Democracy Narratives and Sacred Values
may 5, 2021
Narrative engagement has become an essential competency for all social change leaders. What is the essence of the stories that underpin how we and others are making sense of the issues we care about? And how can we communicate more effectively about our values, and incorporate others’ values to galvanize collective action for change? While democracy is alarmingly under threat around the world and in the U.S., many activists are urgently re-thinking the narrative strategies we should be deploying to build broader constituencies and powerful, winning movements for inclusive and pluralistic democratic societies. This webinar discussed both the theory and practice that can help us re-think these democracy narratives, and how we might draw upon sacred values (our own and others) to identify and align around effective democracy narratives.
The Horizons Project, together with Over Zero, Beyond Conflict, and the Hudson Institute shared recent research, practice, and insights to help lead this discussion
Speakers:
Julia Roig (Moderator), President, PartnersGlobal; Chair of the Board, Alliance for Peacebuilding
Michelle Barsa, Program Director, Democracy & Social Identity, Beyond Conflict
Nichole Argo, PhD, Director of Research and Field Advancement, Over Zero
Tod Lindberg, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
Resources:
Definitions
Opportunity Agenda definition of narratives
For more on the definition of “Narratives”
Organization’s Resources
Beyond Conflict report: America’s Divided Mind
Over Zero and New America 2019 report: Building U.S. Resilience to Political Violence: A (Globally-Informed) Framework for Analysis and Action
Over Zero report: Counteracting Dangerous Narratives in the Time of COVID-19
Additional articles and reports
The Chastened Power: How a Post-Trump America Can Support Democracy Abroad - Tom Carothers and Frances Z Brown
The Science of Polarization and Insights for Bridge-building