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As David MacKay ( http://www.withouthotair.com/download.html ) said in a rather different context - "If we all do a little, we'll achieve a little". My problem with a lot of (not all) the TT movement is that it works at too local level to achieve anything like the kind of enormous change that is needed to transform the way we live (and use energy, emit GHG's etc). There are exceptions and this is what I mean by 'scaling up - for example the Reconomy project that came out of the TT movement to address the strategic level. I don't think there is a contradiction between the values of diversity, empowerment and all that ( though increasingly I think those terms are maybe the wrong ones to capture a counter-systemic and counter-Eurocentric modernist ethic) and the idea of trying to make 'great transformations'. The question is how to unite the learning from the small scale local projects and build a really effective social movement. So I'm happy to draw from (really social) psychology in the service of that, but less keen to couch the problem at the level of individual change, which is what I mean by 'psychologising' in this context. Mark On 09/04/14 03:55, Niki Harre wrote: > From Mark Burton > > Hi Anna, Mark and all > > I think the issue with Transition Towns and indeed the whole > "sustainability movement" is that it is terribly hard to actually > settle on an issue and stay focused and get organised. Transition > Towns have an enormously broad agenda, and are in part about new forms > of relating, so it isn't really possible to just get on with it -- > unless by that we mean getting the community composting, bike lanes, a > local currency or whatever (ah, whatever, there is a devil in all the > possibilities!). > > I am also not sure what it means to "scale up". I think there is a > very real dilemma for community psychology in all this. We are > supposed to honour diversity, empowerment and people's "right" to act > from their own analysis of the world -- but also to "scale up" > somehow? To broadcast or promote solutions that fit all -- that > transform in great strokes of change? > > Also what does it mean for psychologists -- as we are, to not > "psychologise" -- is our only wisdom, as psychologists, that > psychology isn't the answer? > > Best > > Niki > > /Niki Harré/ > > /School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019/ > > /Room 537, Human Sciences Bldg, 10 Symonds St/ > > /Auckland 1142/ > > /Phone +64-9-9238512/ > > /Email [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>/ > > *From:*The UK Community Psychology Discussion List > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of *Mark Burton > *Sent:* Wednesday, 9 April 2014 4:16 a.m. > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* Re: FW: Transition Towns and levels of transformation > > Hello Anna, > My (brief) response to this is two-fold. > > On the one hand it is true that small voluntary (voluntarist) groups > can be riven by conflicts. There seem to be sevaral reasons for this, > including the lack of the institutional embedding that constrains > possibilities in other organisational contexts, and the use of such > organisations ot meet individual needs. This latter can also lead to > an ineffectiveness because the organisation or group becomes a too > comfortable place, serving people's social needs rather than focussing > on its supposed mission. > > But I'm a bit reluctant to psychologise the issues - transition groups > and similar social movement organisations are orientated to large > scale social change and I'm distrustful of approaches that divert > attention inwards. In my experience, the internal political issues > can generally be handled through a clear focus on what the > organisation is there to do and what its strategy and plan is, and > bythe use of explicit groundrules that act as a reference point for > standards of interactions within the organisation. > > Having said that, these movements are trying also to construct a > different community ethic and it does make sense to focus on how that > might be different. > > But the really big challenge is to scale up suficiently so that real > systemic change happens! > > Mark Burton > > > On 07/04/14 22:15, Anna Zoli wrote: > > Dear Dr. Harré and Community Psychology Network members, > > I would like to respond to the debate about Transition Towns a few > months ago and this is my first post on this list. I have been > working > during my PhD on Transition Towns as a community challenge to > relationships enhancement and to counter elements of capitalism. My > work settled at a community level analysis of a case study: the first > Italian Transition Town (5000 inhabitants) that adopted the > principles > of the movement through the local council in a formal resolution (n. > 92/2009). > > As far as I could analyze, the institutional level is not enough and > ?changing others?, as said, is only a part of the change. From my > findings, it seemed that the fundamental basis for a long term > community development in a proactive direction, and further social > change, relies on a personal change, the so called INNER TRANSITION, > and on communities? capabilities to focus on their intragroup > relations. Otherwise, the transition group risks reflecting the same > problems of interpersonal communication and relation as the wider > society it challenges. This is due to processes that are unavoidable > inside a community, often referred in our discipline as: collective > unconscious, shadow processes (such as: anti-group or > anti-community), > which appear together with the existence of a group or community. > > To help communities and individuals to face these undermining > processes, community psychologists and communication facilitators > have > the potential to contribute a lot. > > I am looking forward to working more on the issue, although I am > struggling to find a post doc position or fellowship to do so. > If anyone has any suggestions, I would be happy to hear them. > > I look forward to ongoing debates about the challenges of working in > partnerships in community settings. > > Kind