Grassroots Groups Research Articles

Applying Key Lessons from the Hospice and Palliative Care Movement to Inform Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy.

Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) has re-emerged as a promising intervention for addressing mental health conditions and existential concerns. Despite growing enthusiasm, PAT may be difficult to integrate into mainstream health systems. The rich sacramental traditions of psychedelics, their centering of the human experience, proposed substrates of action, context-dependent outcomes, and highly relational method of therapy all challenge dominant reductionistic approaches of the biomedical model. Hospice and palliative care are well established as holistic evidence-based standards of care, yet they began as a radical grassroots movement. Hospice and palliative care models may offer unique insights to support the growing field of PAT. The intention of this commentary is to articulate the deep synergies between hospice and palliative care and PAT, with the intention of fostering interdisciplinary dialogue that may aid in implementation of human-centered high-quality PAT. Various aspects of hospice and palliative care models were identified and explored, which may support the implementation of human-centered high-quality PAT at scale. These include a focus on truly interdisciplinary care, applying a holistic lens to health and illness, bearing witness to suffering and healing, customized care, centering human relationships, decentralized models of care, generalist/specialist competencies, fostering spirituality, organizing as a social moment around shared goals, and growth from grassroots community organizations to mature care systems. Although hospice and palliative care can offer practical lessons for scaling human-centered experiential therapies, PAT, with its radical centering of meaning-making and relationship in the healing process, may also mutually innovate the fields of hospice and palliative care.

Social movement unionism in Spain's feminized precarious service sector: Criticism, cooperation and competition

Abstract‘Social movement unionism’ (SMU) has been suggested as a suitable strategy for union renewal in Spain, yet the literature on union renewal and SMU has two major shortcomings: (1) a lack of bottom‐up studies, and (2) a lack of dialogue between industrial relations and social movement research. To redress these shortcomings, we make three contributions in this article: first, we provide evidence on the current opportunities for SMU in Spain's feminized precarious service sector; second, we apply a bottom‐up intersectional approach to the study of SMU; and third, we bridge the research on industrial relations and on social movements by adopting a relational framework that looks at both union and non‐union actors as key actors for union renewal. Our results show a landscape of co‐existence, conflict, cooperation and competition between union and non‐union actors, including established unions, radical grassroots unions and emerging forms of collective representation; however, if we are to develop SMU as a strategy for union renewal in post‐Great Recession Spain, then there is still room for promoting deep coalition building between unions and novel forms of worker collectivism, as well as developing intersectional politics to reach non‐traditional membership groups.

Kontext och deltagande kunskapsprojekt

Based on 20 years of experience involving marginalized singles mothers in participatory knowledge projects, this article provides a personal and critical reflection on the importance of the contexts within which such projects develop. Through concrete examples of projects, developed during different historical periods and welfare regimes, the author illustrates how the political and economic context can create both opportunities and barriers for the participation of the disadvantaged groups and the grassroots organizations that represent them. Some of the tensions too as benefits that can arise when more radical self-organized grassroots groups collaborate with academic institutions are also highlighted. Finally, ethical issues regarding the ideals of commitment of marginalized groups within a welfare context where the time to participate is regulated and limited raises. Consequently, it is argued, there is a need for wider critical reflection and continuous dialogue about how the basic principles of more radical traditions, both in research and social work, can be adapted and incorporated in new ways, whilst also learning from past experiences.

Educating for participatory active citizenship: an example from the ecological activist field

