June 8 Discussion - Successful Organizing
common cause ottawa, 07.06.2008 14:07
On June 8 at 1:30 pm at Jack Purcell Community Centre (near Elgin and Gilmour), there will be an Anarchist Discussion Group based on the topic of "What does a successful organization and/or movement look like?" ... here are some resources for the discussion
Resource list / strategy questions (half-page ds) - 167K
We will discuss the question, “What does a successful organization and/or movement look like?” We will address theoretical considerations while also looking at their application to the groups we are personally involved with. We will be discussing vision, strategy, and the tools required for us to be effective in radical community organizing.
Notes from the discussion will be added on to this article as comments after the discussion has taken place. Check back!
Here are some resources we thought might be helpful to consider before or after the discussion (these are also listed on the PDF):
Beyond the Affinity Group by Andrew Flood 
http://anarchism.pageabode.com/andrewnflood/beyond-affinity-group-organizational-challenge-anarchists
These three essays by an Irish anarchist examine the strengths and weaknesses of the networked forms of anarchist organizing that arose out of the "anti-globalization" movement and argues that this type of organizing needs to be supplemented by more permanent anarchist groups engaged with local struggles.
The Tyranny of Structureless by Jo Freeman http://www.bopsecrets.org/CF/structurelessness.htm
This classic feminist essay argues that informal organizations without a decision-making structure or clear delegation of tasks often become undemocratic and closed to new-comers.
After Winter Must Come Spring http://leftspot.com/blog/?q=afterwinter
The Love and Rage Revolutionary Anarchist Federation dissolved in 1998 after ten years of operation. A number of its members created this evaluation of the group, looking to draw lessons from their experience. It details the group's history, as well as it's accomplishments and failures (along with contributing factors), and a vision of what moving forward could look like.
The Citizen's Handbook by Charles Dobson http://www.vcn.bc.ca/citizens-handbook
"The best quick guide to community organizing on the web." Contains sections on Community Organizing, Community Building Activities, Full Text Articles, and The Citizen's Library.
Strategy Considerations, by George Lakey, Trainers for Change http://www.starhawk.org/activism/trainer-resources/stages-strategy.html
Includes Stages of Movement Development, and Strategy Questions in general and for each stage as well.
e-mail:: a_ottawa@mutualaid.org
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notes from the discussion 10.06.2008 - 11:37 Quick notes from three of resources, then notes from discussion: Tyranny of Structurelessness - how hidden hierarchies lead to domination and exclusion - communication networks and representing groups should be made formal, so that accountable to group - set of principles given at end Beyond the Affinity Group - talks about decentralized groups that connect through internet - weaknesses: no strategy, no 'why' in what doing, not sustaining over long term - argument for more permanent organizations to develop strategy and theory - need to engage in local struggles, build trust and relationships with others - can't wait for things to be right, need to get involved now to work towards that - stimulating resistance After Winter - having people come to organization for vision, not for what currently is; makes it easier to grow towards - need to correct failure of not learning from past experience - put racism/white-supremacy as strategically central question to organizing: develop analysis, organization strategy - gender imbalance needs to be addressed not only by women - expectations of membership need to be met, not just when feel like it - leadership: tension/choice between democratically from group and directly from people willing to do work - organizational method: revolutionary organization vs mass organization - learning from anarchist history, failures: how can we be successful? - self-organization, learning by doing ----- Notes from June 8th discussion: - leadership: problem of leaving it up to 'lifestylists' (people who have the time) how to address this? formalize leadership makes it more accountable? - how to deal with power issues? - problem of addressing issues of oppression: people with less privilege end up driving it, discounted/ignored by others - really need to address things with solutions, not just keep bringing them up - how do we implement solutions? - using training: targetting marginalized/oppressed peoples, making everyone a leader - delegation of tasks leads to more accountability (keeping power with group) than self-selection of tasks - how just because someone feels something needs changing, not to put whole responsibility for that on them (ends up silencing problem without fixing) - how 'culture of defensiveness' can be problematic, need for helping things change, respect, growth - taking lead from 'business leadership' theory/practise: leadership through getting people to do things, through getting people's ideas to come out, through team-building, through anti-oppression - prioritizing things, taking on one or two at a time and being successful at them - using mentoring: formally assigned, regular contact, following up with new people - ensure people with problems don't just leave org'n, but are heard and helped to have problem addressed - goal/strategy: making new anarchists / new community organizers - who comes/is attracted to group, is based on what group is doing / what people see - effects of action: principled vs effective - diversity of tactics, really looking at diversity and not just dichotomy between violence/pacifist - overcoming lack of questioning / lack of imagination through growth - how do we grow? - what gets people to join? also what gets them to continue? - using marketing / public relations strategizing - being welcoming / smiling / making experience enjoyable - having useful projects: countering oppression and injustice, helping people see the problems and also the self-interest in changing things - focus on being successful, thinking outside the box in terms of what success is, finding what works ... note-taker> |