Best of Communities V - Consensus

Best of Communities Magazine

Communities magazine is the leading publication for all topics related to intentional community. From the broad-stroked overviews to the intimate details, this quarterly publication covers it all. With so much content to explore, we’ve distilled it into a single compilation!

Volume V – Consensus

Consensus is a decision-making process based on the notion that it’s better to cooperate than compete. But accepting that notion isn’t enough to guarantee that you’ll remember it in the heat of the moment. When someone disagrees strongly with something that matters a great deal to you, will you respond with curiosity or a clenched jaw?

The following 17 articles will give you an excellent overview of the road to cooperative culture through consensus, along with warnings about some of the more common potholes you’re likely to encounter along the way.

You will recognize authors leading the intentional community movement, representing cutting-edge thinking and how-to explorations of the social, ecological, and economic aspects of sustainable living.

Volume I includes the following articles:

1. Consensus Basics by Tree Bressen, Directory 2000
2. 12 Myths of Consensus by Betty Didcoct and Paul DeLapa, #109
3. Building Creative Agreements: Using Dynamic Consensus to Empower Ourselves by Betty Didcoct and Paul DeLapa, #109
4. True Consensus, False Consensus by Bea Briggs, (including Doctor Ike’s Magical Cup O’ Facilitation, Luc Reid and Exploiting Community for Personal Gain), #113
5. Who SaysWe Can’t Consense to Vote? by Shari Leach,#113
6. When and Why to Block Consensus by Tree Bressen, #122
7. Blocking Made Easy (or at Least Easier): Taking a Look at the Dynamics of Dissent by Laird Schaub, #119
8. When Someone Blocks Far Too Frequently by Caroline Estes, Laird Schaub, Beatrice Briggs, Tree Bressen, #136
9. When We Should Use “Blocking Power” by Caroline Estes, Beatrice Briggs,Tree Bressen, Karl Steyaert, #133
10. Preventing “Tyranny of the Minority” by Laird Schaub, Beatrice Briggs, Tree Bressen, by #137
11. Dysfunctional Consensus—And What You Can Do About It by Rob Sandelin, #110
12. Doing the Heavy Lifting on Affordability by Laird Schaub, #155
13. Busting the Myth that Consensus-with-Unanimity Is Good for Communities, Part I by Diana Leafe Christian, #155
14. “Busting the Myth:” How Consensus Can Work by Laird Schaub, #155
15. Busting the Myth, or Changing the Terms? by Tree Bressen, #155
16. Thinking Flexibly about Consensus by Tim Hartnett, Ph.D., #157
17. How the “N Street Consensus Method” Helps N Street Cohousing Thrive by Diana Leafe Christian, #157

You can have ALL the BEST

Volume V is part of a 15-volume compilation of the Best of Communities magazine. The set includes over 200 articles about intentional communities from the 1990’s and 2000’s. Purchase the entire set and save!

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