regards, > Anna Zoli, PhD Europaeus > > Human Sciences, Behavior and Social Relations Sciences > Dep. of Political Sciences, Communication and International Relations > University of Macerata, Italy > > Fellowship 2013 at York St. John University, Faculty of Health & Life > Sciences, York, UK > > Phone: 0039 349 0707889 > E-mail: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > > > > Citando "Jacqueline Akhurst (J.Akhurst)" <[log in to unmask]> > <mailto:[log in to unmask]>: > > > Dear all, > The thread below might be of interest ... > Regards, > Jacqui > > From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Niki Harre > Sent: 12 February 2014 01:45 > To: [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > Subject: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] Transition Towns and levels of > transformation > > Hi everyone > I am very interested in the role of Transition Towns - being a > member of one in NZ, and the levels at which transformation > should/must occur in order to shift the social system as a > whole. Our TT struggles quite a bit with this - the remit is to > change how we use energy (that little thing) which is utterly > overwhelming and seems pretty much impossible in a suburban > setting. So we've moved away from that as a key focus. Still we > feel we should be changing "others" - the physical > infrastructure (e.g. bike lanes), institutions (e.g. supermarket > alternatives) and, I guess the minds and voting choices of our > neighbours. I am coming to wonder if transformation requires > more personal change and if TT are best focusing on their > relationships with each other and building an attractive > possibility for a new way of living. I am just not sure if you > can change a capitalist/individualist/money-hungry society by > only focusing on institutions and outward practices and not also > considering our interpersonal relationships and maybe even our > own "personal growth" (am struggling for a term I think you'll > object to less but stumped...). If you've read the Hunger Games > books you'll be familiar with its critique on any form of war - an > age old theme, but a good one. Can we use the master's tools to > dismantle the master's house (i.e. "taking" power and focusing > on the behaviour of others) rather than really practicing a new > world - at least as much as we can? > Best > Niki > > Niki Harré > School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019 > Room 657, Human Sciences Bldg, 10 Symonds St > Auckland 1142 > Phone +64-9-9238512 > Email [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]><mailto:[log in to unmask]> > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > > From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Annie Mitchell > Sent: Saturday, 8 February 2014 5:29 a.m. > To: [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Re: Pub talk about DSM > > Hi John, > > Great thanks for sharing the slides. So good. And pubs > democratising ... > > Yes 'm on ambivalent edge or our TTs here in Devon.... - risk of > individualising and distracting from social inequalities and > economics underpinning , yet also providing a shared framework > for articulating and beginning to activate political pressure > for action...- attached are the notes for a talk / workshop I;ve > given for a few Transition Town / Café Scientifiques in Devon on > psychologies of change and climate change. My experience is > that many people are interested in a message that joins the > strands... making personal /political links. There's an > interesting climate change person here in Devon done some great > visuals and is convincing re scope for hope with the new > technologies and for clarifying the and articulating the > democratic and business interest economics of the issues: > http://www.carbonvisuals.com/ <http://www.carbonvisuals.com/> > > Annie > > > > From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of McGowan, > John ([log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]><mailto:[log in to unmask]> > <mailto:[log in to unmask]>) > Sent: 07 February 2014 11:58 > To: [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]><mailto:[log in to unmask]> > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Re: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] Pub talk about DSM > > Hi Annie, > > We have some audio slides from an earlier time we did it in > Sussex. See below. > > http://discursiveoftunbridgewells.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/is-life-disease.html > > > A pub turns out to be a great place to have these kinds of > discussions. Doesn't quite iron out power differentials but there > is a sense in which everyone seems a bit more like a punter. > > I think in the talk we're trying to capture both ends of it. The > value the a lot of people place on diagnosis (all of us are > vested interests perhaps) and why but the limits of that and the > huge problems it raises. Trying to draw people into the > discussion a bit. Feelings run so high that sometimes > communication feels difficult when these areas are raised. > > The ecocide site is interesting thanks. Draws attention to a lot > of important stuff. I also wonder though (and this is > completely separate point) about what anti-environmental > behaviours are and how we should judge them (after all the > pressure to maintaining cheap oil prices is complicated and the > results not always bad). Something lie the Transition Town > movement (am I right in remembering you've had some involvement in > it) is interesting in this regard. I worry a bit that my local > TT branch frequently conflates behaviours that feel moral (local > currency or people making sourdough bread or whatever) with > things that might be effective. A whole other story though. > > BW > > John > > > From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Annie Mitchell > Sent: 06 February 2014 13:26 > To: [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]><mailto:[log in to unmask]> > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Re: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] Pub talk about DSM > > Sounds so good - > > I;e been thinking if we used a social disease