The Politics of Social Ecology: A 'study and discussion' group. All welcome!

Discussion in 'The big picture' started by ecodharmamark, Mar 2, 2013.

  1. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Yes, we have to be ready for any and all eventual outcomes. As my mentor says: "Good planning occurs when chance meets with solid preparation".

    And what might any one of these outcomes look like? For a quick preview, I don't think one can go past Holmgren's (2008) Future Scenarios.
     
  2. Unmutual

    Unmutual Junior Member

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    Instead of even getting involved with 'politics', why not just ignore the government? I've seen good elected officials start off strong, and then they just become corrupted(assuming they weren't just good actors from the beginning that is). Of course, I have no idea what specifically corrupts them, but it seems to happen all the time.

    Anyway, why even involve the government? Hypothetically speaking of a neighborhood of maybe 2000 people(it just so happens that's the size of mine), and let's say that there is a walking track/token playground with mostly grass. And let's assume that people actually wanted fresh fruit. Why not just get together, walk on to the park grounds and start planting fruit trees? I'm sure there are some laws against doing that(destruction of government property comes to mind), but if(or when, should I say) the media get a whiff of the story, it'll be game over. If the media put the story out before the government can act, then the government will be hamstrung(and we all know the gov't isn't usually quick to act on anything). Knowing my local government, we'd probably be able to get our 2nd harvest off the trees before anyone even questioned it.

    But let's say we do it a different way, hypothetically again. Let's say the neighborhood sends a representative or two to the parks and recreation office and asked permission to do it. The first thing that will pop in to the official's head is litigation. What will happen if someone gets sick from eating the fruit! A knee-jerk reaction would probably be to say no. If they went in with an information package explaining the risks of illness, along with a plan to not use fertilizers or insecticides, then the official might receive it better.

    Would this not also be a slower path to LM?
     
  3. annette

    annette Junior Member

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    Yes I really like this. Appeals to the rebel/radical in me. Can't see them dragging anyone off for growing an apple. Press would have a field day.
     
  4. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Thanks Unmutual, a good example (guerrilla gardening), and one that pops up from time-to-time in our part of the world.

    In essence, LM seeks to not only 'ignore' our current (representative democracy) system of governance, but to actively encourage its dissolution. And in order to do that, it needs to offer an attractive (read: feasible, in every sense of the word), alternative form of social organisation. Direct democracy is that alternative. However, during the transition period - from representative to direct - a wise community will endeavour to walk a fine line between the two systems. In doing so, they will develop a plan for a community garden that is so well designed, based on very solid evidence of its potential to provide a net community gain, that the local 'officials' will have no choice but to endorse is development, regardless of whether one's community seeks permission before turning the first sod, or retrospectively and perhaps only after the media has become involved.

    One word of warning though, 'the media' can be your best friend or your worst enemy. This is why for so long in the tradition of communalist movement, the mainstream media has been shunned, and in its place the group produces its own media ergo messages out to the local and broader community.

    In sum: A group sees an opportunity to develop a community garden/food forest. The group does their homework - i.e. they first determine where there will be the most resistance and/or the greatest support for their idea, and they then tailor their plan/design to respond to all foreseeable hurdles/help. If the group thinks that the local authorities are going to be unbendingly negative from the get go, and yet the group still believes according to their meticulous research that their plan/design will win the popular support of the local people, then they may decide to go ahead and implement their plan outside of the official channels and seek endorsement (from the 'masses', not the 'government') retrospectively. However, if the plan falls over for any reason, the group may lose the popular support of the wider community in any future endeavours that they may undertake. 'Proceed with caution' is the catchphrase here.

    Or, in other words, Principle 9: Use Slow and Small Solutions - The bigger they are, the harder they fall; Slow and steady wins the race
     
  5. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Unless that apple inadvertently injured someone - i.e. passing pedestrian slips on windfall, is but one example that is often trotted out - then not only would the press have a field day at our expense, so would the lawyers.

    Of course, this is not to say that we should fear taking back control of our local neighbourhoods. Quite the contrary, it just means that we should be mindful of all the potential pitfalls, and subsequently incorporate into our plans/designs a system whereby we attempt to lessen any of the associated risks. In the case of our community garden example, this might mean that the group develops a roster so that come peak harvest time, any potential slipping 'hazard' in the form of windfall is collected before it has the chance to cause harm ... and attract negative press/litigation.

    Ultimately, we must not only do the right thing, we must be seen to be doing the right thing. This means that we must document every action (and preceding thought) implemented on our journey, so that when we are called to account (by 'the masses' and 'the government'), we will have a solid evidence base to justify our actions and support our overall position in our fight to win over the people and become a global network of liberated municipalities.
     
  6. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    As they say - it is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission!

    But as Marko rightly points out there is a permaculture principle behind this one too - Apply self regulation and accept feedback.
     
  7. Pakanohida

    Pakanohida Junior Member

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    This is the one that my wife has a hard time with. She realizes, understands, etc., but $$$ is a major factor for us since we have little to none. She does see us saving more and more money each year, so that helps during those discussions of which stores to go to, or products to buy.
     