AbstractBased on a short-term ethnography with a grassroots group of young environmental activists in the city of Porto, Portugal, this paper describes and problematizes their use of participatory methodologies to engage individual, community and organizational actors in tackling the problems of global climate change. By initiating what they call a “friendship network” that seeks to achieve democratic and participatory forms of activism, the group brings together both experienced and circumstantial activists (Ollis & Hamel-Green in Aust Adult Learn 55:202–219, 2015) in order to foster plural and situated learning (Lave & Wenger, Situated learning legitimate peripheral participation, 1991). The group does so by promoting the commitment of all actors (including opposite-minded ones) to the co-creation of a 4-day-municipal event on the theme of environmental sustainability. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the strategic mechanism of the group and their actions as a nucleus, we firstly examine some of the groups’ views on civic and political participation (Stack, in Citizenship Studies 16:871–885, 2012) and, secondly, describe and discuss the methodologies they intentionally use to put citizenship-in-action and to foster the activation of ‘standby citizens’ (Amna & Ekman, in Amnå, E., & Ekman, J., Eur Political Sci Rev 6:261–281, 2014). This ethnography enabled us to learn how the group strives to achieve its goals by placing itself in-between the institutional sphere and the public realm: the ethnographer had the opportunity to observe their attempts to, on the one hand, influence decision-making by acquiring a degree of insider status in institutions that legislate and, on the other hand, to engage with large publics, encouraging citizens’ voices and involvement in processes of co-participation focused on promoting ecological consciousness and political change.

Hospital Care for Patients Uninsured due to Immigration Status during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Toronto: Lessons from Front-Line Knowledge Translation.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, patients in Ontario who were uninsured due to immigration status faced barriers to hospital care that resulted in preventable illness and death. In March 2020, the Ontario Ministry of Health issued a memo indicating that it would pay for medically necessary hospital services for uninsured patients (Ontario Ministry of Health 2020). Front-line providers and research workers associated with the Health Network for Uninsured Clients (HNUC) set out to ensure that hospitals in Toronto implemented the ministry's memo. In this paper, we demonstrate a model of front-line worker-led knowledge translation informed by real-time data and anchored in clearly articulated values and goals. On April 1, 2023, the Ontario Ministry of Health cancelled this uninsured coverage (Ontario Ministry of Health 2023). Healthcare provider associations, grassroots groups and coalitions - including the HNUC - are mobilizing to see this uninsured coverage reinstated.

Relationships are everything: The underpinnings of grassroots community action in the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto

Most government emergency/pandemic response plans feature top-down decision making and communication strategies and a focus on ‘hard’ (physical) infrastructure. There is nothing about the importance of the ideas and communications originating from communities, the social infrastructure that supports their impact locally and their contribution to the central administration. In this study, we found that the ‘soft’ (social) infrastructure within communities and between communities and formal institutions is key to an inclusive and more equitable response to large-scale crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Grassroots leaders in six Toronto neighbourhoods were interviewed between the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto about what helped or hindered community action. Three themes emerged: (1) Grassroots leaders and community organizations were able to act as key connection points in a two-way flow of information and resources with residents and service providers; (2) Grassroots leaders and groups were challenged to engage in this work in a sustained capacity without adequate resourcing; and (3) there was a disconnect between community-centred grassroots approaches and the City's emergency response. We conclude that there needs to be pre-disaster investment in community level planning and preparation that fosters two-way connections between all municipal emergency/disaster and pandemic preparedness plans and community-centred organizations and grassroots leaders working in marginalized communities.

Translating the unspeakable: activist translation of sexuality into Chinese via social media

ABSTRACT Previous studies on the translation of sexuality into Chinese have been primarily limited to literary texts and scientific works. In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the fansubbing of queer audiovisual material into Chinese. Against the backdrop of a global digital expansion of feminist and LGBTQ+ activists, this paper examines the translation of sexuality via social media. It focuses on the translations of JoinFeminism and Zhihe Society, two grassroots groups committed to addressing gender and sexuality issues in China. This paper uses Gideon Toury’s translation norms to analyse how the two groups collectively highlight sexuality as a means of resisting the repression of sexuality in the mainstream media. Moreover, it investigates the implications of the groups’ gender-sensitive translation and discusses their creation of an alternative sexual discourse. Drawing on insights from various areas of study such as fansubbing, feminist/queer translation and citizen media, this paper argues that the two groups’ translations, as a form of self-mediation, contribute to a specific type of feminist/queer activism in China: one that is less obsessed with political rights, but uses translation and social media to disseminate knowledge related to sexual diversity and therefore to create an online counter-discourse on sexuality.