metaphor, what > would be the cultural disease label that would label political > climate change denial madness or some such. > > I;ts up in my awareness today, marooned in Devon with the UK > southwest peninsula railway ie most of Devon and all of > Cornwall cut off from the rest of the land at least the next 6 > weeks following unprecedented coastal storm and floodcdamage, > > The human rights lawyer Polly Higgins is working at an > international level to get the crime ecocide on the > international law stature books. What might a social > psychological parallel look like _ I suppose Oliver james calls > it affluenza but there is a risk of individualising it... - do > we need a sort of anti-DSM at a global level about collective > madness... .. > > See http://eradicatingecocide.com/ > > Annie > > > > > > From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of McGowan, > John ([log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]><mailto:[log in to unmask]> > <mailto:[log in to unmask]>) > Sent: 06 February 2014 13:08 > To: [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]><mailto:[log in to unmask]> > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > Subject: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] Pub talk about DSM > > > Hi Folks, > > Some list member in the Kent and Sussex areas area might finds > this of interest. Anne Cooke and I are giving our pub talk 'Is > Life a Disease?' about psychiatric diagnosis and the DSM5 in > Tunbridge Wells on the 6th of March. 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Plymouth University does not > accept responsibility for any changes made after it was sent. > Nothing in this email or its attachments constitutes an order > for goods or services unless accompanied by an official order form. > ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: > http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK <http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK> > (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]><mailto:[log in to unmask]> > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> To unsubscribe or to change > your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: > http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK > ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: > http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK <http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK> > (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]><mailto:[log in to unmask]> > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> To unsubscribe or to change > your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: > http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK > > > > This email and any files transmitted with it were intended > solely for the addressee. If you have received this email in > error please let the sender know by return. > > Please think before you print. > > > > > Anna Zoli > > *************************************************** > LA SCIENZA DI OGGI E' LA VITA DI DOMANI. > > Sostieni il *Progetto giovani ricercatori*: > > 5 per mille all'Universita' di Macerata - C.F.: 00177050432 > > http://www.unimc.it/5permille > *************************************************** > > > > ----- Fine del messaggio inoltrato ----- > > > Anna Zoli > > *************************************************** > LA SCIENZA DI OGGI E' LA VITA DI DOMANI. > > Sostieni il *Progetto giovani ricercatori*: > > 5 per mille all'Universita' di Macerata - C.F.: 00177050432 > > http://www.unimc.it/5permille > *************************************************** > > ___________________________________ > There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post > contact Grant [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK > list, visit the website: > http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK > > -- > > *From: Mark Burton* > > /Scholar-Activist./ > > > /Visiting Professor, Manchester Metropolitan University/ > > *37 Chandos Rd South* > *Chorlton* > *Manchester* > *M21 0TH; UK* > > *Telephones:* > +44 (0)161 881 6887 landline > +44 (0)777 594 9479 mobile > skype name: markburton52 > > > > http://steadystatemanchester.net <http://steadystatemanchester.net/> > Steady State Manchester > > http://libpsy.org <http://libpsy.org/> Liberation Psychology Network > > h <http://www.compsy.org.uk/>ttp://www.compsy.org.uk > <http://www.compsy.org.uk/> Community Psychology UK > > http://uncommontater.net <http://uncommontater.net/> personal blog > including information on my publications. > > > ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: > http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant > [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> To > unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, > visit the website: > http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK > > ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: > http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant > [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> To > unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, > visit the website: > http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK -- From Mark Burton *From: Mark Burton* /Scholar-Activist./ /Visiting Professor, Manchester Metropolitan University/ *37 Chandos Rd South* *Chorlton* *Manchester* *M21 0TH; UK* *Telephones:* +44 (0)161 881 6887 landline +44 (0)777 594 9479 mobile skype name: markburton52 http://steadystatemanchester.net <http://steadystatemanchester.net/> Steady State Manchester http://libpsy.org <http://libpsy.org/> Liberation Psychology Network h <http://www.compsy.org.uk/>ttp://www.compsy.org.uk <http://www.compsy.org.uk/> Community Psychology UK http://uncommontater.net <http://uncommontater.net/> personal blog including information on my publications. ___________________________________ There is a twitter feed: http://twitter.com/CommPsychUK (to post contact Grant [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe or to change your details on this COMMUNITYPSYCHUK list, visit the website: http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?A0=COMMUNITYPSYCHUK