[OccupySheffield] The Future of Occupy e-Newsletter, February 2012

[The Future of Occupy collective]

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Future of Occupy

February, 2012

"Occupy will never die; Evict us, we multiply!"

Welcome to The Future of Occupy newsletter!

Hello from the crew at FoO!

Over the last month we’ve been reading, analyzing, and honing in on
the most vibrant conversations taking place in the Working Groups. Our
February issue, the ‘Focus on Working Groups’ presents you with a
number of blogs and essays highlighting exciting strategic ideas,
specific proposals, and LOTS MORE bubbling up from the WGs. It is our
hope that they will catalyze the cross-fertilization of innovative
practices and ideas between the WGs, and evoke your comments and news
that can benefit all of us!

The order we have presented our articles run from the macroscopic
perspective of sense-making and strategy to the specific
implementations of WG practices such as the art of blocking. If you
are more interested in the concrete specifics of the WGs perhaps you
could start reading the issue from the bottom, while if you’re more
of a big-picture thinker, who has a fine taste for the integrated
whole, then reading from the top holds the most fruit for you. In
truth whichever way you read this issue of the newsletter, we trust
you will find rich pickings in each and every article. Read, comment,
share and enjoy!

The FoO collective

How (r)evolution carries itself forward by the Working Groups of
Occupy

What can Occupy learn from the evolutionary dynamics of
differentiation-integration-transformation? What can that triad bring
to the epic question, how can the 99% win? In this essay, George Pór
guides us through how we can make use of the understanding of that
triad for discovering the answer.

Read MORE (
http://thefutureofoccupy.org/2012/02/04/how-revolution-carries-itself-forward-by-the-working-groups-of-occupy/
)

Can Occupy occupy strategy?

How can a leaderless movement devise a strategy? Drawing on the work
of the Strategy Planning WG Occupy Venice (California), this article
explores the uses of strategy in internal coordination, collective
self-education, and embracing the Commons, as an economic and social
paradigm of a fair society worth championing.

Read MORE (
http://thefutureofoccupy.org/2012/02/05/can-occupy-occupy-strategy/ )

Occupy the solutions

Here’s an article packed with ideas for moving the Working Groups
out of the realm of mere discussion and into concrete solutions that
harness the talents of professionalism whilst retaining communal
participation. Furthermore it suggests the solutions are already out
there, simply needing to be researched and introduced. It’s time for
stage two: implementing them.

Read MORE (
http://thefutureofoccupy.org/2012/02/03/occupy-the-solutions/ )

Working Groups: the self organising revolution

"Working Groups reveal the desire for a new manner of building
community..."  With them we could in fact be witnessing new systems of
self-organisation that are creating an alternative to the current
disempowering, unrepresentative democracies. This article points to
various examples innovative practices introduced by Working Groups.

Read MORE (
http://thefutureofoccupy.org/2012/02/02/working-groups-the-self-organising-revolution/
)

Is Occupy leaderless or leaderful: insights from some Working Groups

Can we inspire the leadership qualities in everybody to manifest,
without having to have “followers”? This article explores the need
for all of us to become leaders in a movement without hierarchy, and
some suggestions for achieving this.

Read MORE (
http://thefutureofoccupy.org/2012/02/04/is-occupy-leaderless-or-leaderfull-insights-from-working-groups/
)

A responsible Occupation? the fun and hard work of Pittsburgh's
Working Groups

“It’s not that OP doesn’t challenge authority (many people have
been arrested at OP actions) but perhaps it’s that they do so in
ways that are seen as creative, thought provoking, and most of all,
decidedly non-violent” This blog tells about how the Working Groups
of Occupy Pittsburgh are creating actions that bring smiles to even
the police and local council.

Read MORE (
http://thefutureofoccupy.org/2012/01/29/a-responsible-occupation-working-groups-and-the-hard-work-of-meaningful-change/
)

The dangers of Working Groups

How do we make sure that working groups are in a state of function
rather than dysfunction?  Here you will find some useful suggestions
from Occupy London including WG health checks, the value of online
forums and how to deal with the misconceptions on what the
responsibilities of a Working Group should have.

