Next System Convergence

Forward: Sept. 4-5

The second Next System Convergence is a chance to gather online as we move forward together toward the November Teach-Ins. We provide a Forum on Thursday, September 4th and an Organizing Conference on Friday, September 5th.

Register now so that you receive the information you will need in order to participate.

The Forum on the Next System on September 4th

On Thursday, September 4th we welcome you to two dozen workshops, panels, and talks sharing lessons from the frontlines of building and defending alternative social, political, legal, digital, economic, and ecological systems.

Click Here to Register

All times are listed in UTC (Universal Coordinated Time) as well as EDT (Eastern Daylight Time in the USA). To convert from UTC to your time zone, use this tool: https://dateful.com/convert/utc

What is the Next System? Welcome to the Next System Convergence

This short session with Ben Manski provides an introduction to next system thinking, action, and scholarship, as well as a guide to how you can make the most of this convergence. Presented by the Next System Teach-Ins Taskforce.

Next Systems: Credit, Finance, Banking

Join Sehjo Singh, Bablu Ganguly, Thomas Franco, Melanie Bush, and Halwest Karim to learn about an alternative Self Reliant Model lead by women without foreign funding and without dependence on state funding has emerged in Kanyakumari Dist of Tamilnadu as a women’s movement for economic, social, community development called MALAR (Mahalir Association for Literacy Awareness and Rights) which also focuses on women’s right and development. With 30 years of history and going strong, this is a replicable model to learn from. Presented by the Global Tapestry of Alternatives and Solidarity Economy Thematic Group.

Decolonizing Cooperative (noun) History

In this panel hosted by Matthew Epperson, join and discuss the broader effort to de-center the Eurowestern paradigm, specifically as it relates to the teaching of cooperative (noun) history. Presented by the Georgia Cooperative Development Center.

Building State and Regional SE Networks: A toolkit

Join Matthew Slaats, Kali Luna, and Terry Gibson, and learn how to create a state wide solidarity economy network. Using the case studies of Massachusetts, Virginia, and California – discuss the differing ways these groups have developed, core questions they had to answer, and then the specific systems they have developed to sustain these networks. Presented by Virginia Solidarity Economy Network.

Build & Fight: A Strategy to Meet the Moment

  • 14:00-14:50 UTC (10:00am-10:50am EDT), Sept. 4
    This session has, sadly, been cancelled. Please attend another another session!

 

Remodeling the Residential Construction Industry: Sustainability, Community, and Good Jobs

In this session, Matthew Andrews will outline the opportunities and intersections between housing justice, climate sustainability goals, and building cooperative work relationships. As well as providing practical advice about how to get into the industry and start your own business. Presented by Resilient Building Cooperative.

Direct Democracy in the University Classroom: Sharing Strategies

Ana Inés Heras shares a pedagogical framework based on a combination of Argentinean social psychology, Argentinean collaborative pedagogies and European and African descent intellectuals, who have challenged colonialism in educational and health practices. She will explain how these different strategies become part of a university culture that is different than the one usually at play. Presented by LICH EH UNSAM and CONICET Argentina. 

Revolutionary Constitutionalism 1: Constituting Utopia, Instituting Revolution

This is the first of two panels taking place at this year’s Critical Law Conference. This will be a hybrid session, meaning that it will be both in person and online. Papers presented include: “Anarchy vs. Sovereignty in the Classical Anarchist Tradition,”by Alex Prichard and Ruth Kinna; “Ernst Bloch, Utopia, and Gerrard Winstanley,” by David Thomas; “Prefigurative Constitutionality: Organisational Means and Constitutional Ends,” by Simon Thorpe; and “Revolution as Institution: Legal Theory, Conflict, and Normative Project,” by Pier Giuseppe Puggioni. Presented by the International Research Collaborative on Constitutional Revolutions and Revolutionary Constitutionalism and the Critical Legal Conference. 

Proven Ways to Fund Large-Scale Systems Transformation

Frequently, progressive movements and political leaders that promote systems transformation are confronted with the objection, “How will you pay for it?” The typical leftist response is that transformative solutions can be paid for through taxation or government borrowing. Those can be powerful tools, but are often insufficient to meet the scale of funding needed to address today’s urgent challenges. Sam Hummel asks, what if there is an additional funding mechanism that has even greater potential? Presented by the Money Justice Collaborative.

