Denizen

DemocracyNext founder and CEO Claudia Chwalisz returns to the Denizen podcast to explore the intersection of deliberative democracy and artificial intelligence.  Here we are particularly interested in how we might crease democratic resilience by leveraging AI to scale deliberative processes.  Governance innovation is the AI application we're most enthusiastic about so we're excited to bring this conversation to the Denizen audience.

Claudia and Jenny discuss broader trends of rising autocracy, weakening civil societies, and attacks on basic rights, while situating deliberative democracy as a counterforce to these issues.  They explore what aspects of the deliberative process are fundamentally human, giving rise to the limitations and risks of certain applications of AI.  They also break down five different ways we can think about scaling deliberative democracy, which enables a more nuanced conversation about the opportunities AI presents.  Claudia stresses that technology is not a silver bullet, but must be integrated with the human elements of social and political change.

00:00 Introduction to the Episode

00:32 Meet Claudia Swi: Expert on Deliberative Democracy

00:43 Exploring Deliberative Democracy and AI

00:55 The Importance of Democratic Resilience

03:03 Understanding Populism and Authoritarianism

04:49 Challenges and Limitations of Representative Democracy

08:26 Defining Deliberative Democracy

09:49 The Role of Sortition in Deliberative Processes

13:54 In-Person vs. Virtual Deliberative Processes

23:13 The Human Element in Deliberative Democracy

31:23 How AI Can Support Deliberative Structures

35:18 Exploring Tech-Enabled Trackers and Feedback Loops

35:56 Understanding the Lifecycle of Deliberative Processes

36:27 Defining and Breaking Down 'Scale' in AI and Democracy

37:08 The Five Dimensions of Scaling in Deliberative Democracy

37:19 Scaling Out: Increasing Participation in Deliberative Processes

40:29 AI's Role in Scaling Out and Up

46:24 Scaling Across: Spreading Deliberative Processes

49:37 Scaling Deep: Institutionalizing Deliberative Processes

52:45 Scaling In: Enhancing Quality and Impact

59:56 The Broader Implications of AI and Deliberative Democracy

01:06:03 Concluding Thoughts and Future Directions

Resources:

• DemocracyNext: https://www.demnext.org/
• Five Dimensions of Scaling Democratic Deliberation: With and Beyond AI
• The Populist Signal: Why Politics and Democracy Need to Change, Claudia Chwalisz
• The People's Verdict: Adding Informed Citizen Voices to Public Decision Making, Claudia Chwalisz
• Denizen podcast Citizen's Assemblies episode
• Denizen Citizen's Assemblies overview

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In this final episode of a three-part series on essential capabilities for a regenerative future with Robert Gilman, founder and president of The Context Institute. Robert and Jenny tie the first two episodes of the series together to bring you this conversation on collaboration.  

We’ve all heard the term “omni-win” and talked about needed paradigms from zero sum to win for all.  I don’t know about you, but we are tired of hearing that high level language without real tactics to bring that to life.  This is what this conversation brings to you.  Jenny and Robert discuss the “dominator hierarchy” mindset that leads to zero sum problem solving, where the strategy for success is to seek power over others.  Rewriting this dominator narrative is essential for win for all outcomes, where all includes all life on Earth.

They also highlight the need to redefine success as win-win-win, and the new patterns of working together that are required to get there.  This includes the concept of leadership as service, which I’m sure is music to most of your ears.  As always it’s an honor to host Robert and share his 80 years of wisdom with you!

00:00 Introduction to the Series and Guest

01:23 Exploring Collaboration and Omni-Win Solutions

03:09 The Obsolescence of Dominator Models

05:39 Redefining Success and Systemic Thinking

08:18 The Role of Stewardship and Hierarchies

11:40 AI and Governance

12:09 The Importance of Design Processes

13:36 Addressing Dominator Behaviors and Adversarial Paradigms

19:10 Systems Consciousness and Collaborative Design

25:07 The Importance of Feedback Culture

26:37 Building Trust in Organizations

27:37 From Transactional to Relational Paradigms

28:49 Optimal Zones and Collaborative Outcomes

31:00 Design Thinking and Sociocracy

33:41 Consent vs. Consensus in Decision Making

36:25 Integrating Nature into Decision Processes

38:38 The Role of AI and Information Flows

42:50 Leadership in Collaborative Groups

47:25 Conclusion and Call to Action

To stay connected to all things Denizen, you can sign up for our newsletter at www.becomingdenizen.com.  There we share our latest content alongside community events, educational opportunities, and announcements from our many partner organizations.