Social movements and digital media in the UK

Social movements and digital media in the <scp>UK</scp>

The representation of BAME communities in the Brexit resistance

On 23 June 2016 51.9% of UK voters opted to leave the European Union, but it did not deter remainers from setting up a myriad of pro-EU grassroots organisations to fight against such an unexpected outcome. However, it seems that they did not actively seek to recruit voters from ethnic minorities, and results revealed that a third of BAME voters endorsed Leave. The Brexit referendum campaign appeared to have been essentially led by white, middle-class activists, thus de facto excluding BAME individuals. Focusing on the Ethnic Minority for a People’s Vote campaign and on interviews with pro-EU local grassroots groups and activists, we shall ponder to what extent the remain campaign has mirrored the diversity of British society. Most importantly, this article will present an account of how anti-Brexit groups have been reflecting on the issue, some admitting that they “missed a trick”.

Issledovanie kommunikacionnoj politiki v oblasti sovremennoj muzykal'noj kul'tury v Kitae

Based on the “Culture in Ten Thousand Homes”promotion policy advocated by the Chinese government, we will consider and discuss in depth the demand for music and culture from the grassroots groups in China under the vision of network interaction and other issues that may arise from it.

Women and the Fight for Urban Change in Late Francoist Spain

Abstract This article explores how Spanish women formed grassroots groups to fight for the transformation of their neighbourhoods in the late 1950s and 1960s — the latter years of Francisco Franco’s dictatorship. In contrast to most histories of feminism, which focus on literate, secular groups in universities or the centres of cities, its subjects are activists based on the outskirts of Madrid and in the industrial areas of Asturias, many of whom were Catholic, came from rural areas and left school before the age of 14. Histories of feminism have tended to overlook completely movements in the southern European dictatorships, while accounts of modern Spain often see male politicians and experts as the driving forces shaping the built environment under Franco. But photographs, archival material and oral history interviews show that women demanded ‘cosas básicas’ (basic resources) on a widespread scale in Asturias and Madrid. They made these claims in the context of unprecedented internal migration, industrial unrest and the spread of social Catholic movements: factors often neglected in studies of social movements. The women involved have sometimes struggled, however, to take pride in their actions in later life. Patterns in their life stories suggest why, and offer insight into what agitating under Franco has meant for how they understand their lives, identities and relationships.

Resolusi Konflik Berbasis Teologi Baku Bae Ambon (1999-2002)

This paper aims to discuss the pattern of resolution of the Ambon conflict that occurred in 1999-2002 and was caused by various complex factors. This study offers a conflict resolution approach using the so-called BakuBae theology, which is based on religious values and local wisdom. In this qualitative research, the author deals with the theme from the perspectives of theology, history, and culture, and uses convergence as the theme point. This study found that the dynamics of the Ambon conflict had a multi-dimensional background (political, economic, social, and cultural). The pattern of conflict resolution using a top-down approach to the security aspect, namely the role of the TNI-Polri institutions, which tend to be repressive, has caused the division of social and religious identities between Salam-Sarane (Islam-Christian) in Ambon. This actually complicates the process of ending the conflict. On the other hand, the bottom-up approach of the BakuBae social movement has involved civil society and grassroots groups that play a significant role in conflict resolution. The program of BakuBae has become the right pattern for conflict resolution. The findings of BakuBae's work are the key to a solution to the conflict in Ambon.

Visualizing green capitalist renewable energy: Development and grassroots solar community alternatives in Puerto Rico

Abstract This article critiques industrial-scale solar energy development in Puerto Rico as a form of green capitalism that threatens the archipelago’s self-determination. Rather than uncritically embracing supposedly benign ‘green energy’ as necessary for advancing environmental, climate and energy justice, we argue that where, how and with whom this energy transformation takes place is crucial for calling attention to and challenging the continuance of inequitable and unjust power relations. To counter Puerto Rico’s ongoing exploitation as a ‘blank slate’ for development, we visually juxtapose the harms of industrial-scale solar ‘farms’ with distributed on-site, rooftop solar projects organized by grassroots group members in south-eastern Puerto Rico’s Jobos Bay region.