Community Wealth, University Action, and Municipal Power

Join Neil McInroy, Ben Manski, Grace Chai, and Joe Guinan in this strategic conversation about the limits and possibilities of community wealth building (CWB) strategies. Beyond treating universities and municipalities as “anchors” of community wealth, what will it take to implement a “uni-muni-community” strategy to accelerate political and economic democratization at the regional level? Presented by The Democracy Collaborative and Next System Studies at GMU. 

Revolutionary Constitutionalism 2: State, Revolution and Constituted Power

This is the second of two panels taking place at this year’s Critical Legal Conference. This will be a hybrid session, meaning that it will be both in person and online. Papers presented include: “Between reform and grassroots revolution: the constitutive paradoxes of liberal constitutionalism in the constituent experience of Benedita da Silva and Ailton Krenak,” by Marcus V. A. B. De Matos; “‘We are building a communal state from below!’ Exploring constitutions designed to stimulate revolution, through a study of the Bolivarian process,” by Carys Hughes; and “Constitutionalism and Dual Power in Authoritarian Brazil: Juvenile Law, Reactionary Ideology, and the Governance of the Minor (1964–1985),” by Alexander de Castro. Presented by the International Research Collaborative on Constitutional Revolutions and Revolutionary Constitutionalism and the Critical Legal Conference.

Teach-Ins, Ubuntu and Popular Pedagogies: An Intercultural Dialogue Between Ways of Knowing and Building the Next Systems

In this open session, hosted by Deissy Perilla and Lizah Makombore, explore intersections and resonances between the Teach-ins and other cultural categories or educational practices developed in South America and Africa, like Educacion popular or Indaba that are aligned with the idea of Teach-ins. This conversation about cultural context is crucial for advancing the goal of building the Next Systems from a local and community-building perspective outside the Global North. The cultural translation will enrich the conversation about popular empowerment from non-academic, non-Global North-centred discourses and spaces. Presented by Leadership for the Ecozoic at the University of Vermont. 

Simple Tools for Community Autonomy – Group Buying, Resilient Energy, Digital Security and Participatory Mapping

In this interactive skillshare–hosted by Sam Butler, Jenna Jablonski, and Scott Christensen–walk through simple tools and learn how you can support autonomy in your communities, and bring in your own organizations and neighborhoods. Presented by Ready.coop

Cultivating Community Interdependence & Sovereignty: Solidarity Economy and Asset Based Community Development 

Now more than ever, we need the power of our communities, mutual care, and our own commonly held means for not just surviving but thriving together. Join Amaha Sellassie, Miki’ala Catalfano, April Doner, and Neal Gorenflo to explore two frameworks and movements who offer tools and principles to restore our wholeness and power in ways that are cooperative, life-giving and rooted in the practical wisdom of cultures across the globe. Presented by Coop Dayton, Native Roots Network, Shareable, and the ABCD Institute.

A More Democratic Constitution for the USA

Panel includes John Mulkins, Luke Pickrell, and Greg Coleridge as they discuss democratizing the U.S. constitution, with background on our history as a democracy, the undemocratic features of the constitution, what can be done to democratize our constitution, and what can participants do to further the conversation. Presented by Move To Amend

Assemblies: Comparing People’s Assemblies and Citizen Assemblies in this Moment

The session will be a panel discussion comparing the functions and practices of assemblies presently taking place in the USA. Led by Matthew Slaats, Cole Speidel, and Aaron Linas, the session will have members of Federation for Innovation in Democracy North America and representatives from the Richmond People’s Assembly.  Each will discuss efforts to develop their specific form of assembly and then consider how these might work in a relationship to support more democratic and participatory processes in cities. Presented by Virginia Solidarity Economy Network.

Coding the Future: Decidim and the Digital Constitution of the Next System

Among the world’s internet-using majority, half of our waking hours are devoted to online media. We live in a digitalized world, and the constitution of that world is written in software code. Join Dhruv Deepak, Kei Larios, and Ben Manski to learn about Decidim, the digital participation, governance, and network platform, and about how Decidim is enabling the creation of a digital commonwealth. Presented by the Digital Commonwealth Project and NOVA Web Development Cooperative.

