-
-
This visualization maps organizations based on their approach to social change. There are three broad categories of approach: inner,
- cultural and systems oriented. Read more about the visualization.
-
-
Overview of the Ecosystem
-
-
We sense that a new ecosystem, or ecosystem of ecosystems, is emerging. A growing number of people, organizations and initiatives are
- taking alternative approaches to social change, which diverge from and go beyond the more established spaces in civil society and the
- social economy.
-
-
The ecosystem we explore is still emerging and ill-defined. Reflecting this, there has been no clear name for it and we have settled
- for now on the label "Metamodernist".
-
-
As mapped it is quite broad – even disparate. Nevertheless, there are commonalities.
-
-
Most importantly, this ecosystem has a novel approach to social change. Specifically, an
- approach that is simultaneously paradigmatic, integrated, and engaged.
-
-
Secondly, there are a variety of commonalities in outlook and approach. The most noteworthy identified so far we have termed:
- post-individualism, (w)holism and culture-making (in the form of new norms and narratives).
-
-
There is also a focus on complexity, systems and emergence, on developmental models, spirituality and practice, and on sensemaking,
- different forms of knowledge and global-local activism. Other commonalities include an interest in decentralized governance, new narratives,
- alternative social imaginaries and regenerative culture.
-
-
Nonetheless, the boundaries, relationships and patterns of influences in the ecosystem remain blurry, with our present awareness
- feeling like it only touches the tip of the iceberg. Questions that remain unclear include who exactly comprises the ecosystem, how
- activities and visions relate to one another, where the coherences and tensions lie and how it might evolve.
-
-
What is Novel in the Approach to Social Change?
-
-
The defining feature of this ecosystem is its novel approach to social change. Specifically,
- the combination of being paradigmatic, integrated, and engaged. We emphasize that it is the combination of all three that is important
- and distinctive.
-
-
Paradigmatic
-
-
There is the belief that the change required is paradigmatic. That is to say, it seeks a transition of the entire social
- paradigm at both a systems and "ontological" (worldview and narratives) level. This contrasts with approaches that either simply seek reform
- e.g. making market liberalism better, or transformation that is deep but only in a given area e.g. transforming our structures of economic
- production and ownership but leaving base assumptions about who we are and how we relate to the natural world untouched.
-
-
Integrated
-
-
It identifies the need to incorporate methods and routes to change spanning a variety of fields and "locations" (e.g. personal, cultural,
- institutional etc). One central and basic example common to most (though not all) actors is the belief that inner and outer transformation
- have to go hand in hand. In Integral terms it is "all-quadrant" and in particular, prioritises the neglected "inner" quadrants.
-
-
Engaged
-
-
Participants are actively engaging with wider society for the purposes of social transformation. This sets it apart from groups which may
- be doing large amount of inner work but without connecting this directly and explicitly to broader social change, for example certain parts
- of the spiritual, developmental and psychedelic communities.
-
-
What are Some of its Core Characteristics?
-
-
Beyond the three pillars listed above, we also identify three high-level commonalities in outlook and approach: post-individualism, (w)holism
- and counterculturalism.
-
-
Post-individualism
-
-
Post-individualism takes two forms. First, a focus on groups rather than just individuals as a primary unit of analysis, and the idea that we
- must shift our engagement outwards from ourselves and towards a more widely beneficial orientation. Note that, unlike traditional "collectivism"
- (a term we previously used but abandoned due to its connotations), this does not entail abandonment of individualism, but the inclusion of its
- positive aspects back into group-centric concepts. The second form of post-individualism shows up as a broad commitment across the ecosystem to
- actually operating in networked and communal ways.
-
-
Wholism
-
-
What we have termed (w)holism (we use the 'w' to signify consideration of wholes, as well as operating holistically) refers to the views taken
- of social phenomena, social change and simply the world at large. There is a widely shared understanding of the world as a gestalt object, be this
- under the banner of interbeing used by Buddhist and more spiritual actors, the complex systems terminology used by groups such as the International
- Bateson Institute or the 'holon' and integral' labels taken up by Ken Wilber and the integral movement.
