Peacework

An effective blog can grab us, involve us, inform us, move us, motivate us, transform us, and mobilize us. What might help us write such blogs? In this workshop, we will discuss blogs which we find particularly effective, and discuss how we can create blogs to promote nonviolent social change. How can we foster constructive dialogue within our blogs about the many dilemmas we face as progressive advocates? Workshop participants will engage in role plays and participatory exercises in small groups. All participants in the workshop will be invited to engage in quick "on the spot" writing exercises, and to honestly and gently provide constructive feedback on one another’s work. The workshop facilitator is Sam Diener. Sam is co-founder of the new Peacework blog, and was co-editor of Peacework magazine. He was also the editor of The Objector, published by the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors. Sam was also co-founder of DC Men Against Rape and the GI Rights Hotline, has long been active with efforts to counter military recruitment, and is on the National Committee of the War Resisters League.

In this participatory workshop, we will discuss visions of participatory, inclusive, and nonviolent future societies. If people don’t believe there is a better way of fundamentally restructuring society, it depresses movements for social change. How are radical philosophies stereotyped and distorted? I will share some possible alternative definitions to try to reclaim them both from dominant frames and from some of their repressive proponents. We will then break up into small groups, with each group brainstorming ideas for restructuring an aspect of society from each perspective. One small group will envision a better educational system, for example. What would an anarchist educational system look like? What would a feminist educational system look like? Etc.
 Finally, we’ll report back on some of our most creative/thought provoking ideas to the large group.
The purpose of the workshop is to look at each of the political philosophies listed above, not as rigid dogmas in competition with each other, but as flexibly complementary sources of inspiration and struggle. Sam Diener is co-founder of the new Peacework blog, which works to chronicle current struggles for nonviolent social change, build on the past, and envision better futures.

An effective blog can grab us, involve us, inform us, move us, motivate us, transform us, and mobilize us. What might help us write such blogs? In this workshop, we will discuss blogs which we find particularly effective, and discuss how we can create blogs to promote nonviolent social change. How can we foster constructive dialogue within our blogs about the many dilemmas we face as progressive advocates? Workshop participants will engage in role plays and participatory exercises in small groups. All participants in the workshop will be invited to engage in quick "on the spot" writing exercises, and to honestly and gently provide constructive feedback on one another’s work. The workshop facilitator is Sam Diener. Sam is co-founder of the new Peacework blog, and was co-editor of Peacework magazine. He was also the editor of The Objector, published by the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors. Sam was also co-founder of DC Men Against Rape and the GI Rights Hotline, has long been active with efforts to counter military recruitment, and is on the National Committee of the War Resisters League.

In this participatory workshop, we will discuss visions of participatory, inclusive, and nonviolent future societies. If people don’t believe there is a better way of fundamentally restructuring society, it depresses movements for social change. How are radical philosophies stereotyped and distorted? I will share some possible alternative definitions to try to reclaim them both from dominant frames and from some of their repressive proponents. We will then break up into small groups, with each group brainstorming ideas for restructuring an aspect of society from each perspective. One small group will envision a better educational system, for example. What would an anarchist educational system look like? What would a feminist educational system look like? Etc.
 Finally, we’ll report back on some of our most creative/thought provoking ideas to the large group.
The purpose of the workshop is to look at each of the political philosophies listed above, not as rigid dogmas in competition with each other, but as flexibly complementary sources of inspiration and struggle. Sam Diener is co-founder of the new Peacework blog, which works to chronicle current struggles for nonviolent social change, build on the past, and envision better futures.