Pulling a thread

A look back at influences from the US women's liberation movement on 'democratic' facilitation practices today

For facilitators whose practice is ‘democratic’ or ‘inclusive’ or who use structures that ‘include everyone’, a look back at the essays in this week’s link help us understand a lineage of our practice. It’s worth appreciating the influence of the US women’s liberation movement on some current facilitation practices while acknowledging the whiteness of some of those lineages. As a dyed in the wool- and very critical- Liberating Structures practitioner, discussion about benefits and limitations of ‘democratic’ or ‘inclusive’ methods always need a critical eye from a humble, vulnerable, open facilitator who is ready to fail and pivot with care.

This week’s link

Untying the Knot: Feminism, Anarchism & Organisation, published by Dark Star/Rebel Press in 1984, brings together Jo Freeman’s essay The Tyranny of Structurelessness (1971) and Cathy Levine’s rebuttal essay The Tyranny of Tyranny, (1979). If you run in certain circles, you’ll know Jo Freeman’s essay as ubiquitous and foundational but it’s not often presented with Cathy Levine’s rebuttal essay. If you’re reading either of these essays for the first time, I envy you.