You are invited into a supported space of transformative compassionate curiosity, to ask ourselves and each other 'what is it like to be you?’ in restorative and re-humanising ways.
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Otherness Lab - London Wednesday 13th - Thursday 14th November Waterloo Action Centre, London. Interdependent Gift Economy Book via Eventbrite |
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Join OpenEdge's team of scholar-practitioners to explore the phenomenon and experiences of 'otherness', 'othering' and 'being othered' in our personal lives and within the systems and structures of our communities. Using our own, every-day examples we reflect on our experiences in 'mainstreams' and 'margins', how and why they arise, how we understand them, and how we are impacted in ourselves and in our relationships with each other. we consider the costs to us personally and collectively when we do not explicitly and proactively give attention to 'othering' in all our endeavours. We reflect on the impacts and continuation of historic norms of othering in our societies, communities and groups, as well as how unconsciously reproducing division and separation in our current endeavours to bring change, stops us creating the very future we long for, no matter how well intentioned we are. We work in ways that re-connect us beyond 'them and us’, beyond centring our own or one particular experience of life …beyond reproducing otherness. |
Who are we already connected to, and what is the nature of these connections? Which of these connections are visible to us, which ones might we be missing? What stands in the way of building other kinds of relationships? |
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In the Lab we also explore the confusion, disconnection and challenges that can arise when trying to have conversations about diversity and inclusion, power and privilege in our communities and organisations.
We embody positivity and enthusiasm to embrace discomfort and experiences that may be different to our own. We value this kind of space as an exciting possibility for profound connection and transformation. We invite you to reach for your honest, courageous, reflective self, put on your systemic goggles, break the violence cycle, get beyond the myth of separation, find your dynamic shared identities, and walk towards 'the other' with OpenEdge's experienced team of scholar-practitioner-explorers! |
Through participatory activities for connection, reflection and learning, we focus on key themes such as
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