This episode explores the importance of understanding and integrating various modes of cognition. It is the second in a three-part series with Robert Gilman, founder and president of The Context Institute, covering essential competencies for the regenerative era. 

Jenny and Robert discusses the limitations of object perception and categorical thinking, the roles of visual and kinesthetic thinking, and the value of intuition. The episode also explores the concept of systems consciousness and its implications for living in harmony with life on Earth. Additional discussions include the impact of the Age of Enlightenment on modern thinking, the limitations of language, and the importance of cultural and contextual awareness in decision-making.

00:00 Introduction to Modes of Cognition

00:27 Meet Robert Gilman and Series Overview

01:03 Exploring Various Modes of Cognition

02:14 Understanding Cognition and Its Importance

03:43 Historical and Cultural Analysis of Cognition

05:50 Dominant Modes of Cognition

15:25 Visual Thinking and Its Richness

18:37 Kinesthetic Thinking and Somatic Awareness

24:51 The Importance of Intuition

25:07 Exploring the Concept of Intuition

26:32 The Role of Subconscious in Creativity

27:34 Interconnection of Consciousness

29:16 Balancing Different Modes of Cognition

34:02 Understanding Systems Consciousness

37:56 The Impact of Communication on Understanding

41:47 Developing a FUD Immune System

47:16 Sustainable Motivation and Future Pull

48:31 Conclusion and Resources

To stay connected to all things Denizen, you can sign up for our newsletter at www.becomingdenizen.com.  There we share our latest content alongside community events, educational opportunities, and announcements from our many partner organizations.

This episode on psychodynamics is part one of a three part series on essential skills for a regenerative future, in honor of Rober Gilman's 80th birthday. Robert is the founder and president of The Context Institute and a pioneer in the sustainability movement.

The conversation dives deep into psychodynamics and the importance of understanding our cognitive biases, nervous systems, and underlying motivations to foster cultural change. Robert explains how personal change is integral to cultural evolution, highlighting the interconnectedness of individual behaviors and societal transformation. Jenny and Robert discuss cultivating personal resilience, recognizing cognitive biases, healing past traumas, and fostering compassionate, curious, and creative interactions.

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00:00 Introduction to Psychodynamics and Cultural Change

00:24 Meet Robert Gilman: A Pioneer in Sustainability

02:04 The Importance of Personal Change for Cultural Transformation

05:45 Historical Context: From Agrarian Empires to the Age of Enlightenment

10:53 The Limitations of Modern Culture and Proposed Changes

24:08 Understanding and Partnering with Our Nervous System

32:18 Exploring Cognitive Biases

33:31 Understanding Motivated Reasoning

35:30 The Role of Cognitive Biases in Media and Relationships

37:31 Layers of Motivation

40:20 The Importance of Relationships

48:58 Embracing Internal Complexity

54:51 The Future of Human Evolution

56:48 Conclusion and Next Steps

To stay connected to all things Denizen, you can sign up for our newsletter at www.becomingdenizen.com.  There we share our latest content alongside community events, educational opportunities, and announcements from our many partner organizations.

In this episode of the Denizen podcast, host Jenny Stefanotti and activist Julia Rhodes Davis delve into the concept of 'white work,' which goes beyond confronting and dismantling racialized identities. They discuss the importance of understanding personal legacy, taking accountability for ancestors' actions, and taking actions individually to repair past harms. They also discuss the inner, interpersonal, and cultural aspects of this work. Julia emphasizes the importance of ongoing practice within a community setting.

