together - booklet to form affinity groups
Hello Everybody, Dear all,
Why do we provide you with an affinity group booklet?
We don’t know if you have in your context or in your country similiar experiences like we have identified in our context in Germany. We have recently got the the impression that at demonstrations and other political events there were quiet a few people on their own without a group or friends. There seems to be these people have only little information, for example, it seems that they don’t know our legal support structure (EA – Ermittlungsausschuß see glossary), or they aimlessly run around and do often run away in panic.
We don’t know whether you have similar experiences but we ask as what we can do to improve this situation. Our idea was to prepare a booklet with reports about experiences that we requested from our friends and some political acting groups. Our intention with this booklet is to prompt political activists and participants in demonstration and action to form infinity groups. Our motto: “Achieve More Together – Form affinity Groups” received a huge echo. First there were different voices: What do you mean by: Form affinity groups? We do this, that is clear, why should we discuss it? Others greeted the idea: We urgently need it especially in regard to the G8 summit!
We dared to work on a booklet that obviously doesn’t answer all questions but hopefully will start a controverse and fruitful discussion. We hope this booklet encourages to think about doing more together and to form affinity groups.
Download: http://gipfelsoli.org/rcms_repos/Tools/together_engl.pdf
Form affinity Groups – Achieve More Together!
We were and we are organised in different affinity groups und we are not speaking with one voice. We haven’t got a definition what exactly an infinity group is and how it should act, we only point out some ideas how it could be organised and what should be taken in consideration to our point of view. In your context you might identify that your group has a different explanation and would like to act differently.
We tried to point out most of the thoughts and ideas that crossed our minds and were discussed among us and we would like to suggest to form infinity groups, to act with others if it is possible in a hierarchy free environment. There are no over all working recipes or regulations and we know that this booklet can only be a beginning.
Your actions, your plans and your positions are your decision. What are you doing where you are participating in you should decide together. In our opinion an infinity group is a good basis to be politically active together. But, as we have not always the same opinions, we hope, that a lot of you can find suggestions and give us your criticism! This booklet is for rummage, reading, leafing …. and not a textbook to work in from one chapter to the other – because this doesn’t work.
In the international context we would like to ask you for your experiences in your context, in your country and we are very glad when you send us your opinions: bezugsgruppenreader@web.de
Furthermore you can find a file (pdf) for printing this booklet in German and English: www.gipfelsoli.org We wish you a lot of fun, we see us in Heiligendamm or somewhere else “on the barricades”.
Your " Zusammen mehr erreichen" (Achieve More Together) – editorial group
Contents:
to form gangs
a recipe for 5-16 people or: “Is there a construction kit for affinity groups?” affinity groups
Possibilities to make a (quick) decision
preparation and debriefing
Legalteam
affinity groups within large groups
Pressure to perform
out of action – emotional support
glossary
Download: http://gipfelsoli.org/rcms_repos/Tools/together_engl.pdf
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