-
-
As can be seen by the paradigmatic focus and integrated approaches which we have identified as delineating the ecosystem itself, this (w)holism gives
- rise to a problem diagnosis which targets a deeper whole giving rise to negative social outcomes. These fundamental ways of approaching social change
- stem from a (w)holistic perspective more broadly, a fact which is further seen in the use of terms such as the metacrisis or polycrisis.
-
-
Culture-making
-
-
Counterculturalism for us is a desire to go beyond the dominant norms and narratives. This includes the norms of the progressive movement more
- broadly -- perhaps its most surprising and interesting aspect. We also emphasize the culture in counterculturalism: for us, it is concerned with shifting
- the very foundations, worldviews and assumptions of our current order. In this sense it is a form of "culture-making".
-
-
To use the Wilberian terminology, there is a desire to move beyond the 'green' developmental stage which is currently taken to characterise Western liberal
- societies, and much of the progressive movement as a whole. This leads actors in the ecosystem to be more open to questioning or dispute social and political
- positions that may be understood as norms not just in wider society, but also those (for example understandings of inclusivity) within progressive circles themselves.
-
-
Language and Buzzwords
-
-
The language of the ecosystem draws heavily on concepts such as complexity, systems and emergence, developmental models, spirituality and practice, and on
- sensemaking, different forms of knowledge and ‘cosmo-local’ activism. Other commonalities include an interest in decentralised governance, new narratives,
- alternative social imaginaries and regenerative culture.
-
-
Activities
-
-
Emerging organizations and individuals are opting towards 'teal' style collaboration and community building in order to maximize resources as a generalist,
- lateral way of operating comes into view as a more effective way of tackling systemic problems.
-
-
We have identified four major areas of activity: physical spaces, research, media/publishing and events. Nonetheless, it has been notable that many organizations
- have shifted to multi-channel working across a number of these e.g. producing media content as well as running retreats and events.
-
-
- Visualizing the Ecosystem
-
-
-
This visualization maps organizations based on their primary topic. Click to zoom in or out. Hover over a circle to see its name.
- Read more about the visualization and the topics here
-
-
-
-
+
+
This visualization maps organizations based on their approach to social change. There are three broad categories of approach: inner,
+ cultural and systems oriented. Read more about the visualization.
+
+
Overview of the Ecosystem
+
+
We sense that a new ecosystem, or ecosystem of ecosystems, is emerging. A growing number of people, organizations and initiatives are
+ taking alternative approaches to social change, which diverge from and go beyond the more established spaces in civil society and the
+ social economy.
+
+
The ecosystem we explore is still emerging and ill-defined. Reflecting this, there has been no clear name for it and we have settled
+ for now on the label "Metamodernist".
+
+
As mapped it is quite broad – even disparate. Nevertheless, there are commonalities.
+
+
Most importantly, this ecosystem has a novel approach to social change. Specifically, an
+ approach that is simultaneously paradigmatic, integrated, and engaged.
+
+
Secondly, there are a variety of commonalities in outlook and approach. The most noteworthy identified so far we have termed:
+ post-individualism, (w)holism and culture-making (in the form of new norms and narratives).
+
+
There is also a focus on complexity, systems and emergence, on developmental models, spirituality and practice, and on sensemaking,
+ different forms of knowledge and global-local activism. Other commonalities include an interest in decentralized governance, new narratives,
+ alternative social imaginaries and regenerative culture.
+
+
Nonetheless, the boundaries, relationships and patterns of influences in the ecosystem remain blurry, with our present awareness
+ feeling like it only touches the tip of the iceberg. Questions that remain unclear include who exactly comprises the ecosystem, how
+ activities and visions relate to one another, where the coherences and tensions lie and how it might evolve.
+
+
What is Novel in the Approach to Social Change?
+
+
The defining feature of this ecosystem is its novel approach to social change. Specifically,
+ the combination of being paradigmatic, integrated, and engaged. We emphasize that it is the combination of all three that is important
+ and distinctive.
+
+
Paradigmatic
+
+
There is the belief that the change required is paradigmatic. That is to say, it seeks a transition of the entire social
+ paradigm at both a systems and "ontological" (worldview and narratives) level. This contrasts with approaches that either simply seek reform
+ e.g. making market liberalism better, or transformation that is deep but only in a given area e.g. transforming our structures of economic
+ production and ownership but leaving base assumptions about who we are and how we relate to the natural world untouched.
