Prefiguring Social Action Inquiry Residency

Network coordinators Lewis Hou and Lauren Pyott took part in the Edge of Tomorrow residency, on the theme of ‘prefiguring social action’. This was co-hosted by the Oasis Foundation and the Social Action Inquiry, ahead of their end of project celebration and launch of their toolkit in December of 2024. The residency brought together change makers from across Scotland (and further afield) to collectively think about what system change might look and feel like, and about what may be on the brink of emergence for the systems of tomorrow.

With inspiration from the Social Action Inquiry’s own learnings – encouraging time to reflect, time to relate, time to trust and time to heal – we explored what might be ‘prefiguring’ or emerging for us beneath the surface and how different ways of thinking about systems change may be possible or necessary.

What are the conditions necessary for creating systemic change? How do we move to a new system (or systems) when we are all so deeply embedded in the existing one(s), and when they are within us all? How do we address the ‘apocalyptic urgency’ and the need for change, that drives so much of our social action, whilst giving space for learning, relating and healing? 

The conversations, connections and reflections from this residency have given us much food for thought as we plan and start the next phase of the Community Knowledge Matters network programme, especially as we move further towards our own collective advocacy and policy influencing work together. We look forward to sharing more of this learning with you all in the months ahead. 

Many thanks to the Oasis Foundation for enabling Lewis and Lauren to attend through a bursary.