Integral Green Slovenia

Ronnie Lessem and Alexander Schieffer's Integral Green Society and Economy series has three overarching aims. The first is to link together two major movements of our time, one philosophical, the other practical. The philosophical movement is towards what many today are calling an 'integral' age, while the practical is the 'green' movement, duly aligned with that of sustainable development. The second is to blend together elements of nature and community, culture and spirituality, science and technology, politics and economics, thus serving to bring about an 'integral green' vision, albeit with a focus on business and economics. As such, the authors transcend the limitations to sustainable development and environmental economics, which are overly ecological, if not also technological, in orientation, and exclude social and cultural elements. Thirdly, this particular volume, with Darja Piciga, focuses specifically on Slovenia, as well as on Europe generally, drawing on the particular issues and capacities that this country and continent represents, particularly for sustainable development and social knowledge-based economy. The emphasis on Slovenia arose, not only because it lies at the heart of Europe, but because a specific movement for an Integral Green Slovenian Society and Economy, has been co-evolved there, by the three editors in conjunction with Slovene organisations, communities and movements, with a view to integrating existing and emerging knowledge resources, initiatives and practices into a model, as an alternative to austerity, for Slovenia and other European countries.

Ronnie Lessem and Alexander Schieffer's Integral Green Society and Economy series has three overarching aims. The first is to link together two major movements of our time, one philosophical, the other practical. The philosophical movement is towards what many today are calling an 'integral' age, while the practical is the 'green' movement, duly aligned with that of sustainable development. The second is to blend together elements of nature and community, culture and spirituality, science and technology, politics and economics, thus serving to bring about an 'integral green' vision, albeit with a focus on business and economics. As such, the authors transcend the limitations to sustainable development and environmental economics, which are overly ecological, if not also technological, in orientation, and exclude social and cultural elements. Thirdly, this particular volume, with Darja Piciga, focuses specifically on Slovenia, as well as on Europe generally, drawing on the particular issues and capacities that this country and continent represents, particularly for sustainable development and social knowledge-based economy. The emphasis on Slovenia arose, not only because it lies at the heart of Europe, but because a specific movement for an Integral Green Slovenian Society and Economy, has been co-evolved there, by the three editors in conjunction with Slovene organisations, communities and movements, with a view to integrating existing and emerging knowledge resources, initiatives and practices into a model, as an alternative to austerity, for Slovenia and other European countries.

In 2010 Ronnie Lessem and Alexander Schieffer published their seminal work on Integral Research and Innovation, whereby they identified the four R’s; relational and renewal, reason and realization based research paths that altogether encompass the major qualitative research methods and methodologies. Within each path they identified a trajectory from origination to transformation via foundation and emancipation. However these paths, underlying the research process, conventionally termed 'method', were disconnected from the integral economic and enterprise content, conventionally termed 'literature', with which they were concerned. In this book, Integral Renewal they seek to remedy such, in two major respects. As transformative masters and PhD programs are focused on the 'Global South', where the vast majority of the world’s population is based, as well as those developmental agencies focused on such, the great majority of the people with whom the authors deal select the relational research path, and the path of renewal, over and above the paths of reason and realization. The focus of this book will be on these two paths of integral research, now interconnected with integral enterprise and economics. Uniquely, the authors pursue research and innovation in a systematic way. In that respect, while their prior Integral Research book still provides the research foundation for the four southern and eastern, northern and western paths, this book will focus on the former two relational (southern) and renewal (eastern) from the combined perspectives of research process and economic and enterprise content.

Releasing the genius of an individual, an enterprise and a society is a central pre-occupation of the contemporary business environment. A fascinating approach to how we can begin to tackle this challenge is presented by the authors of Integral Polity. Integral spirituality, integral philosophy and the integral age, at an overall or holistic level of consciousness, has therefore become a strong enough idea to form the genesis of a movement over the course of the last half century. Taking as a starting point the ground-breaking work of the Trans4m Centre for Integral Development this book applies such an ’integral’ notion to the realms of business, economics and enterprise. To be successful, an integral approach must recognise the nuances of its environment - an integral approach in India is different from that in Indonesia, or Iceland, and they may in fact complement rather than conflict. Therefore this book also provides a fascinating alignment of such ’integrality’ with, and between different ’southern’ and ’eastern’, ’northern’ and ’western’ worlds. Using case studies ranging across the globe this review of a newly integral theory and practice provides a new lease of life to what may increasingly be perceived as the self-seeking, insulated and occasionally violent and corrupt, realm of the political.