Achieving sustainable transformation in science - green grassroots groups need nurturing from the top.

Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time, and drastic climate action is needed urgently across industries and sectors to prevent the worst in terms of consequences. Although academic research brings great benefits to society, it leaves behind a considerable environmental footprint at the same time. This is particularly true for lab research within the life sciences. To reduce the climate impact of academic research, both bottom-up and top-down strategies are necessary. On the bottom-up side, 'green' grassroots groups are emerging in academia, but most institutions fail to nurture and harness their potential for driving change. We report findings from a survey of 63 such grassroots groups operating in academic environments, highlighting that their main challenges in making research more sustainable include lack of time, budget, involvement in management decisions and support from management. For the first time, we map the inception, goals and structure of green grassroots groups in academia and outline concrete steps in overcoming barriers to harvest their full potential, thus making academic research fit for the future.

A role for grassroots innovation toward agroecological transitions in the Global South? Evidence from Mexico

Recent research suggests that there is an urgent need to create transitions to agroecology to address the many ecological, social, and ethical problems caused by the hegemonic Corporate Food Regime. In the Global South, however, there are already numerous and diverse agroecological initiatives driven by peasant communities, indigenous peoples, and grassroots organizations. Although many agroecological innovations developed by such grassroots groups have been identified, they have seldom been analyzed under a specific theoretical framework of innovation (e.g., grassroots innovation). To contribute to this gap, in this paper we review the existing literature on agroecology that is concerned with innovation. Further, we analyze three case studies in Michoacán (Mexico) using two theoretical frameworks: grassroots innovation and transitions to sustainability. The cases illustrate different visions and ways of practicing agroecology, as well as the development of several agroecological innovations. Our study provides empirical evidence about the potential of grassroots groups in the Global South for creating innovations that can be useful in the transition to a more just and sustainable food regime based on agroecology. This evidence has important implications for policy making in agriculture, climate change and biocultural conservation.

Exploring Engaged Spirituality through Martial Arts

In this article, through a carnal and participant approach to ethnography, we consider the pedagogical repertoires of Boxe Popolare (a style of boxing codified by Italian leftist grassroots groups) and Odaka Yoga (an innovative type of postural yoga blended with martial arts elements). We provide a close reading of what we call the pedagogies of engagement cultivated by these two practices, appreciating how their underlying spiritual philosophies are internalized in self-reflective projects oriented towards societal transformation. Our analysis draws from Pierrre Bourdieu’s dispositional sociology and the concept of “body pedagogics”. With regards to this framework, we explore the physical-spiritual apprenticeship to Boxe Popolare and Odaka Yoga in relation to the rise of a series of engaged dispositions, which bring practitioners to conceive of their own transformation as a way to encourage social change and support social justice programmes. More specifically, we emphasize the ritual dimensions of these practices, their forms of commitment, and finally their ambivalences regarding contemporary neoliberal governmentality and societal transformation. We conclude by reflecting on how the neoliberal character of contemporary martial activities, too often simply assumed, is socially reproduced—in practice— via specific processes of knowledge transmission; and calling for more attention to the overlaps between different social fields.

Grassroots innovation for the pluriverse: evidence from Zapatismo and autonomous Zapatista education.

