Politics & Governance
Discovering Lovingkindness in US Politics and Government
Politics with Integrity, Government with Compassion
What this course is about
The title is a description, not a slogan. Lovingkindness can be built into the way politics and government actually work, and this course shows how.
Unitive Justice offers a different architecture. Fourteen structures found in every punitive system are each paired with a unitive structure that can replace it. The movement from one structure to its counterpart is called an Arc. Together, the 14 Arcs form a map for system change — one that applies at every scale of US politics and government, from a local body to a legislature, a state, a nation.
The course also examines something rarely noticed: every system carries its own language, and it is the combination of structure and language that has sustained punitive justice for thousands of years, but without us being aware of what or how that was happening. That same combination is what makes lovingkindness foundational in unitive systems, but now as a conscious choice.
The course is offered in two levels, taken one level at a time. Level I covers Arcs 1 through 7. Level II covers Arcs 8 through 14. Each level has ten lessons.
Who this course is for
This course is for anyone who wants a practical understanding of how political and governmental systems can change — voters, public servants, organizers, educators, faith communities, and those who have grown weary of what politics has become and want to do something about it. The course teaches how lovingkindness can be foundational in US politics and government. No prior knowledge of or experience with Unitive Justice is required. This powerful course never mentions Democrats, Republicans or Independents or the name of any president—it transcends the divisiveness those categories evoke to discover our common ground and shared humanity.
Two ways to take it: Study Group and Self-Directed
The course is available to study groups of 6 to 12 people led by a volunteer course leader, and as a self-directed course for individuals.
Course formats
✦ Volunteer-Led Study Group
✦ Self-Directed Study
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