A common principle of many contemporary approaches to working with groups is the need to acknowledge and then integrate differences between group members. Particular mindfulness is called for when working with differences in social rank and power, such as differences in sex, race, class, sexual orientation, and so on. Individuals who are members of groups that historically have been systematically mistreated by society at large often face special challenges in finding their voice in a group and having their contributions respected. Working with these issues can be challenging, since it usually involves bringing to the surface very painful feelings and deeply ingrained habits of thought. Since many people have only ever experienced these issues being dealt with in highly-charged conversations or public forums mainly characterized by blame, guilt, and defensiveness, many groups tend to minimize or avoid these issues. Yet it is possible to create a space in which all group members can intelligently participate in freeing themselves from these limiting patterns of thought and behavior. Neither the role of victim nor oppressor serves our best interests as human beings. It can be profoundly liberating to participate in encounters that heal, in a small yet significant way, some of the ancient divisions and wounds that have split humanity. As Martin Luther King Jr taught, we all have a stake in building "the beloved community."

Leading organizations, trainings, and educational programs

Satyana Institute: Gender Reconciliation work (www.satyana.org)

The Satyana Institute offers unique programs in "Gender Reconciliation" that synthesizes wisdom from world's spiritual traditions to foster new dimensions of healing and reconciliation between women and men. From the website: "Both women and men are afflicted by gender injustice, and each needs the other for a true and complete healing. The process of gender reconciliation builds upon the important advances of the women's and men's movements, yet goes beyond them both in recognizing gender injustice as a collective spiritual crisis. The premise of this work is that transforming relations between feminine and masculine dimensions of human society is fundamental to creating lasting, positive social change."

National Coalition Building Institute (www.ncbi.org)

The National Coalition Building Institute is a non-profit leadership training organization based in Washington D.C that works towards eliminating prejudice and 'intergroup' conflict in communities throughout the world. The NCBI runs regular training programs to teach effective skills at combating inter-group conflicts.

Spirit in Action: Circles of Change (www.spiritinaction.net)

Linda Stout's Spirit in Action is the only leading social change network we know that uses a circle format, integrates a spirit perspective, and prioritizes working with diversity issues. Their "Circles of Change Report" (http://spiritinaction.net/ezpublish/index.php/spirit/circles_report) includes their findings on what they learned about healing divisions to build diverse community through their Circles of Change program.

Commonway Institute (www.commonway.org)

This is Sharif Abdullah's site that spells out his vision of a spiritual path to a new society. Here you can find information about Sharif's Inclusivity Trainings, "Commons Café" experiments in public dialogue, and Sri Lankan Peace Work.

Global Process Institute (www.globalprocessinstitute.org)

The Global Process Institute is a global research and learning community with a special focus on conflict work and community building, inspired by Arnold Mindell's WorldWork method. They sponsor seven to ten day experiential training seminars in the WorldWork approach to community building. Also see www.worldwork.org.

Social and Cultural Anthropology Program, California Institute of Integral Studies (www.ciis.edu/academics/sca.html)

The SCA program at CIIS offers Masters and PhD level educational programs that emphasize issues of social and ecological justice. The program is especially renowned for exploring the intersection of thought and action, scholarship and community activism.

National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation (www.thataway.org)

Check out their resources on "Working with Diverse Groups." (www.thataway.org/resources/practice/guides.html#working)

Books

Sitting in the Fire: Large group transformation using conflict and diversity. Arnold Mindell. 1995. Lao Tse Press.

Arnie Mindell brings a brilliant psychologist's insight into working with diversity issues (what he calls issues of rank and power) in groups and communities. With many examples from his "WorldWork" workshops with large groups and communities around the world, Mindell shows how 'sitting in the fire' of conflict generated by differences in social rank and power can help build truly sustainable communities.

Creating a World that Works for All. Sharif Abdullah. 1999. Berrett- Koehler Publishers.

Sharif Abdullah outlines a vision of a "revolution to inclusivity" achieved through seeing through our cultural 'stories' that keep us disconnected from each other and the Earth and through engaging in practices that build community with others and restore balance to the Earth. Building on his experience with the profoundly successful Sarvodaya Movement in Sri Lanka, Abdullah brings a practical, down-to-earth approach to how we may participate in this much-needed shift toward an inclusive consciousness and culture.