00:00 Introduction to Solidarity and Whiteness

01:22 Meet Julia Rhodes Davis

01:34 Exploring White Work

02:13 Putting White Work within the Denizen Inquiry

02:32 Julia's Background and Evolution

05:25 Understanding Racialized Capitalism

07:51 Personal Stories and Ancestral Context

11:30 The Inner Work of Racial Justice

25:42 Misguided White Work and Diversity

32:17 White Work as a Lifelong Practice

33:17 Understanding Shame and Discomfort in Anti-Racism Work

34:57 Circles of Practice: Community and Storytelling

38:36 Depersonalizing and Understanding Racial Conditioning

46:41 The Role of Inner Work in Anti-Racism

48:28 Exploring Power Dynamics in Relationships

51:18 Rupture and Repair in Relationships

57:12 Building Solidarity Against Fascism

59:40 Closing Remarks and Community Engagement

Resources:

• Julia's website and writings: https://www.jrdavis.me/
• White Supremacy Culture - Still Here, Tema Okun

To stay connected to all things Denizen, you can sign up for our newsletter at www.becomingdenizen.com.  There we share our latest content alongside community events, educational opportunities, and announcements from our many partner organizations.

We are incredibly fortunate to welcome Tema Okun to the Denizen podcast for this important conversation. Tema is the author of the influential 1999 paper "White Supremacy Culture" and has been a leader in the racial justice movement for over 35 years. In this insightful episode, Jenny and Tema explore the pervasive influence of white supremacy culture in society. They discuss the concept's historical context, its impact on both personal and systemic levels, and the importance of recognizing internalized racist conditioning. 

Tema shares the journey of her original paper, detailing its attributes and their societal implications. She also outlines into the interconnectedness of colonialism, capitalism, and white supremacy.  Tema and Jenny reflect on the necessity of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and a culture of appreciation as antidotes to these ingrained systems. The dialogue also highlights the significance of love, belonging, and making conscious choices in combating fear-based energies, ultimately advocating for a collective effort towards systemic change and personal transformation. 

Outline for the episode:

• 00:00 Introduction to Racist Conditioning
• 00:35 Meet Tema Okun: Activist and Educator
• 00:47 White Supremacy Culture and Denizen Community
• 01:54 Personal Reflections on White Supremacy
• 03:09 Understanding White Supremacy Culture
• 05:46 The Role of Fear in White Supremacy
• 09:26 Intersectionality and Systemic Context
• 12:27 The Origins of the 1999 Paper
• 24:55 Perfectionism and White Supremacy
• 29:04 Transforming Defensiveness into Curiosity
• 30:19 Qualified Paternalism and the Hero Complex
• 34:41 The Flaws of Capitalism and the Growth Imperative
• 36:35 The Importance of Process and Connection
• 38:32 Urgency and the Right to Comfort
• 45:33 Cultural Antidotes and Emotional Intelligence
• 53:14 Closing Thoughts and Gratitude

Resources:

• White Supremacy Culture website
• "White Supremacy Culture" original 1999 paper
• "White Supremacy Culture - Still Here" 2021 update
• Racial Equity Principles
• Tema's website: https://www.fiercelove.info/
• 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership
• The New Rules of Marriage, Terrance Real

To stay connected to all things Denizen, you can sign up for our newsletter at www.becomingdenizen.com.  There we share our latest content alongside community events, educational opportunities, and announcements from our many partner organizations.

This conversation features Tyson Yunkaporta, academic, arts critic, researcher, and member of the Apalech Clan in far north Queensland. Tyson is the author of Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World; Right Story, Wrong Story: How to Have Fearless Conversations in Hell; and Snake Talk: How the World’s Ancient Serpent Stories Can Guide Us.

Unlike our typical episodes which focus on a topic, here Jenny embraces Tyson's generative cultural practice of yarning. Tyson describes a yarn as "like a conversation but taking a traditional form his people have always used to create and transmit knowledge."  Thus here we capture a raw conversation between Jenny and Tyson, touching on topics of whiteness, identity, modes of cognition, justice, and the hero complex.  Tyson shares the story behind each of the three books in his trilogy, touching on their relevance for the modern technologically driven era.

To stay connected to all things Denizen, you can sign up for our newsletter at www.becomingdenizen.com.  There we share our latest content alongside community events, educational opportunities, and announcements from our many partner organizations.

