Mindful of the Future: Can political mindfulness help us build back better?

What’s on offer?

In this 1hr online event we will explore the potential role of mindfulness in helping to repair a highly divided political culture and address intensifying social, economic and sustainability issues. The event will include a short 'taster' mindfulness exercise, scene setting presentations from our experts in the organisational, social and political context of mindfulness followed by a facilitated audience discussion on key issues, such as:
-Can mindfulness inform behaviour change (towards sustainability)?
-How might mindfulness support organisational change, and wider democratic deliberation?
-Can mindfulness help us envisage new, more sustainable forms of society?
-How do we move from individual to collective forms of mindfulness? Do we need to?

What’s it about?

Mindfulness – the practice of cultivating attention to the present moment – is embedded across social life: from parenting, to work, health, education – and among political decision-makers. Critics argue that ‘McMindfulness’ is individualising, and encourages us to turn inward and away from addressing urgent social and political priorities. But others see potential for mindfulness in developing our capacities for civic engagement, problem solving and even imagining a better, sustainable world. This is sometimes called ‘political mindfulness’. In this online session, experts from the University of Birmingham and Paul Szumilewicz, Head of Transformation, Europe – HSBC, on mindfulness in organisations, communities and social action discuss its potential to help us ‘build back better’ after multiple social crises, setting the scene for audience discussion and debate.

Who’s leading the event?

Organisers:
Dr Will Leggett (University of Birmingham)
Dr Scott Taylor (University of Birmingham)

Speakers:
Paul Szumilewicz (HSBC)
Dr Rachel Lilley (University of Birmingham)

Open to

Everyone eligible

Of particular interest to

Those with an interest in mindfulness and politics