Dawn of the Cosmopolitan - The Hope of a Global Citizens Movement

From the website post: The Great Transitioncountrymen.
Initiative is a collective endeavor by scholars andHere I feel the need to, once again, quote the
activists who share a broad commitment toauthor: A sustainable world is one of biodiversity
addressing the major problems confrontingand diverse, healthy ecosystems. Likewise, a just
humanity: poverty, security, and the environment.world is one of human liberation, filled with cultural
Its mission is to imagine, assess, and advance adiversity and creative expression and exploration.
great transition to a global future of enriched lives,Thus the means by which a GCM is organized
equity, solidarity and a healthy planet. It takesmust honor the diversity of voices that give rise
seriously the slogan of progressives everywhereto its creation. The tension between unity and
that another world is possible, but proposes thatplurality, like many of the paradoxes in life, is not
such a world must first be imagined creatively asto be overcome, instead a GCM must somehow
a plausible human project.hold both truths simultaneously. This ultimately
This report encompasses the great weight andmeans more space is needed for dialogue,
gravity of the possibility of solving the sociologicalanalysis, and visioning, which will be required for
and political issues of our Global Society throughmobilizing the numbers of people needed for a
the emergence of a single moral community, atruly global movement. Many of us see
Cosmopolitan Group if you will, or citizens of themountainous efforts that do not seem to be
cosmos. The unprecedented growth in GCMssolving the problems, thus we wait to join a
(Global Citizens Movements) seen in the last halfmovement until we can find one we believe in.
of the 20th century is proposed to be merely theA GCM will have internal conflicts, it will contain its
tip of the iceberg regarding a deep shift in publicown politics, however like a seed crystal, our
engagement and awareness, and is the majornewly formed GCM contains within it the means it
influence for the rise of Non-governmentalwill use to organize itself to move toward a just
Organizations (NGOs) world wide.and sustainable world through a politics of trust.
Kriegman points out that the threats to ourWith the seed neatly in place, in the face of
existence are very real. When contemplating theemerging global crisis it is likely that the vision of
possibilities of ecocide, nuclear proliferation, globalthe GCM could spread rapidly to inspire humanitys
terror networks, new military technologies andefforts toward renewal and hope.
the threat of pandemics, we are reminded of theConstructing a Shared Vision
statement made by Bertrand Russell itsHere the author shares great detail of thought
coexistence or no existence.and contemplation regarding what it would take to
The strength of global civil society is weakenedcreate a GCM where the ethical foundations would
by its organizational and philosophicalbe based on individual and collective responsibility
fragmentation. Each of the threats mentionedfor the well being of others, the wider community
above, and a slew of others, tackled separately,of life, and future generations. The value
constitute the all too dispersed, diffused and smallfoundations would be quality of life, human
scale of societys efforts in the shadow ofsolidarity, and ecological sensibility, A culture of
powerful governments and transnationalpeace, reconciliation, and non-violence would infuse
corporations. Only greater degrees of internationalthe new global movement. He postulates the
cooperation can possibly resolve these complexdevelopment of a new form of Leadership,
dilemmas.possibly movement diplomats made up of
In developing countries, the hope for the rapidvisionaries, philanthropists and organizers from all
growth of civil society is expressed bywalks of life who would be charged with
communities devising new development paradigmscomplementing other necessary types of
seeking sustainable livelihoods and pursuing variousleadership, helping to maintain the balance
avenues that enhance local empowerment. Thebetween coherence and diversity within a GCM.
hope of improved lives lived in a just and caringMovement diplomats could be a key to developing
world is the most empowering psychologicalcoherence while avoiding the evolution of
response to the turbulence of our timesLessonsstultifying movement hierarchies.
from Social Movements: Hurdles for a SystemicConclusion and Hope
Global MovementIt does seem possible that a vision that describes
Many social movements, evidenced by those thata hopeful image of the future and a plausible
arose during the 1960s and 1970s, are protestpathway for getting there could inspire more
oriented and appear reactive to many individuals.people to believe in the possibility of a sustainable
Their proponents often embrace a fragmentedglobal civilization, and thus to personally assume
type of identity politics, avoiding people withthe challenge of global citizenship. The combination
coherent and universalized visions.of a shared vision with clear victories expands the
Although there are many important issuesfrontiers of the possible, hope is contagious and
represented by the Global Justice Movement andchange happens quickly. An authentic GCM needs
the World Social Forum (WSF) today, their abilitya shared vision emerging from a process of
to capture global media attention has beenengaged dialogue effectively coordinated through
usurped by the US-led invasion of Iraq, variousnew forms of leadership.
