From the Publisher
"It's not easy to meld a sweeping vision with practical steps on how to implement it, but Starhawk has succeeded brilliantly in The Empowerment Manual . Filled with case histories, illustrative stories, and, most importantly, clearly written exercises for honing your collaborative skills, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in building community and truly empowering themselves and others." — Toby Hemenway, author, Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture
"True social change is a collaborative art. Here's a trove of tips, guidelines, deft strategies and open secrets, that will speed and ease our capacity to work together. It comes to us with Starhawk's signature blend of vast experience, wit, and love for life." — Joanna Macy, author, The Work that Reconnects and co-author, Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We're In Without Going Crazy
"This new book, The Empowerment Manual: A Guide for Collaborative Groups , is Starhawk at her best — wise woman elder, articulate thinker and witty writer, experienced leader and fierce guardian of the planet. This is the how-to we've been needing, an eloquent and thoughtful handbook of intelligent advice detailing exactly how to bring the principles of cooperation, caring, and democratic sustainability fully into living practice. Extremely well done!" — Vicki Noble, co-creator of Motherpeace , author of Shakti Woman and The Double Goddess
" The Empowerment Manual is truly a guide to ensure the survival of those of us who us who are struggling to work collaboratively. It sheds a light on those dark corners of group dynamics that can leave us confused and disheartened. Starhawk gives us the tools to be the change we want to bring to the world." — Donna Read, documentary filmmaker. www.belili.org
"A "must have" for everyone who lives in an ecovillage or intentional community (or who would like to), The Empowerment Manual offers real-life examples, effective process exercises, and relevant, practical advice on group dynamics arising from Starhawk's years of experience in collaborative groups. I especially loved the right-on examination of earned and un-earned social power, balancing the power-sharing with fairly rewarding leadership, and Starhawk's often hilarious account of the invented but oh-so-real Rootbound Ecovillage. I'm giving a copy to everyone who takes my workshops!" — Diana Leafe Christian, author, Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities and Finding Community , and publisher, Ecovillages newsletter
"A vitally important manual for those of us stepping forward to build resilient communities together. Starhawk's book should be kept close at hand and referred to before meetings, group decisions and when dealing with difficult people. Rich in how-to's and real life experience, this book will make the novice proficient as its methods are put into practice." — Carolyne Stayton, Executive Director, Transition US www.transitionus.org
"With The Empowerment Manual Starhawk has delivered a work of timely vision with instant practical impact. Good people, leaders, communitarians, and activists of every kind have been needing the help that this work brings just in time. For too long we have been hitting our heads against the wall, trying to find ways to be more effective, as various external and internal challenges have often unmade our successes. This manual will help us refocus, grow together, and be best prepared." — Mark Lakeman, Founder, The City Repair Project