Toward A New Paradigm of Development: The Chicagoland Industrial Retention Network

Join Pauline Lake, David Robinson, Katy Stanton, Drew Crowe, and David Levine in this interactive panel discussion and explore how building early warning networks for manufacturing companies can serve as a catalyst for systemic change, including preserving quality jobs, shifting ownership structures, and strengthening local economies. Presented by Manufacturing Renaissance, The Federation for a Manufacturing Renaissance, Progressive Democrats of America, and the Urban Manufacturing Alliance.

Building Liberated Zones: Applying the Solidarity Economy Framework

In this session David Cobb will describe the Solidarity Economy framework, clarifying questions, the PNLL consortium and their 5 point transitional program, and facilitated breakouts. Presented by People’s Network for Land & Liberation and US Solidarity Economy Network. 

Emociones Climáticas (Climate Emo(ac)tions): A Research Project in Central Mexico

En esta sesión, alojada por Alice Poma y Tommaso Gravante, compartiremos el proyecto de investigación sobre emociones climáticas que estamos llevando a cabo en la Sierra Norte de Puebla (México), y la experiencia del Té climático. Con los resultados de la primera parte de la investigación queremos producir material de divulgación para generar conciencia y promover la acción proambiental y climática, desde abajo y local. Presentado por el UNAM-Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales (This session will be live translated into English).

Chicago, DC, LA: Nonviolent Resistance and System Change

Our communities, large and small, are often the places where a more democratic, just, and sustainable next system seems closest. In the United States, they are also under attack — and in the cases of Chicago, DC, and Los Angeles, targets of military occupation. This session takes community-based nonviolent resistance, next system alternatives, and the possibilities for system change in the United States today. Join Jamila Raqib, Stephanie Brancaforte, Slobodan Milic, April Doner, Joe Guinan, Matt Nelson, and Ben Manski, presented by Next System Studies at GMU and the Albert Einstein Institution. 

The Organizing Conference on September 5th

On Friday, September 5th, we convene the Organizing Conference to learn, create, and mobilize together for this coming November’s Next System Teach-Ins.

Click Here to Register

Introduction to the Next System Teach-Ins

What is a Teach-In? What do we mean by “Next System?” What is a Next System Teach-In? What does one look like? Where is this process taking us? How can each of us contribute? This opening talk by Ben Manski, with reflections from Lesley Wood and Suren Moodliar, and from conference participants, will help clarify these important questions.

Campuses & Communities: Sharing Teach-In plans, ideas, and questions

Dozens of universities, colleges, schools, and communities are already preparing for November’s Teach-Ins. Whether you are already working on your local Teach-In or you are just beginning to think about it, this session is for you. We will hear from each other, share plans, ideas, and explore challenges in organizing this first major wave of Next System Teach-Ins. Led by Matthew Burke, Suren Moodliar, Kathryn Milun, Lesley Wood, and Kellie Wilkerson.

Rest Break

  • 16:30 UTC (12:30pm EDT), Sept. 5

How to Organize a Teach-In

In this series of sessions, we will take on three important tasks:

    1. Building Your Local Teach-In Coalition/Organizing Committee
    2. How to Organize Wall-to-Wall: Mapping, List-Building, Outreach
    3. The Teach-In Program: What can a Next System Teach-In look like?

Led by Matthew Burke, Suren Moodliar, Kathryn Milun, Lesley Wood, April Doner, Deissy Perilla, Lizah Makombore, Ben Manski, and Gabriel Gonzales.

CLOSING SESSION: Reflections

In this closing session, we will reflect with Suren Moodliar, Kathryn Milun, and Deissy Perilla on what we have learned together about next system thinking, action, and scholarship, as well as about how to organize the Next System Teach-Ins.

Adjourn at 18:30 UTC (2:30pm EDT), Sept. 5

All times are listed in UTC (Universal Coordinated Time) as well as EDT (Eastern Daylight Time in the USA). To convert from UTC to your time zone, use this tool: https://dateful.com/convert/utc