C.T. Lawrence Butler; Occupy Wall Street Working Group
Object Type
Flyers and Handouts
Description
This flowchart explains how consensus based decision making operated at Zuccotti. A critical perspective might question the degree to which real consensus was achievable among crowds that sometimes numbered in the thousands—in particular, when communication sometimes relied upon "the people's mic" which was not always clear or accurate. Nevertheless, organizers affirmed that consensus decision making was a key part of Occupy's horizontal structure. It was understood that consensus based decision making would likely be a new concept to many protestors joining the movement. Handouts such as this one helped introduce concepts like consensus to a wide audience.
Image Description
This flowchart, authored by C.T. Lawrence Butler and coming from a source called consensus.net, explains how consensus based decision making works. The flow chart is broken into three main sections 1. Identify Values 2. Identify Concerns 3. Resolve Concerns. The flowchart suggests that a facilitator is meant to explain the process, present the issue, and ask questions to clarify. There is a marking in the lower right-hand corner that reads "Revised 06/2011." The sheet of paper shows crease marks that suggest use by an on-the-ground activist at Occupy.
Citation
Consensus decision making flowchart, circa 2011-2012; TAM.630 Occupy Wall Street Archives Working Group Records; box 36, folder 11; Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives, New York University