Dominant vs. Oppressed Group Dynamics Chart (06.25.01 - PDF)

WHY a Neighborhood Campaign?

BGAN's steering committee and task forces/member groups involve about two dozen people on an ongoing basis. Another four dozen join ad hoc task forces to organize major mobilizations like A16, R2K, and the Quebec protest. Afterward, though, the numbers drop back down, far below the several hundred on BGAN's database or the thousands of Boston-area people who are probably interested in the globalization movement.

More critically, our mobilizations and task forces have generally failed to build relationships with community-based activists and organizations, though Bankbusters is starting to change that through the World Bank Bond Boycott outreach. The wish and will to connect global with local are strong in BGAN, but most members lack the local history and connections that would show them where to start.

The need for a form of long-term BGAN involvement that can be self-sustaining appears critical to the ability of the network to build long-term relationships with other groups, and to the stability, continuity and growth of BGAN's campaigns. This proposal does not claim to present the definitive solution to the issues raised above, but those of us who have begun work on this campaign feel it represents a strong potential for bringing new energy and stronger connection to our community to BGAN.

GOALS:

To overcome both the above limitations by organizing a new option for BGAN members: neighborhood-based action groups. These groups would:

• Meet regularly for social purposes and political ones (political discussion, skills training...),
• Host local educational or outreach events that help neighborhood residents explore global issues,
• Ally with a dynamic community-based organization (like City Life/Vida Urbana or Somerville Haitian Coalition), support its actions and events, attend where appropriate, build relations with its members and leaders,
• Publicize and mobilize for actions and events organized by BGAN's task forces and member groups,
• Create actions of the group's choosing around the issues of globalization, motivated by the concerns and passions of the group's members,
• Be open and inclusive and provide a structure for new people to be welcomed into that does not hinder the work of the task forces but instead supports it,
• Maintain contact with BGAN through the Neighborhood Outreach Committee, and/or by group member participation in BGAN committees, campaigns and taskforces,
• Have the option to petition the Coordinating Committee and become member organizations of BGAN, and as such have a vote at quarterly BGAN coordinating committee meetings and the option for group members to serve terms on the steering committee, and
• To develop opportunities for mutual education and connection between BGAN activists and the communities we are a part of; to increase awareness of globalization and its ties to issues of local concern.

HOW Will We Do All This?

We'd organize this through house meeting campaigns this summer and fall, and maybe longer. Members of the Neighborhood Outreach Committee will contact BGAN activists and people on BGAN's list, asking them to hold a house meeting and invite potentially interested friends and neighbors.

At the meeting/party (See attached What is a House Party?) we'd give a short inspirational overview of the globalization movement (and the urgency of what it's up against), describe the work of BGAN's task forces and member groups, and ask individuals to:

• Form a local "Neighborhood Action Group." (Groups could also be formed on the basis of friendships or interests. What's important is that they work socially and build community),
• Take action, depending on what's most urgent,
• Option for guests to host their own house parties, repeating the process.

Resources, Timeline, and Progress so far:

As of the early part of September, the BGAN Neighborhood Outreach Committee Members has designed a basic, modification-friendly "House Party" agenda and tested it on two separate occasions in Cambridge and JP/Roslindale.

We are in the process of contacting potential hosts for a first wave of first house meetings planned to take place in the fall, starting with hosts and attendees already somewhat familiar with BGAN and moving to more serious outreach to hosts not previously involved with BGAN.

We originally hoped to wind up the house party phase of the campaign in the fall, and concentrate on developing those Neighborhood Action Groups that develop as a result of the campaign. However, many of these efforts have been stalled since the enormous tragedy of Sept. 11 and the departure of key activists from the small group of NOC members.

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What is a House Party?

This document is intended as a first attempt to clarify the components of a "typical" house party. It should be noted that by nature, the content of a house party would be modified in response to what is appropriate. The proposal below must remain flexible and open to input. This is a working document and feedback is encouraged.

Who will be there?

We will look at BGAN database and Task Force lists. Contact groups of people who live nearby and ask them to participate. Ask someone in the neighborhood to host a party (preferably co-hosts). Use the listserve to ask who would be interested in attending a party in their neighborhood or part of town. Once a party is planned, the host and others can invite people. People must RSVP and/or bring a food dish to encourage a bit more forethought and coordination with the host(s).

We'll call local BGAN-affiliated member groups and tell them that there will be a house party in their area and let them know that they are welcome to attend or to invite their constituents.

In an effort to get non-BGAN people there, (people involved in issues connected to globalization but who aren't involved in globalization themselves) each meeting could have 4-5 BGAN people with each inviting 1-2 non-BGAN people who live nearby or who they think should come for another reason. The host is encouraged to invite people.

Cap it somewhere between 10-20 depending on the host's wishes and other factors.

What will the house parties do?

We identified the following goals for the house party:

• Social time
• Discussion about globalization
• Discussion about how to get involved (and becoming empowered to become involved)
• Sharing of neighborhood/Boston experiences to increase community organizing and build relationships
• A chance for BGAN facilitators and attendees to engage in mutual and reciprocal education
• Linking of local experiences, as community members and/or as organizers, to globalization

Two or so people from BGAN ("House party facilitators") will facilitate the meeting while the host deals with logistics. We plan to train 5-10 trainers and have each do one house party per month minimum this summer.

