This year Emergent Strategy Ideation Institute (ESII) has begun a new program, Praxis Projects. Praxis Projects is a cohort of folks applying emergent strategy for transformation in their communities.
For 6 months, the projects work through specific questions of practice with each other and with an ES coach. We are excited to deepen with this first cohort.
“When the book came out, I learned that the circle (of emergent strategists) was already so much larger than I thought.”
“When I first
encountered ES, I
thought I was bringing something magical into a room or space. I had the juice and I thought everyone would benefit from having this juice…”
“Emergent Strategy is an adaptive facilitation approach that engages the subtle, yet powerful spiritual and emotional needs of people .”
Immersions have been the core of ESII. Due to the pandemic, we’ve pivoted to developing tools for folks to be able hold immersions within their own community.
The Immersion Guide will be available later this year. Stay tuned.
Emergent Strategy is an ideological amalgam that inspires and supports the development of social justice movement and transformation towards a world of dignity and wholeness. It is a set of principles and elements that continually turn us towards life in the midst of violence and devastation. Based on the teachings of Grace Lee Boggs, Octavia Butler, the natural world and complexity science were observed, synthesized and organized by adrienne maree brown into the book we have today. Emergent Strategy is rooted in Black feminist , abolitionist and anti-capitalist thought with deep love for the earth and all life.
In short, the relationship between the Elements and Principles of Emergent Strategy is one of concept and practice. The Elements provide a foundation for the development of pathways for transformation. The Principles are guideposts along the way that suggest a direction for your practices..
First, please read the book Emergent Strategy. We encourage you to read and discuss with friends/comrades. In addition to the initial text, there are a series of books in the Emergent Strategy Series from AK press. Each book is different and reading them with an eye for Emergent Strategy can be an exciting way to grow your sense of nuance. Similarly, the Emergent Strategy podcast is a discussion with people who we believe are practitioners of Emergent Strategy. Listening to the podcast can open you up the wide range of practices available when thinking about Emergent Strategy.
Fractals are a concept found in mathematics and complexity sciences. In short, fractals are a never-ending pattern. Fractals are infinitely complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales. Some examples of fractals are ferns, nautilus shells,. We use fractals to discuss the relationship between the intimate and the infinite such as the relationship between the similaties between the body vessels in the human body and pictures of rivers and their tributaries. Fractals help us think about how the changes we want to see in the world must also take place in our homes, with our families, loved ones and comrades. For more information visit: https://fractalfoundation.org/fractivities/WhatIsaFractal-1pager.pdf
Emergent Strategy Ideation Institute holds several training sessions a year. These training are places of learning and practice. They are also public trainings for facilitation and mediation. We believe these are 2 of the most important skills we will need for movement to thrive. We encourage flocks (multiple people) from single organizations to attend if they are able. If you would like something more tailored to your formation, our list of services can be found here.