  8. annette

    annette Junior Member

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    You.re right Mark. I just get so frustrated with red tape and bureacracy about these things. Seems you could do it years ago but not now. We have a suburb here called Mango Hill, named after all the mango trees planted along the footpath and medium strip along Anzac Avenue. They were going to chop them down years ago when a new suburb was going up, North Lakes, but the locals kicked up a stink and they left them there. I don't believe anyone has ever complained. Who would? We get loads of free mangoes every season. Just gotta watch the cars.
     
  9. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Cars are much more dangerous than mangoes. We should ban the cars not the trees! Even the maggotty mangoes are marvellous. My mum brings them to me from the unloved street side tree near her place and my chooks go nuts ripping them apart to get to the maggots.
     
  10. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Perhaps it is now time for me to look at the bigger picture that is social ecology rather than just LM. Any book recommendations Markos?
     
  11. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    A special recommendation just for you, Madame Eco:

    First read this, then get yourself a copy of this.

    Happy reading, Markos
     
  12. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    I just searched the Uni Library for 'social ecology' and I'm rather surprised that it has come up with 39,000+ results! This could take a while.... In amongst the first few are some ebooks - The Social Ecology of Resilience 1963 by Ungar, and Sustainable Policy Applications for Social Ecology and Development 2012 Carrayanis (that one looks a bit too narrow for me). They have the original 1921 Philosophy of Social Ecology by Bookchin as well!

    They don't have the one you recommended though :( I'll put it in the list of things to buy when I get paid next.

    Is the Ungar book worth a look in the mean time? (ISBN 9781461405856)

    I've downloaded the PDF and it's in my 'to read on the train' collection.
     
  13. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Indeed, the 'social ecology' concept is extremely broad. The School of SE at UC Irvine, defines SE as: '...the interactions within the social, institutional, and cultural contexts of people-environment relations that make up well-being'.

    Whereas, Stuart Hill (co-contributor/editor to/of the book I previously link to, also Founding Chair of the SE Program at UWS) describes SE as a form of '...reflective thinking, progressive change and creative approaches to issues through an understanding that everything we do, individually and collectively, impacts on ourselves, our community and our environment'.

    So it is no wonder that when one searches on the term 'social ecology', one is hit with all manner of responses. Not that this matters a great deal, as all are of some interest at some point along the continuum. However, the book that I chose for you was based on three important factors: 1) It's contributors have all (generally) come from the SE Program at UWS, and as such have all mostly benefitted from the tutelage of Hill, who himself while not strictly staying within the school of SE as taught by MB, at least has a firm understanding of the concept from that perspective; 2) by extension it mostly relates to Australia within the global context; and 3) it involves an emphasis on 'the spiritual', and while this is not particular to the UWS Program (for others have adopted this approach, too), it certainly veers away from the core teachings of Bookchin who tended to deemphasise the importance of 'the spiritual' within the broader SE movement. All-in-all, I thought it would appeal to you greatly.

    Concerning Ungar (birthdate 1963, the book was published 2011/12): I have not read it myself. However, it appears to be a very dense tome focussing on the topic of human resilience, and how this might be viewed through a (poorly-defined?) SE lens. Probably not something that I'd pick up in order to read from cover-to-cover, although I'm sure there'd be some value in perusing it.

    Concerning Bookchin (1921-2006) and his (1990) Philosophy of Social Ecology: Essays on dialectical naturalism, I have read this one. And if you think LM as delivered by MB is hard to get your head around, you'll probably find dialectical naturalism (DN) near impossible!

    Much better, more accessable I believe, and a great intro to MB's particular school of SE, are my favourites: Bookchin (1980) Toward an Ecological Society and (1982) The Ecology of Freedom: The emergence and dissolution of hierarchy.

    Good luck with it all, M.
     
  14. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Will definitely put money towards the book then. In the meantime, back to the library catalogue...
     
  15. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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  16. Eugene von Guerard

    Eugene von Guerard Junior Member

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    Groaning under the weight here, but felt compelled to comment.

    Thankyou all.

    I have an extraordinarily long way to go with all this....utterly new to me, but I have entered the building, ordered the book, struggling under the load, trying to catch my breath at the bottom of the stairs , panting madly and hoping I haven't stumbled into a darkened room scattered with papers.

    ...triffic stuff though!

    :)
     
  17. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Welcome Eugene, we have one of your pictures hanging in our gallery.

    Don't mind the cobwebs in here. It may have been 4-months since our last visit (busy time of the year in the garden for those who live in the southern hemisphere), however this topic is timeless, and as such is not going to fade away anytime soon.

    Please feel free to add your comments/questions/critique at anytime.

    Regards, M.
     
  18. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Never did get around to ordering the book as I got side swiped by epistemology and phenomenology… Need to claw back some spare time so I can get back to social ecology….
     
  19. Eugene von Guerard

    Eugene von Guerard Junior Member

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    Thankyou Markos. Good to see a light still burning.

    I chose my moniker because I'm a bit of fan of old Eugene. Not my favourite artist, but I've always had a soft spot for the German Romantics. He also showed us the most sublime versions of our landscape as cultural artefact. This is a topic dear to my heart and I could bang on at length about it, but probably not here.

    I will pop back soon. Got a bunch of books to get through first. Thanks again for the topic....could be a game changer for this little black duck.

    :)
     

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