Connection and Community
The University of Wisconsin-Madison
Connection and Community emphasizes the necessity of connection and investigates how all life-forms are wired to connect, whether at a cellular level through our nerve cells, at a planetary level through the mycorrhizal network of hyphae connecting plant life or at an ecological systems level through water, nitrogen and carbon cycles. Connectivity is the basis for life on Earth; therefore, this course examines the benefits of community and the importance of knowing how to build and belong in ...
About this Course
This course helps us understand that community is essential for our well-being and that our mental resilience depends on a healthy sense of belonging and interconnectedness. As our societies become more vulnerable to climate and ecological collapse, community-led collective action that strengthens social and relational capital will be necessary for survival and to ensure belonging and informal social connectedness. These courses can help guide us through this time of uncertainty, look for the levers that can create systemic transformation, and embrace our roles in doing so. This work can feel lonely or isolating, but it does not have to be so. Each of us is situated to contribute to the systemic transformation that must occur in our human systems to rebalance the Earth's ecological systems. And if we connect with one another, we can multiply our impact exponentially.
What You'll Learn
- Recognize how all life forms crave connection
- Reflect on how community is at the heart of fixing many of our social, environmental and climate root causes
- Explore the balance between reducing distress and centering joy as part of building your resilience, and assess how that sustains you for the path ahead
- Work with exercises and journaling prompts to shift from analysis to action and practice to embodiment
Instructors
Dekila Chungyalpa
Director