The event could be advertised as follows: "Come learn about globalization, how it affects your neighborhood, and what you and your neighborhood can do about it."

There should be at least refreshments available. Dinner might take too long, but some parties might want to do the program first for 30-60 minutes and then have dinner and informal social time.

Tentative agenda:

Welcome from host. Welcome and summary of agenda from facilitators.

Icebreaker. Break into pairs and introduce yourself to your partner, including who you are as a community member and any political opinions you'd like to share. Regroup and introduce your partner to the rest of the group.

Presentation about globalization and minimally about the concept/purpose of BGAN (could include visuals, videos). Could also go in-depth for 10 minutes or less into a specific "hot" issue or issue of interest to the group.

Discussion activity. Pairs or small groups discuss how globalization affects their community on a local level, based on what they've learned in the previous segment. They discuss some of the ways they might address these problems. Then they give quick reports to the whole group. This gives the attendees a chance to teach the facilitators - and to affirm that their experience-based knowledge is powerful. There is the option of continuing this discussion as a group or to brainstorm potential actions in the large group.

"The Asks". We are asking for a commitment to radical change! Write a letter, attend an event, stay informed through websites, tell a friend about what you learned today. The big ask: form a neighborhood action group (have available a "menu" of some of what such a group could do).

Regroup and discuss. "What will you do?" (ask for a show of hands)

Socialize.

How will we follow up?

When we ask the group what they will do, we'll ask how we can help. A team of 3-6 people from BGAN (presumably composed of facilitators) will communicate and coordinate with the groups over time.

Some meetings may not yield action groups, others may. If they want to build a group, we have them schedule the next meeting right away, then ask if they want us to be there, to help facilitate, etc., or not.

When an action group, or an early version of what might evolve into an action group, does form, we will ask one or two people to be the point person for it as a contact between us and the group, and for communication within the group.

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Sample House Party Agenda

Total Time: 1 hour & 15 minutes to 2 hours, plus social time

1) PRELIMINARIES (before gathering and as people are arriving)

a) Arrive 30 min early and get comfortable with the setting, talk to the host about the attendees, etc. Do any setting up of materials or rearranging of chairs, etc.

b) Place a sign-up sheet asking for contact information near the entrance and ask people to fill it out when they arrive.

2) INTRODUCTION (5 min)

a) Host: welcomes and introduces Facilitators

b) One Facilitator:

i) Introduces themselves and other Facilitator(s),

ii) Gives brief description of BGAN -- what are we, what do we do,

iii) Briefly explains purpose of the house party, and

iv) Reviews agenda & gives estimated time for entire presentation.

3) ICEBREAKER (10-20 min)

a) Introduce the activity (1 min)

i) Say that we'll be sharing what partners say, so tell your partner if you don't want something said to the whole group.

b) Break the group into pairs.

i) Those sitting next to each other usually works, but pay attention to making sure people generally aren't with someone they already know well.

c) Instruct each pair to (6-10 min):

i) Introduce yourself, group affiliations if any, what you do, etc.

ii) Describe / talk about your community.

iii) Discuss something you love about it, something you would change.

d) Facilitators call for pairs to switch who's talking at halfway point.

e) Pairs report back to big group, introducing partners briefly (name, their community, and one factoid about them) (3-9 min).

4) LABEL EXERCISE - OPTIONAL (5-15 min)

This works best for a group otherwise not familiar with globalization.

a) In pairs, people look at the labels on each others' shirts.

b) Return to the large group. Where are people's clothes made?

c) Note any patterns, particularly clothes made in locations likely to have sweatshops.

d) Ask what people think conditions are like for workers making the clothes in some of the countries. What effects, good and bad, might the clothing trade have on their communities?

e) Tie it to the presentation: "One of the reasons we're here is to talk about what's happening in OUR communities/ how the global economy is impacting our communities".

5) WORD STORM ON THE GLOBAL ECONOMY (15-20 min)

a) Introduce activity.

b) Print "Global Economy" on newsprint pad.

c) Participants call out words they associate with "global economy".

d) Facilitator writes brainstormed words on the newsprint pad.

e) Facilitator looks for themes and areas of high energy or passion.

f) Ask for brief comments on particularly intriguing or controversial or important words.

OPTIONAL

i) Ask, "Why did you put that word there?"

ii) Keep this brief. Promise further discussion in the small groups.

g) Facilitator presents 3-4 main themes she sees in the discussion, asks if the group agrees that these are important themes.

h) These become the themes for the small groups.

6) SMALL GROUPS (20-30 min)

This is the heart of the program, where people connect local to global in their own lives.

a) Introduce activity and give instructions.

b) Break the group into small groups of 3-4.

c) Groups discuss:

i) How the theme you were assigned affects your community (ex: how does "corporate power" affect Somerville? How does "cultural homogenization" affect Dorchester?). Look for local examples of these things in action.

ii) What do you think should be done about this? What can you do about it? Is there anything you are already doing, or would like to begin doing?

d) Report-back to large group on some of the ideas shared (keep brief if time is limited).