political victories in Latin America, and the GlobalThe future is not someplace we are going, it is
War on Terror, and such incidents continue tosomething we are creating.
shape their goals. In addition to the media hurdles,Ultimately, the exact shape and form of a Global
those seeking to ally with the Global JusticeCitizens Movement is not to be predicted, but to
Movement often differ over strategies andbe lived. An AMAZING statement that leads to
tactics, and are further hampered due tothe obvious conclusion that A GCM must be able
competing personalities, language differences,to contest power and shape the global future,
racism, organizational turf wars and divergentwithout this there is no movement, just a lot of
priorities. Again we see the need to overcomechaotic activity. The fact that A Great Transition
fragmentation and cohere as a movement.is a vision of plural solutions is evidenced by the
Expansion, without systemic linkages, is notneed for both local and regional approaches,
sufficient for the type of deep changescompatible with global goals. Such a shift in
necessary for a truly just and sustainable society.consciousness would be animated by concern for
Lessons for a GCM: The ends of a just andall aspects of the human condition, including the
equitable world filled with cultural diversity andwell-being of the whole human family, with the
freedoms must be alive in the means thefate of future generations, and with the
movement utilizes to organize itself.sustainability of the broader web of life. This is the
A politics of trust necessitates that all aspects ofhope of a global citizens movement. Summary of:
the movement recognize that they areDawn of the Cosmopolitan; The Hope of a Global
addressing different aspects of a unitary challengeCitizens Movement (Orion Kriegman, organizer and
of building a just and sustainable global future andmanager of The Great Transition Initiative): The
their success is interdependent and requires aGreat Transition, the promise and lure of the
systemic shift, as well as a balance of coherencetimes ahead
and pluralism as the basis for a global movement.Perhaps my favorite statement in this report, as
This report expresses the need for transparencyit speaks to the necessity for the preservation
and accountable leadership, which would facilitateand embrace of the richness and energy in the
the efforts of diverse peoples and ensure thediversity of the forces for a just and sustainable
participation of everyone involved.future, and for a movement rooted in a politics of
I was greatly encouraged to see the authortrust. Although historically pitted against each
distinguish between leadership and authority,other, a GCM needs both the strength of unity
acknowledging the evolving definition of leadershipand the strength of diversity. (Unity speaks to the
in the world today and noting the questionability ofcauses and methodologies of the movement,
the effectiveness of models of steep hierarchydiversity speaks to cultural richness and the
and command and control. Making the case thatwants and needs of people as numerous as grains
real leaders are those who empower and inspireof sand on our worlds beaches.) .
groups to engage unpleasant realities, workAs we learn to identify ourselves as part of the
through conflicts, and generate new insights thathuman family, with responsibility for ones brothers
increase effectiveness, regardless of what rankand sisters, we approach a transformation of
they may hold, he provided us with a model byconsciousness that challenges our identities,
which we may all choose to live our daily lives.moving us, as global citizens, toward a shared
I believe he made a good example of George W.identity with the ability to hold empathy for the
Bush as an individual who lacks leadershipstruggles of others within ourselves. However, if
capabilities and/or willingness, choosing to respondgrand new identities are to emerge, there must
to the demands of his constituency rather thanbe the internal motivation of a shared dream of
mobilizing people to deal with problematic realitiesunity in addition to the fear of external threat. We
on behalf of improving the human condition andall share one world, this is the objective case for
generating progress. As is true of most peopleglobal identity. We are now perfectly poised for
with authority, so it is true that our currentthe emergence of global citizens sharing broad
President responds to the demands of hisvalues and principals that would propel us toward
constituents and favors his limited personal goalsa transition to human rights, democracy,
over those broader goals of his fellowenvironmental protection, and freedom world-wide.