The social and environmental failure of successive Western development models imposed on the global South has led local communities to pursue alternatives to development. Such alternatives seek radical societal transformations that require the production of new knowledge, practices, technologies, and institutions that are effective to achieve more just and sustainable societies. We may think of such a production as innovation driven by social movements, organizations, collectives, indigenous peoples, and local communities. Innovation that is driven by such grassroots groups has been theorized in the academic literature as “grassroots innovation”. However, research on alternatives to development has rarely examined innovation using grassroots innovation as an analytical framework. Here, we assess how grassroots innovation may contribute to building alternatives to development using Zapatismo in Chiapas (Mexico) as a case study. We focus on grassroots innovation in autonomous Zapatista education because this alternative to formal education plays a vital role in knowledge generation and the production of new social practices within Zapatista communities, which underpin the radical societal transformation being built by Zapatismo. We reviewed the academic literature on grassroots innovation as well as gray literature and audiovisual media on Zapatismo and autonomous Zapatista education. We also conducted ethnographic fieldwork in a Zapatista community and its school. We found innovative educational, pedagogical, and teaching–learning practices based on the (re)production of knowledge and learning, which are not limited to the classroom but linked to all the activities of Zapatistas. Our findings suggest that innovation self-realized by Zapatistas plays a key role on the everyday construction of Zapatismo. Therefore, we argue that a specific theoretical framework of grassroots innovation for the pluriverse, based on empirical work carried out in different alternatives to development, is an urgent task that will contribute to a better understanding of how such alternatives grassroots groups imagine, design, and build, particularly across the global South.

Refugee-Led Organizations' Crisis Response during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Scholarship on disaster response and recovery has focused on local communities as crucial in developing and implementing timely, effective, and sustainable supports. Drawing from interviews with refugee leaders conducted during the spring and summer of 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examines crisis response activities of refugee-led grassroots groups, specifically within Bhutanese and Congolese refugee communities in a midwestern metropolitan area in the US resettlement context. Empirical findings illustrate how refugee-led groups provided case management, outreach, programming, and advocacy efforts to respond to the pandemic. These findings align with literature about community-based and strengths-based approaches to addressing challenges stemming from the pandemic. They also point to local embeddedness and flexibility as organizational characteristics that may have helped facilitate crisis response, thereby warranting reconsideration and re-envisioning of the role of refugee-led grassroots groups in crisis response.

Community climate resilience and environmental education: Opportunities and challenges for transformative learning

Grassroots initiatives towards climate resilience in cities are likely to embed environmental education practices with potential transformative impact among young people. Through interviews and document review, we examine two initiatives involving different non-formal educational actions in Barcelona: a civic ecology practice based on the community gardening of tree pits and an energy citizenship project with the school community. Despite their diverse nature and outcomes, these educational actions promoted by grassroots groups intend to boost young people’s critical reflection, responsibility, and agency for taking individual action towards more climate-resilient cities. However, connections between agency, empowerment and transformative learning become more challenging when translated to the collective. Limitations relate to the lack of effective engagement approaches that reinforce social connectedness and local identity, and insufficient evaluation strategies. By discussing these potentials and challenges, we shed light on the synergies concerning transformative learning between the fields of environmental education and urban community resilience.

Radical social innovations and the spatialities of grassroots activism: navigating pathways for tackling inequality and reinventing the commons

In this article, by drawing on empirical evidence from twelve case studies from nine countries from across the Global South and North, we ask how radical grassroots social innovations that are part of social movements and struggles can offer pathways for tackling socio-spatial and socio-environmental inequality and for reinventing the commons. We define radical grassroots social innovations as a set of practices initiated by formal or informal community-led initiatives or/and social movements which aim to generate novel, democratic, socially, spatially and environmentally just solutions to address social needs that are otherwise ignored or marginalised. To address our research questions, we draw on the work of Cindi Katz to explore how grassroots innovations relate to practices of resilience, reworking and resistance. We identify possibilities and limitations as well as patterns of spatial practices and pathways of re-scaling and radical praxis, uncovering broadly-shared resemblances across different places. Through this analysis we aim to make a twofold contribution to political ecology and human geography scholarship on grassroots radical activism, social innovation and the spatialities of resistance. First, to reveal the connections between social-environmental struggles, emerging grassroots innovations and broader structural factors that cause, enable or limit them. Second, to explore how grassroots radical innovations stemming from place-based community struggles can relate to resistance practices that would not only successfully oppose inequality and the withering of the commons in the short-term, but would also open long-term pathways to alternative modes of social organization, and a new commons, based on social needs and social rights that are currently unaddressed.