​​About the DandDTrans Inquiry
​​A "community of inquiry and action" regarding the role that dialogue and deliberation can play in addressing the mega-crises of our time
​​Image courtesy of www.NewStories.org
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​Main Menu: ​+Welcome​ | ​+About​ | ​+Intros​ | ​+World Cafe​ | ​+Bohm​ | ​+Open Space ​| ​+Resources​ | ​+News​ | ​+Calls​ | ​+Help​ | ​+Harvest​ | ​+Index​

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​​NOTE: THIS ENGAGEMENT IS COMPLETE. WHAT YOU SEE BELOW WAS WRITTEN TO ORIENT PARTICIPANTS TO THE PROCESS WHILE IT WAS TAKING PLACE, AND CAN ALSO SERVE AS AN INTRODUCTION TO THESE PADS, WHICH FORM A RECORD OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT TOOK PLACE. 
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​Here is an overview of the main hackpads (an updated version is maintained on this ​+Index​ pad):
  • ​​The ​+About​ pad is a good place to start, especially if you were not involved in the dialogue during January. It includes links at the bottom to invitations from the hosting team and from Ben Roberts personally, as well as a context-setting piece from Linda Ellinor.
  • ​​The individual ​+Harvest​ pads are also a good place to begin a deeper dive (and if you were a participant and have not done so already, please consider creating your own!)
  • ​​Read about some of the people who were "here" via the ​+Intros​ pads. 
  • ​​The main online ​+Open Space​ pad links to eleven topics, many of which have detailed discussions via hackpad. 
  • ​​Each plenary call and each Bohm dialogue has extensive notes on what was said. In the plenaries, these notes are often on subsidiary pads corresponding to breakout groups, the links to which can be found within the main pad for each call. There are also notes on each main pad, especially from the plenary harvest or "closing circle" portions of the call. Here's a basic index:
  • ​​The main ​+What's In Motion?​ and ​+Resources​ pads each link to many subsidiary pads where various items of interest have been compiled.
  • ​​The ​+Group Works Deck Card of the Evening Conversations​ were a delightful series of impromptu small group gatherings, each of which was based on a randomly chosen card form the Group Works Deck. Notes were scribed from the live discussions, and in some cases, post-call comments were also added.
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​​Click the heading above for links to the most active pads, regular updates from the hosting team, and information about the live calls/video conferencing coming up next.
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​​Click the heading above for the schedule of upcoming live calls/video conferencing.
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​Purpose and Intended Results

​​Our purpose is to explore the calling question ”What do we, as members of the dialogue and deliberation community of practice, have to be and do to enable our most positive transformational impact in the face of emerging global crises which fundamentally challenge our business-as-usual habits and systems?” 
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​​The intended results of our time together (though January 31) include:  
  1. ​​To engage in deep dialogue around our calling question.
  1. ​​To connect to build community and share resources, information and strategies.
  1. ​​To elicit inspiring, actionable possibilities and support the emergence of collaborative teams to work together on bringing them forth in the coming year.
  1. ​​To have the inquiry process itself be a prototype that can be iterated upon in service to systemic transformation.  
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​The Time Frame: January and Beyond

​​This “community of inquiry and action" will gather through the end of January 2015, online and virtually (using phone and video conferencing). What happens beyond January—with all of us together and/or in various subgroups—is up to each of us. As hosts, we are designing the January experience to encourage various follow-up opportunities to emerge according to their own energy.  The particular set of engagements we are offering will end at the end of the month, and our intention is to provide value to all who have been part of this community during that time.  
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​​As co-conveners, Ben Roberts and Linda Ellinor are both interested in ongoing work that might emerge out of these January conversations, including the possibility that we might continue to convene and expand this community of inquiry and action (perhaps with additional hosting team members and a source of funding).
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​The Convening/Hosting Team

​​This gathering is being co-convened by Linda Ellinor and Ben Roberts, with facilitation support from Ben Levi, who is also a "thinking partner" along with Tom Atlee, Nancy Glock-Grueneich, and Robert Corman. Contact Ben or Linda if you have questions, or are interested in joining the team. ​+Our hosting hackpads are here.​
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​Background

​​On October 17th, Tom Atlee posted to the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation (NCDD) listserv, asking the following: "What would NCDD and its membership have to be and do to enable their most positive transformational impact in the face of climate change, peak oil and water, profound wealth inequity, and other emerging crises which fundamentally challenge our business-as-usual habits and systems?"  
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​​In the lively exchange that followed (which can be accessed here in full) it became clear that it does not make sense for NCDD to reframe itself as an activist organization, however there was a great deal of interest among many members of this community of practice in pursuing the question of how we might come together to use our gifts. This "community of inquiry and action" was convened to explore that possibility.
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​​Initially, Linda Ellinor approached Tom Atlee and Ben Roberts to discuss how we might build on the listserv interest. With Tom in the role of "thinking partner," Linda and Ben agreed to be co-conveners of a live World Cafe-style conversation via MaestroConference on December 15th, ​+the notes for which can be read here​. About 25 people participated, and there was sufficient interest among them and the hosting team to commit to a larger, extended inquiry that would run through January 2015. Posting also began in earnest here on hackpad around mid-December, particularly on the ​+Intros​ and ​+What's Possible?​ pads.
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​​After that initial call, Ben Levi (who assisted on the 12/15 call tech), Nancy Glock-Grueneich, and Robert Corman joined with Linda, Ben R., and Tom in a series of design calls and email exchanges, leading to the framing for the January inquiry. Ben Levi also stepped up as a co-designer and facilitator, with Linda, of the Bohm Dialogue piece of this inquiry.
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​Is this Inquiry "Free?"

​​There is no fee for participation in DandDTrans. The convening team is offering this space as a gift. and we recognize that simply by spending time with us in this inquiry, you, and dozens of others are giving back to us in ways that are valuable on many levels, for which we are most grateful. We do also plan to ask for some financial support, but this is totally optional. We're inspired in making this request by​+ the Maori concept of Koha.​
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​​While there is no expectation for an exchange, or quid pro quo, some of us are inspired by the possibility of successfully modeling a "pop-up gift economy" that supports the convening of conversations that matter. If we can do so, we will have released ourselves to put far more energy into this work in the future, knowing that there is a good chance that "the Universe" will indeed provide for us. Stay tuned for details!
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​What is Requested of Participants?

​​All participants are requested to: 
  • ​​Read the ​+About​ pad to get clearer on the framing and context for this inquiry.
  • ​​Post something about themselves to the ​+Intros​ pad. 
  • ​​Show up for live conversations on time (and fifteen minutes early if you are concerned about having issues with the technology, so we can help you get settled before the conversation begins)
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​​There no expectation around your overall time commitment. You can participate as much or as little as you wish. However, when you do show up, we ask that you make every effort to bring "your highest self." To that end, you might find it valuable before you write something, or join a call, to spend even a few minutes with one of the items from these pads, followed by some time in silent reflection/meditation:  
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​​Note: the pads listed above are part of the ​+Resources​ compilation (to which you are also invited to contribute!).
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​Invitations from Your Hosts

​​We invite you to join us as co-conveners and co-creators of this work. Please feel free to extend personal invitations to anyone you would love to have as a fellow participant in this conversation. Contact Ben or Linda if you have questions, or are interested in joining the hosting team. ​+Our hosting hackpads are here.​
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​​The heading above links to a slightly modified version of the email invitation that went out on 12/29 to the NCDD, Art of Hosting and Open Space listservs, as well as Tom Atlee's personal list.
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