+
+
Integrated
+
+
It identifies the need to incorporate methods and routes to change spanning a variety of fields and "locations" (e.g. personal, cultural,
+ institutional etc). One central and basic example common to most (though not all) actors is the belief that inner and outer transformation
+ have to go hand in hand. In Integral terms it is "all-quadrant" and in particular, prioritises the neglected "inner" quadrants.
+
+
Engaged
+
+
Participants are actively engaging with wider society for the purposes of social transformation. This sets it apart from groups which may
+ be doing large amount of inner work but without connecting this directly and explicitly to broader social change, for example certain parts
+ of the spiritual, developmental and psychedelic communities.
+
+
What are Some of its Core Characteristics?
+
+
Beyond the three pillars listed above, we also identify three high-level commonalities in outlook and approach: post-individualism, (w)holism
+ and counterculturalism.
+
+
Post-individualism
+
+
Post-individualism takes two forms. First, a focus on groups rather than just individuals as a primary unit of analysis, and the idea that we
+ must shift our engagement outwards from ourselves and towards a more widely beneficial orientation. Note that, unlike traditional "collectivism"
+ (a term we previously used but abandoned due to its connotations), this does not entail abandonment of individualism, but the inclusion of its
+ positive aspects back into group-centric concepts. The second form of post-individualism shows up as a broad commitment across the ecosystem to
+ actually operating in networked and communal ways.
+
+
Wholism
+
+
What we have termed (w)holism (we use the 'w' to signify consideration of wholes, as well as operating holistically) refers to the views taken
+ of social phenomena, social change and simply the world at large. There is a widely shared understanding of the world as a gestalt object, be this
+ under the banner of interbeing used by Buddhist and more spiritual actors, the complex systems terminology used by groups such as the International
+ Bateson Institute or the 'holon' and integral' labels taken up by Ken Wilber and the integral movement.
+
+
As can be seen by the paradigmatic focus and integrated approaches which we have identified as delineating the ecosystem itself, this (w)holism gives
+ rise to a problem diagnosis which targets a deeper whole giving rise to negative social outcomes. These fundamental ways of approaching social change
+ stem from a (w)holistic perspective more broadly, a fact which is further seen in the use of terms such as the metacrisis or polycrisis.
+
+
Culture-making
+
+
Counterculturalism for us is a desire to go beyond the dominant norms and narratives. This includes the norms of the progressive movement more
+ broadly -- perhaps its most surprising and interesting aspect. We also emphasize the culture in counterculturalism: for us, it is concerned with shifting
+ the very foundations, worldviews and assumptions of our current order. In this sense it is a form of "culture-making".
+
+
To use the Wilberian terminology, there is a desire to move beyond the 'green' developmental stage which is currently taken to characterise Western liberal
+ societies, and much of the progressive movement as a whole. This leads actors in the ecosystem to be more open to questioning or dispute social and political
+ positions that may be understood as norms not just in wider society, but also those (for example understandings of inclusivity) within progressive circles themselves.
+
+
Language and Buzzwords
+
+
The language of the ecosystem draws heavily on concepts such as complexity, systems and emergence, developmental models, spirituality and practice, and on
+ sensemaking, different forms of knowledge and ‘cosmo-local’ activism. Other commonalities include an interest in decentralised governance, new narratives,
+ alternative social imaginaries and regenerative culture.
+
+
Activities
+
+
Emerging organizations and individuals are opting towards 'teal' style collaboration and community building in order to maximize resources as a generalist,
+ lateral way of operating comes into view as a more effective way of tackling systemic problems.
+
+
We have identified four major areas of activity: physical spaces, research, media/publishing and events. Nonetheless, it has been notable that many organizations
+ have shifted to multi-channel working across a number of these e.g. producing media content as well as running retreats and events.
+
+
+ Visualizing the Ecosystem
+
+
+
This visualization maps organizations based on their primary topic. Click to zoom in or out. Hover over a circle to see its name.
+ Read more about the visualization and the topics here
+
+
+
+
- 
- 
- 
-
- 
-