In this conversation Jenny and Jasmine discuss:

• Four common internalized stories we have about money
• Money trauma
• The importance of talking about money
• Jasmine's analogy of a water supply
• Philosophical questions of enough and fairness
• Banking: extractive vs. sustainable and community-oriented options
• Public banking
• Consumption decisions and Jasmine's no Amazon policy
• The irony of conscious consumption
• The role of third party certifications 
• Investment decisions and investing in place
• Structural economic implications of conscious investment and consumption
• Giving and receiving money through philanthropy
• Beyond personal finances: influencing financial flows
• Participatory budgeting
• Beyond financial flows: influencing corporate culture and decision making
• Employee activism
• Showing up for each other beyond money
• Acknowledging non financial capital
• Rethinking income: guaranteed income and UBI

Resources:

• Jasmine's website: https://www.jasminerashid.com/
• Trauma of Money program
• Friends of public banking pledge
• Just Economy Institute

To stay connected to all things Denizen, you can sign up for our newsletter at www.becomingdenizen.com.  There we share our latest content alongside community events, educational opportunities, and announcements from our many partner organizations.

This powerful conversation explores the relationship between decolonization and consciousness. Ashanti is a systems change agent focused on helping organizations deconstruct dominant narratives of colonization and replace them with life affirming narratives that support a regenerative future. She believes that true transformation must begin within, guiding leaders to embrace spiritual coherence and walk their talk.

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Jenny and Ashanti discuss:

• How to define what is right and good
• Why the inner work is imperative
• The consequences of the narratives we have internalized
• Rethinking our understanding of leadership and power
• Taking responsibility for ourselves and what inhibits us from doing so
• The relationship between deconstructing our stories and spirituality
• The importance of walking the talk and the harm caused by misalignment
• Love as praxis: moving from fear to love
• The role of fear in white supremacy
• The Zulu concept of Ubuntu
• Loving each other through our ugly
• Love and spiritual growth
• Love, consideration, and diversity in systems change work
• Open and honest communication
• The importance of expressing emotions and creating emotionally safe spaces
• Calling out vs. calling in
• Spiritual accountability, personal integrity, and coherent leadership
• Spiritual discernment
• Paying attention to our thoughts and language
• Self-love

Resources

• Learning 2 Unlearn, Ashanti's website
• "White supremacy lives in the mundane" Ashanti on Social Transformation
• Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Paul Freire
• We Will Not Cancel Us: And Other Dreams of Transformative Justice, adrienne maree brown

To stay connected to all things Denizen, you can sign up for our newsletter at www.becomingdenizen.com.  There we share our latest content alongside community events, educational opportunities, and announcements from our many partner organizations.

This episode builds on many prior conversations exploring work that we can do on ourselves, including living authentically, trauma and the nervous system, nonviolent communication, transforming relational conflict, and optimal zone resilience. It demonstrates how the work on ourselves extends upwards into the organization context, and further amplifies our impact at a systemic level.

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In this conversation Jenny and Diana discuss:

• What Diana means by conscious when she refers to conscious leadership
• Being above or below the line: reacting from fear vs. responding from trust
• The four different types of consciousness from which we might lead: to me, by me, through me, and as me
• Taking radical responsibility
• Staying curious and growing in self-awareness
• The problem with wanting to be right
• Our relationship with our stories and willingness to consider the opposite is equally true
• The importance of feeling our feelings and seeing their value
• Why candor and safe emotional spaces are essential
• Why gossip is pernicious and the how judgement reveals our shadows
• Integrity, both with ourselves and with others
• Making clear agreements using a whole body yes
• How to handle broken agreements
• Regarding all circumstances of life as an opportunity to learn and grow
• Moving from scarcity to abundance with a commitment to experiencing having enough of everything
• Committing to win for all solutions
• Operating from our zones of genius and realizing our full potential
• Being the resolution rather than assigning blame to others
• The importance of rest and play
• Subconscious commitments

Resources:

• The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership
• The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: A New Paradigm for Sustainable Success, Jim Dethmer, Diana Chapman, and Kaley Warner Klemp
• The Conscious Leadership Group
• WholeBodyYes.com
• Conscious Loving: The Journey To Co-Commitment, Gay Hendricks, Ph.D. and Kathlyn Hendricks, Ph.D.
• Terrance Real: https://terryreal.com/
• Man's Search For Meaning, Viktor Frankl
• Existential Kink: Unmask Your Shadow and Embrace Your Power, Carolyn Elliott, Ph.D.

To stay connected to all things Denizen, you can sign up for our newsletter at www.becomingdenizen.com.  There we share our latest content alongside community events, educational opportunities, and announcements from our many partner organizations.