7) BGAN'S PROPOSAL (20 min) This is where we talk about what we're doing - and ASK people to get involved!

a) One facilitator ties in some things from the small group discussion to an explanation of why we are doing the outreach campaign.

i) Need to revitalize communities.

ii) Need to localize the global struggle, connect local issues to global causes.

b) What BGAN proposes should be done, what we offer as BGAN to the potential solutions.

c) Describe the neighborhood action group concept.

d) ASK people to consider joining/forming an action group or becoming a BGAN individual member.

e) Mention further options including:

i) Current campaigns or mobilizations.

ii) Getting actively involved in local initiatives.

iii) Low-energy ways like letter-writing, etc.

f) Ask if anyone has any questions about the outreach campaign or becoming involved in the Network. Don't get into large issues discussions, just answer basic questions about what the Network does and how it works and how they can be involved.

g) Pass around post-its for writing how you will participate (no names on the post-its).

h) Place them on the rainbow newsprint and read all or some of them out loud. This is anonymous and not meant to put people on the spot.

i) Pass around the sign-up sheet with check-offs for interests.

j) Be sure to collect forms and money/checks from anyone who becomes a member!

8) CONCLUDE & EVALUATE (5 min)

a) Facilitator wraps things up:

i) This is the end of the program but the facilitators are sticking around to answer questions.

ii) Materials about BGAN, and the signup sheet and membership forms, are right here.

iii) If there is any structured socialization, such as dinner, make sure people know it's coming.

b) One last thing before we break up: Evaluations. Go around the room and ask each person to say:

i) One thing that went well.

ii) One thing that could be improved.

c) THANK the participants and the host!

9) SOCIALIZE!

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BGAN'S Short Annotated Bibliography for Globalization Issues

Corporations and Power

Corporation Nation, by Charles Derber; St. Martin's Griffin: 1998. Derber is a BC sociology professor and lives in Dedham MA.

No Logo, by Naomi Klein; Picador USA:1999. Klein is a Canadian journalist/activist. This book is vivid, it takes what we see all around us and connects the dots, a real page-turner, highly recommended.

When Corporations Rule the World, by David C. Korten; Kumarian Press: 1995. Korten is part of a "People-Centered Development" movement that advocates a change in what we call "development" and new ways of making economic progress with the global public, not multinational corporations, in the driver's seat. There's also an updated 2001 edition.

The Post-Corporate World : Life After Capitalism, by David C. Korten; Kumarian Press: 1999.

Global Institutions and Trade Agreements (IMF, WORLD BANK, WTO, NAFTA, FTAA)

Whose Trade Organization: Corporate Globalization and the Erosion of Democracy, by Lori Wallach and Michelle Sforza; Public Citizen: 1999. Short, to the point. Check out the website too!

Panic Rules: Everything You Need to Know About the Global Economy, by Robin Hahnel; South End Press: 1999.

Environment and Human Health

Stolen Harvest : The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply, by Vandana Shiva; South End Press: 2000. Shows how globalized, corporate agriculture damages farmers, the environment, and the quality of the food we eat.

Against the Grain: Biotechnology and the Corporate Takeover of Your Food, by Marc Lappe and Britt Bailey; Common Courage Press: 1998. This book is largely about exposing the dangers of biotech food, and shows how corporate interests have sold biotechnology to the world while hiding its consequences.

Economics, Politics, and Alternatives

After the Revolution?, by Robert A. Dahl; Yale University Press: 1970, 1990. Dahl is a retired Yale Political Science Prof. Short, profound book on Democracy and Authority in a just society.

Global Village or Global Pillage : Economic Reconstruction From the Bottom Up, by Jeremy Brecher and Tim Costello; South End Press: 1994.

Chaos Or Community?: Seeking Solutions, Not Scapegoats For Bad Economics, by Holly Sklar; South End Press: 1995.

Whole Life Economics: Revaluing Daily Life , by Barbara Brandt; New Society Publishers: 1995.

The Case Against the Global Economy: And for a Turn Toward the Local, by Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith (Editors); Sierra Club Books: 1997. This collection of essays is about as comprehensive an overview as you can find, with contributions from all sorts of cool folks. A good introduction to the whole globalization thing.

Websites

www.bostonglobalaction.net - BGAN's very own site, with actions, links, and news.

www.indymedia.org - Independent Media Center

www.globalexchange.org - Global Exchange

www.motherjones.com - Online branch of alternative news magazine Mother Jones

www.zmag.org - Z Magazine online, alternative news etc.

www.focusweb.org - Focus on the Global South

www.jubileeusa.org - Jubilee 2000 Coalition/USA

www.globalizethis.org - Mobilization for Global Justice

www.citizen.org - Public Citizen

www.globaltradewatch.org - Public Citizen's tradewatch

www.corpwatch.org - Corporate Watch

www.ruckus.org - The Ruckus Society (involved in strategic nonviolent protest)

www.tobintax.org - The Tobin Tax Initiative (proposed tax on international trade to benefit global social and human services.)

www.50years.org - 50 Years is Enough Network (anti- WB/IMF group)