In 2010 Ronnie Lessem and Alexander Schieffer published their seminal work on Integral Research and Innovation, whereby they identified the four R’s; relational and renewal, reason and realization based research paths that altogether encompass the major qualitative research methods and methodologies. Within each path they identified a trajectory from origination to transformation via foundation and emancipation. However these paths, underlying the research process, conventionally termed 'method', were disconnected from the integral economic and enterprise content, conventionally termed 'literature', with which they were concerned. In this book, Integral Renewal they seek to remedy such, in two major respects. As transformative masters and PhD programs are focused on the 'Global South', where the vast majority of the world’s population is based, as well as those developmental agencies focused on such, the great majority of the people with whom the authors deal select the relational research path, and the path of renewal, over and above the paths of reason and realization. The focus of this book will be on these two paths of integral research, now interconnected with integral enterprise and economics. Uniquely, the authors pursue research and innovation in a systematic way. In that respect, while their prior Integral Research book still provides the research foundation for the four southern and eastern, northern and western paths, this book will focus on the former two relational (southern) and renewal (eastern) from the combined perspectives of research process and economic and enterprise content.

Chapter 10: Emerging: organizational learning and development -- Introduction: grounding individual, enterprise and societal renewal -- MedLabs: an unfolding enterprise story, by Manar Al Nimer -- MedLabs as a developing organization -- Conclusion: pioneering, differentiation and integration -- References -- Chapter 11: Effecting: embodying inter-institutional genealogy -- Introduction: institutionalize development -- Start CSAL with nature and community -- Local-global museum as sanctuary -- Towards a research academy -- Genealogical laboratory -- Conclusion: nature reserve, museum, university, laboratory -- References -- Chapter 12: Navigating: integral society -- Introduction: European Community -- The identity of Slovenia: European sanctuary -- Social science and technology: an emerging research university -- Conclusion: towards an integral economic laboratory -- References -- Epilogue: CARE-ful self-assessment -- ReLational Communal activation GENE -- ReLational Awakening of integral consciousness GENE -- ReLationally innovation driven institutionalized Research GENE -- ReLational Embodiment of integral development GENE -- ReNewing Communal activation GENE -- ReNewed Awakening of integral consciousness GENE -- ReNewed Embodiment of integral development GENE -- ReNewed innovation driven institutionalized Research GENE -- ReaSoned realization of Communal activation GENE -- ReaSoned realization of Awakened integral consciousness GENE -- ReaSoned realization of Innovation driven Research GENE -- ReaSoned Embodiment of integral development GENE -- Index

ReNewed Innovation Driven Institutionalized Research GENE -- ReaSoned realization of Communal activation GENE -- ReaSoned realization of Awakened integral consciousness GENE -- ReaSoned realization of Innovation Driven Research GENE -- Index.

Alexander Schieffer and Ronnie Lessem introduce a groundbreaking development framework and process to address the most burning issues that humanity faces. While conventional top-down, outside-in development has reached a cul-de-sac, a new, integral form of development is emerging around the world. Integral Development uniquely articulates this emergent approach, and invites us to fully participate in this process. The integral approach has been researched and framed over decades of in-depth experience in transformative development education and practice all over the world. It uniquely combines four mutually reinforcing perspectives: nature and community; culture and spirituality; science, systems and technology; and enterprise and economics. Conventional development theory and practice has prioritized the latter two perspectives, neglecting the former two. This has caused massive imbalances in today’s world. The four interconnected perspectives allow for a transformative and integrated engagement with core development issues in a way that is locally relevant and globally resonant. Throughout, the practical impact of Integral Development is brought to life through highly innovative cases from around the globe, drawing on the authors` first-hand experience. This makes the book a living demonstration of the power of this pioneering approach. Integral Development shows how individual, organizational and societal developments need to be interconnected to release a society’s full potential. It shifts the responsibility for large-scale development from often-distant experts and organizations to each individual, community, enterprise and institution within the society. It is essential reading - and a call to action - for everyone concerned with the current state of local and global development.