Welcome to the SPA Resources and Blog page. Here we have blogs, vlogs, links, statements, articles and ideas building up. Let us know what you need more of (or less of!).
The objective of SPA is to get to a healthy, happy society with equal opportunities for all. Much to do then! Most requests for information and understanding are currently around the social philosophy of ‘Diversity and Inclusion’ or ‘DEIB’ (etc), where we critique both poles of recent arguments and end up as what we call ‘Radical Moderates’!
We write from a perspective informed by many things including literacy in critical thinking, liberal (enlightenment/objective) and critical (post-modern/subjective) approaches, economics, statistics and religious traditions. We hope you find it helpful. Contact us with any question or need.
Subscribe to Social Philosophy Analysis on Substack – Making sense of what’s happening
Here is an interesting piece by Ben Appel showing some of the current tensions between extreme religion, gay rights and trans gender-affirming politics. It’s useful to make us consider where we sit on a map of interlocking priorities when considering, rejecting or endorsing public policy. While this and other topics
King Charles’ Coronation today is an amazing education or reminder of how the British Constitution is knit together, along with the Commonwealth, as a complex tapestry, forming over time the culture and structure within which we live. Magna Carta over 800 years ago was huge, the start of commoners’ individual
Staying grounded when the temptation to conform to narratives is overwhelming Gems from Steven J Lawrence, 27 December 2022 Steven is a very thoughtful USA writer on modern social philosophy. He presented (as did I) at the 2022 Counterweight Conference (online but based in London). Here are some gems from
Robin DiAngelo published White Fragility in 2018. It was notable amongst other things by the willingness to dispense NLP101’s caution about ‘generalisations, omissions and distortions’ and to explicitly generalise about ‘white people’, based on the invisible power and unconsciousness of systems. Amiel Handelsman writes the best review I’ve seen on
I was a co-speaker with Amiel at an online Conference (not that we’ve met, but we exchanged emails after). He’s brilliant at being a Radical Moderate in the Culture Wars. Here Amiel provides a very intelligent, sensitive review of Ibram X. Kendi’s How to be an Antiracist. Read the review and
My Church put out a post about Diversity and Inclusion here. Some practical points I’ve added for workplace leadership are written under the graphics. In 1. Looking for commonality can lead to a greater sense of psychological safety but can also create a narrower focus and group-think. So 1. needs
Colin really goes off on one! Here he writes a kind of poem, a dystopian allegory for students of post-modernism and neo-marxism. Written to Executive Coaching Supervisors, it’s a warning about how our minds can get warped and seduced by ego and narcissistic open-mindedness. But it can mean many different
If you are trying to understand what’s right, wrong, good and bad about modern social equity philosophy, here’s a nice piece from David Honeg and Steven Lawrence. It looks at the USA history of racist policy and its effects today. It also looks at how we need thoughtful policy as
Values is Paramount – but Perception comes first! (and is circular).
We think we live by our Values. Well, we don’t quite! I think is it laudable and very helpful to identify your Values and try to live them (personally or as an organisation).
A Good D&I policy probably does not use the terms Diversity or Inclusion!
Why Diversity and Inclusion are impossible terms!
How to rescue your organisation from either pole of D&I. If your organisation has been hijacked by either pole of D&I, first talk to a trusted friend or expert, to check your thinking. Triangulation of thoughts is useful. Then identify a trusted leader in the organisation. Share your concern without becoming polarised yourself.
The downsides of applying Applied Critical Theory/Critical Social Justice in your organisation. If we want to be critical of what Applied Critical Social Justice (eg Critical-Theory-based Diversity, Equality and Inclusion policies) can do in your organisation, here is the most clear and articulate explanation of the potential of Cultural Marxist goals of Applied Critical Theory that I have seen.
Beware the ‘Marketplace of Ideas’ in generating fairness, and find out why. In a meeting I attended last week, the ‘Marketplace of Ideas’ was used as a Classical Liberal defence and retort to Critical Theorists when the latter asset their theory of Critical Consciousness and Social Change. The Classical Liberals say, in effect – “Let a thousand flowers bloom, and the best ideas will come to the surface” But I sympathise with the criticism of this for two key reasons:
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