07:53:42 From Jean Hartmann : Hello ... everyone :) 07:58:30 From Thomas Macintyre : Hello everybody! 07:58:38 From Thomas Macintyre : brilliant Steve! 08:04:13 From Dana Carman to hilary bradbury : Good start. You rock! 08:07:18 From Tim Greenwood : Feeling empowered and being empowering with our stakeholders 08:09:45 From Thomas Macintyre : https://www.transformationsforum.net/ 08:12:58 From hilary bradbury : Million leading Alliance for food sovereignty in Africa 08:14:02 From hilary bradbury : transformation in nature—natural capital/social capital 08:14:09 From Steve Waddell : transformational narratives for Africa 08:14:25 From Steve Waddell : lots of initiatives 08:14:30 From hilary bradbury : International NGO etc come to transform Africa 08:15:23 From Tim Greenwood : transformation — types of change (learning stages/cycles) 08:15:50 From hilary bradbury : we’ll send the slide out with the recording 08:17:41 From hilary bradbury : Incremental, reform, transformation - in the transformation its unknown. We are involved - our ways of thinking and doing 08:19:09 From hilary bradbury : reform is “better sameness” -bitter sameness? 08:20:28 From Dana Carman : I think reform can build momentum for transformation 08:21:01 From hilary bradbury : Philantro-capitalists! great term 08:22:37 From hilary bradbury : how do we take the power back to the stakeholders 08:23:49 From hilary bradbury : nice words - partnership for inclusive transformation used…but it really means agriculture has to become about chemicals and business focused - is this sustainable and for whom? 08:24:25 From hilary bradbury : knowledge intervention has an agenda…but the farmers are not involved in making the agenda 08:25:02 From hilary bradbury : Farmers not included in the learning…its all geared to production of profit...short term thinking 08:25:54 From hilary bradbury : Lets ask then Transformation for what?! What kind of Action Research is appropriate at the community level - life itself is defined out of these interventions (thinking of the book Bio piracy) 08:26:08 From Jean Hartmann : When appropriate ... could you speak to 'transgression' as it relates to the transformative work ... is it a hidden dynamic? 08:26:15 From AtexDnbs4EPhdClptv+VhoPRpU9qxHXDRreHIRakAuU= : Yes, it seems like more power and hence transformation would come from the intimate stakeholders who also carry the wisdom of the system. Not that that “wisdom”/knowledge can not restrict new ways of thinking, but the stakeholders also have the most “emotional” heart involved 08:26:45 From hilary bradbury : Million's work is to address power -- 11 countries, dialogues include local governments 08:27:14 From hilary bradbury : Q: how do we give power to the people? it's an oldie but goldie question! 08:28:03 From hilary bradbury : Power is multi scalar - multi dimensional (not always power over, sometimes power with…but “with” is rare, needs some practice 08:28:04 From Thomas Macintyre : The T-Learning team has co-defined T-Learning as a regenerative, conflictive and hopeful process which involves diversity and drives changes in stubborn cultural practices and identities for sustainability, and triggers change for sustainability in times of (dis)comfort at different levels, scales and in spaces 08:28:29 From hilary bradbury : help people know their own power 08:28:54 From hilary bradbury : collect data together and chart future together 08:29:19 From hilary bradbury : Its not a magic bullet - (yet!) 08:30:30 From hilary bradbury : Tensions? Yes! Research is not so neutral 08:30:38 From AtexDnbs4EPhdClptv+VhoPRpU9qxHXDRreHIRakAuU= : Help people realize and cultivate the connections/power that are there already in community and relationship. 08:31:31 From Paul Kolenick : Reminded very much of the work internationally of the United Nations University’s Regional Centres of Expertise for Sustainability Education: http://www.rcenetwork.org/portal/rces-worldwide 08:31:42 From hilary bradbury : Basing advocacy on strong research helps…also strengthening the community 08:33:09 From hilary bradbury : community associations start a seed bank to address the problem—inc. community celebration 08:33:51 From AtexDnbs4EPhdClptv+VhoPRpU9qxHXDRreHIRakAuU= : Mapping is a sort of awareness practice to people, communities, research if you will, to see what is really there and what is possible. 08:34:00 From hilary bradbury : lending seeds - different from Montsanto seeds you have to buy…thinking of Wangari Maathai’s work 08:34:46 From Catherine Etmanski : Just a heads up that I will need to leave around 8:45/8:50 -- just in case I don't make it back to this large group, thanks very much and see you next time! Breakouts Q 08:34:57 From Steve Waddell : Question: Are you working on what feels like authentic transformation in your action-oriented research? Where are you getting stuck and/or feeling supported? 08:34:59 From Fiammetta : I’m not in a space where I can speak, sorry! 08:35:12 From Fiammetta : I can type 08:35:38 From Steve Waddell : Thanks for letting us know, Fiammetta/ 08:36:00 From Catherine Etmanski : Thanks, Steve, Hilary, and Million -- see you next time! 08:36:01 From Dana Carman : Thank you everyone. I will not be on the rest of the call. 08:36:22 From Niels Agger-Gupta : Thanks Million, Steve, and Hilary! What resonates from the small group conversations? 