Read MORE (
http://thefutureofoccupy.org/2012/02/01/the-dangers-of-working-groups/
)

Working Groups are sowing the seeds for a healthier healthcare
infrastructure

Working Groups can be seen as social laboratories where new ways of
doing things are tried out and improved. In the US, a number of active
healthcare WGs have been built on the need for health systems that put
people before profits. Collaborative efforts such as Occupy Healthcare
and Health Justice for All are pioneering initiatives which stress the
importance of  listening to every voice in providing healthcare
services.

Read MORE (
http://thefutureofoccupy.org/2012/02/01/working-groups-are-seeds-for-a-healthier-healthcare-infrastructure/
)

A homeless and a businessman in the meeting of a Corporations WG

Occupy is life affirming! This beautiful account inspires a sense of
gratitude with scenes from a Working Group in Occupy London. It bears
witness to the participants’ incredible effort, the magic and sheer
human fraternity transcending social barriers.

Read MORE ( http://thefutureofoccupy.org/2012/01/23/1631/ )

The community art of working with “blocking”

"Blocking" in Working Groups and GAs is the power of a single person
to veto a consensus. What are the appropriate circumstances in which
it should be used? When does this power get abused?  This blog is
dedicated to all Occupiers, who want to become wiser about "blocking"
and how to relate to it.

Read MORE (
http://thefutureofoccupy.org/2012/02/04/the-community-art-of-working-with-blocking/
)

SHARE

Monthly Downloads

This month's download is a bonus chapter of: The Empowerment Manual:
A Guide for Collaborative Groups, by Starhawk, published in November
2011, by New Society Publishers.
Download PDF ( http://www.starhawk.org/Empowerment_Five-Fold-Path.pdf
)

Explore snapshots in time with our photographic anthology on working
Groups and Occupy Life! Here (
http://thefutureofoccupy.org/2012/02/10/a-photographic-anthology-of-the-working-groups-and-occupy/
).

List of Upcoming Events

Stop ACTA! - February 11, 2012. 2pm to 5pm
Global call to action to defend freedom of the Internet! The ACTA
agreement benefits only a fraction of industrial companies such as
RIAA and MPAA. ACTA is the result of their lobbying. Read MORE (
https://www.facebook.com/events/171544026282055/ )

An OWS Forum on the Commons- February 16 to 18, 2012.
Organizational forms developed by Occupy are already functioning, in
many ways, as institutions of the commons. This conference will
explore other examples of existing commons we can draw inspiration
from and how can new commons be created and expanded in our society.
Two of the FoO editors will facilitate a workshop on "Reclaiming the
Commons as a Social Theory of Collective Action."Read MORE (
http://makingworlds.wikispaces.com/ )

Occupy Our Food Supply!- February 27, 2012
End Corporate Exploitation of Our Food Systems! CREATE local, just,
fair food solutions. RESIST corporate control of our food supply.
National Day of Action: Feb. 27. Get involved and make something
awesome happen, this day of action is DIY. :) Spread the word, and
share your photos and stories! Read MORE (
http://occupii.org/events/occupy-our-food-supply )

European Day of Action Against Capitalism- March 31, 2012
During an international meeting in December 2011 in Frankfurt am Main,
several left wing organisations and grassroots unions from Greece,
Spain, Poland, Austria and Germany decided to launch a joint effort
against capitalist reforms under the current crisis. On March 31st,
there will be a "European Day of Action against Capitalism", with
simultaneous demonstrations in those countries, labeled "M31". Groups
from other countries are likely to join. Read MORE (
http://march31.net/ )

Earth Day Rally, Occupy the EPA- April 22, 10am to April 23, 6pm
For those who care about the well being of our environment. For those
who think environmental protection should be a top priority. We will
no longer stand for corruption, selective regulation and decreasing
human health conditions in the environment where we live, learn and
work. Read MORE ( https://www.facebook.com/events/326669127357040/ )

Occupy May Day - General Strike- May 1st, noon to 11.30 pm
Occupy Los Angeles are calling on all people of the world to start
planning NOW for this Global Strike. The goal is to shut down commerce
worldwide and show the 1% we will not be silenced, we will not move
until our grievances are redressed. Read MORE (
http://www.occupymay1st.org/ )

12.M World(r)Evolution - Global Day of Action- May 12th, all day.
Announced on the 12.M World(r)Evolution Facebook page. Read MORE (
https://www.facebook.com/12.MWorldrEvolution?sk=info )

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