to 2 hours each week on pre-reading material in order to gain the most from the live sessions
- Attend live sessions of 2 hours each week.
Recommended total time – 4 hours per week.
What qualifications or knowledge do I need to participate?
There are no mandatory requirements to participate. This is an open learning journey. An understanding of living systems principles is helpful but not essential.
Can I join if I have not participated in Really Regenerative’s Power of Place?
You did not need to have participated in our signature learning journey Power of Place to join this learning journey.
Will I benefit if I know nothing yet about regenerative design and development?
Yes! Anyone who is involved in work where polarisation affects their work can benefits from this programme. It’s a great introduction to framework and regenerative practice.
What size is the cohort for this programme? Will there be an opportunity to meet others with similar challenges to me?
We do prefer smaller cohorts so that everyone has an opportunity to connect with each other. One of the best things about our programmes is the opportunity to make new connections and often, new friends. We always have breakout sessions where you have an opportunity to explore the ideas in the programme with each other.
PROGRAMME TIMETABLE
Monday at 6.30-8.30am (for Aus/NZ/Asia) and 3.30-5.30pm UK
Live Sessions
Monday 23rd September
Monday 30th September
Monday 7th October
Monday 21 October
Monday 28 October
Monday 4th November
Please note there is no session on 14th October
YOUR INVESTMENT
| INDIVIDUAL practitioners (after 1st August 2024) | £350+VAT Closed |
| EARLY BIRD for individuals (before 1st August 2024) | £300+VAT Closed |
Refund Policy: Full refunds will be given up until registration closing date Friday 9th September less a processing fee. No refunds are possible after that date.
TO ENROL: simply click on the chosen investment level which will take you straight to the payment process.
We don’t want anyone to be excluded from this opportunity on grounds of affordability. If you cannot meet the above costs but feel this would significantly add to your capability building, please email us at hello@reallyregenerative.org and we can discuss it further.
Really valuable programme to help me understand how to better help stakeholders migrate towards the emerging future without conflict.
The practical examples from place-based projects really added value to the overall experience. Often regeneration is very theoretic. This was super practical.
I really benefitted from learning more about the value of frameworks – especially the Law of Three framework – in helping me understand and respond to the hidden dynamics of unfolding situations.
Is Beyond Polarisation for you?
Beyond Polarisation is our first response to the consistent questions that show up in our Power of Place cohorts when we are looking at regenerative stakeholder engagement.
- Why does every project, no matter how brilliant, fail because of human ‘messiness’?
- How on earth do we get past difference and disagreement every time it occurs in a consistently effective way that enables us to move forwards?
- How do I get beyond the entrenched positions people take?
- How do we even begin to help people see that another way forward is possible?
- Is there anything beyond conflict resolution when tension and disagreement appears in our community?
If any of these questions come up consistently in your regenerative work, Beyond Polarisation was designed as an introductory learning journey to give you practices, frameworks and tools to help you ‘dance with polarities’ in a more practical and effective way.
Regenerative practice offers a radically different way to approach polarisation through a reconciling practice that seeks to move entrenched positions towards future potential rather than problem-solving or conflict resolution.
Benefits of participation
- You will gain valuable insights into the root causes of polarisation which will enable you to better understand the dynamics involved in any situation in front of you
- You will discover and practice useful technologies that help you overcome the challenge of polarities when they show up in your work
- You will have an opportunity to work collectively with the cohort on specific challenges you are currently working with
Beyond Polarities will be helpful to you if you:
- Are engaged in supporting the design and actualisation of collaborative processes in any way
- Work in multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral engagement in any field
- Work with diverse communities engaging across topics where polarised views are present
- Experience entrenched position-taking that acts as a handbreak on the potential of your work you are trying to do
- Want to better understand the nature of how humans use difference to understand and make sense of the the world around us
- Hold a role in which de-veiling unseen dynamics might enable better collaboration
PARTICIPANTS COME FROM A WIDE RANGE OF PLACE-BASED SECTORS.