08:58:59 From Thomas Macintyre : so many different stories! 09:00:08 From Susi Moser : What stuck with me is the tension between those who want to deeply change and those who refuse/resist to deeply change, particularly when that refusal actually can harm the collective (like in climate change action) 09:00:11 From Steve Waddell : transformation for whom…inevitably involves transformation of status quo powers who usually understandably oppose or drag their feet 09:00:36 From millionbelay : Transformation is messy, transformation is challenging and can sometimes be burdensome. 09:00:38 From hilary bradbury : this way of interaction - meeting strangers in an electronic room - is itself a new thing for us, not to be ignored its impact - that we can meet across timezones, wow! AND its not soo comfortable…implications for sharing power? 09:00:47 From AtexDnbs4EPhdClptv+VhoPRpU9qxHXDRreHIRakAuU= : What G. brought up that seems so important was the transformation within “me” in any work/situation to be my true self as much as possible which encourages other to share with the heart, with vulnerability. this is necessary on all levels 09:00:56 From Niels Agger-Gupta : Creating a productive AR process involves deep and authentic listening by everyone, and being aware of non-linearity and messiness of process… 09:01:02 From Paul Kolenick : Differences between change and transformation? Relationship between personal, community, and societal transformation? In community change and transformation, who is expert? 09:01:04 From Fiammetta : Not just transformation outside of ourselves but inward transformation - being and acting the system we want to create together. creating new meanings, language and structures (eg reward structures) 09:01:11 From Alain Gauthier : the heart of transformation for me is the conjunction of inner, inter and outer work, and the deep collaboration it requires 09:01:13 From Thomas Macintyre : but it is important to remember that we all, in some way or another, enforce the status quo 09:01:32 From Jean Hartmann : I learned in conversation w/ Alain: transformation work starts w/ inner work, flowing into inter-relationship, and connecting to outer change. 09:01:33 From Christina : process may be as important as outcome 09:01:33 From Tim Greenwood : How do we work with stakeholders in a way that honours their depth of experience (which might include re-entering ‘conditions of abuse’ aka power relations that silence for example) whilst staying safe. How to help create space for healing structures that are stuck whilst caring and providing nurture. How to release power from within, knowing that we cannot force transformation? Respecting a desire fro growth and depth with a need for mutual understanding? 09:01:34 From judymcbride : The valuing of conversation across contexts and the opening of unanticipated possibilities, a reenergizing. 09:01:43 From Tere : I (Fede) need to think on wha is authentic transformation an how to reach it? This was a very 'provocative' question. 09:02:38 From Root Change : Many different examples and contexts in our conversation, from international development to environmental issues to mental health/personal transformations. We talked a lot about the difficulty in both knowing when a transformation has happened, in measuring transformation, and in keeping a transformation alive - all things that would contribute to the “authenticity” 09:02:51 From Paul Kolenick : Differences between transformation and change; personal, community and societal transformation? Who is expert? 09:02:56 From Niels Agger-Gupta : Could we benefit from a Google Doc where we could collectively take notes? 09:03:13 From Joanna Sawkins : My mind focused more on the limits of starting with the transformational. Although I advocate for transformational change, practically I work on projects that are more incrementally innovative. Ie. small changes that are not too alienating for the communities I work with. 09:03:14 From gioelgioacchino : I am feeling exhilarated (yes, I think this is the word) about the amount of opportunities and tools that are available to discover myself. When I do become more of my self, and I do it with others, I feel I am engaged in deep transformation. And that I am alive. 09:03:50 From Tere : For me authentic transformation is coming from inside the people, who is deciding to transform to their individual and collective life. People is powerful, but sometimes needs companion to open heart and mind to leave to flow their power. 09:06:37 From hilary bradbury : inter and outer transformation companions - yay! 09:06:53 From hilary bradbury : everything has an impact - wow 09:07:35 From hilary bradbury : safety required for real explorations 09:08:03 From Tim Greenwood : is there a certain safety that is needed (inner to out) … interesting to think about how we create spaces of safety for people we want to bring along 09:09:08 From Tim Greenwood : Eros/power — how to wage them? #methree 09:10:27 From Susi Moser : Thank you all. Have to leave. -- Susi 09:12:09 From Jean Hartmann : Thank you ... Million .. for your sharing!!! 09:12:20 From AtexDnbs4EPhdClptv+VhoPRpU9qxHXDRreHIRakAuU= : Thank you everyone. Very empowering. Peace and Love Larry 09:12:50 From judymcbride : Thanks all!