Social Movement Appreciation Project
In our rapidly destabilising world, it's clear that nothing will get better without large numbers of people working together. But social movements remain mysterious and under-studied creatures: the Social Movement Appreciation Project aims to shine a warm and loving light on today's many efforts at collective agency and system transformation.
Social Movement Appreciation Project
Activism since the 80s and intentional communities
Clifford offers an awe-inspiring tour through four decades of change-making. Starting in Greenham Common in 1981 and running through the Miners’ Strike, the anti-roads movement, Earth First, to Extinction Rebellion and beyond.
This wide sweep and experience then provides us with fresh perspectives on Green Gathering, the enigmatic Trad Village at its core, and the latest wave of interest building around intentional communities: visible in both the new UK communities conference (https://www.communitiesconference.co.uk/) and the inter-community volleyball tournament.
As much as for any specific subject, this discussion is worth a listen just for Clifford’s grounded demeanour as someone who seems to have seen it all and kept his vision sharp. He probably wouldn’t like me saying this but if embodied movement wisdom has a voice then this is one way it can sound.
Also featuring a surprise guest appearance from Storm Floris. Our tiny yurt studio couldn’t help flapping a bit in the wind, so apologies for the intermittent background noise!
End music: Roses and Bread, sung by Penny Stone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZbkK6DGft0
Check out Penny's work! http://www.singlouderthanguns.com/
Follow me on Bluesky @douglasrogers.bsky.social or Twitter at @writingDouglas if you're into that kind of thing