The conversation topics often were, but listening and learning from others was not. At our discussion circles, we've seated powerful business people next to the homeless and disenfranchised, and activists next to academics, and we have born witness to the change that has occurred. We've hosted South African exiles who were once labeled 'terrorists' in their own country and who later became leaders of that country. We've seen Catholics and Protestants from Northern Ireland sit down together and discuss their shared hope for peace. Global Citizens Circle has for over four decades brought together diverse groups of people for challenging discussions on issues ranging from conflict resolution and reconciliation to education reform and economic equality. It is the art of principled compromise that has the power to create a more lasting change. We needn't concede those points that define our values but find ways to work together towards positive change that reflects our shared values. And if we are willing to do that, we can find those points of agreement and come together on them.

If we truly want to be a participant in real change, we cannot stop at acceptance, but we must have conversations that push and pull, that asks us to give and take. When we listen respectfully to others who have different opinions and life experiences than our own, we take the first step in listening we accept that there are myriad perspectives and points of view on most issues of concern. Change Begins With How and When We Interact With Others I'd like to suggest that it's not that hard if we begin at the most basic level, that of relationship building. You may think that's great, but wonder why you should care, why you should take time out of your incredibly busy schedule to take action and more importantly, how you can even go about helping to create positive social change.

These are lofty goals to be sure, and they demand our constant attention and unrestricted imagination to envision a better world. SCI exercises its influence by bringing together social activists with philanthropists around the world. GCC does it through discussion among people of diverse opinions and backgrounds. SNHU does it by offering affordable and innovative educational social science degree programs online and similar campus majors, and now even in refugee camps in Africa. We may exercise our power to influence change in different ways. I imagine that our partner and host institution, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), also thinks about this question on a daily basis as it seeks to 'transform the lives of students.' And surely, our Belfast-based partner, The Social Change Initiative (SCI), thinks about it as it strives 'to improve the effectiveness of activism for progressive social change.' We, all three institutions, care and understand that we can influence social change for the better. What matters is that the phrase begs the question, what kind of change do we wish to see in the world?Īs executive director of the 43+-year-old nonprofit, Global Citizens Circle (GCC), I think about this question every day as I work to carry forward the mission of the organization to foster constructive change in our communities, our nation and our world. It is the extent to which we care about the direction of social change that we can try to shape it and help to create the kind of 'change we wish to see in the world.' Whether or not Gandhi actually uttered these words doesn't matter. While we accept that change is constant, we do not have to accept that we are powerless in its wake. What interests me, and what I hope interests you, is our collective power to influence social change. Relationships have changed, institutions have changed, and cultural norms have changed as a result of these social change movements. Well known examples of such change have resulted from social movements in civil rights, women's rights, and LBGTQ rights, to name just a few. These changes occur over time and often have profound and long-term consequences for society. Sociologists define social change as changes in human interactions and relationships that transform cultural and social institutions. We accept change as inevitable, and it is, end of story, right? Well, not exactly. Social change is a concept many of us take for granted or don't really even understand. Tuition & Financial Aid Tuition & Financial Aid.

Transform science definition