The Global Justice Program at the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley examines and exposes the structures that contribute to the marginalization of communities within the United States and globally, and envisions ways of dismantling such structures to advance an inclusive, just, and sustainable world.
The Global South Lab (GSL): Past, Present, and Future of Worldmaking project fills a gap in our understanding, knowledge, and contributions of the Global South as a co-creator of the visions of the world we want to see.”
The Global South is home to more than 85% of the world's population and has unmatched cultural, social, polity, and natural diversity. Yet, most of its aspirations and experiences are excluded and marginalized from the familiar global narrative and aspects of worldmaking.
Despite significant progress in articulating and pursuing aspirations for equality and rights-based practices, the rates of social, economic, and political othering and humanitarian and environmental crises are rapidly increasing globally. This creates an unequal and unsustainable world that demands immediate attention and action. The unipolarity of contemporary architecture of socio-political and economic global institutions resembles an entrenched yet prejudiced system that continues to lead us and our planet toward painful catastrophes. Its operational framework — a Rules-Based International Order — is a source of many global sociopolitical ills, including the marginalization and othering of swaths of people, geographies, and the natural world. These multiple crises must be faced head-on to save our existence and the natural world. However, responding to constant crises requires a different approach and imagination grounded in collective action to reform current global institutions or develop new ones. Such work necessitates new global narratives, strategies, and actions that are inclusive of all.
Thus, we ask: Can we envision a world where the historical and contemporary experiences and imaginations of all peoples and regions are integrated, giving rise to actionable visions that shape today's and tomorrow's global governance? A vision of the world that supports a responsible and genuine multi-polar world that opposes feigned and malignant multipolarity of climate disasters, nuclear proliferation, authoritarianism, exploitation, and othering. Answering this question is not merely a theoretical exercise but a practical step towards improving people's lives worldwide and preserving our planet. However, to start, we must know each other’s historical and contemporary experiences and imaginations to answer such an inquiry.
Project Goal
The GSL's unique role in reshaping global narratives is underscored by its approach as a hub for knowledge and various activities. This approach brings together historical endeavors, current sociopolitical developments, and future visions from the perspective of social actors and civic institutions in the Global South. By amplifying the voices and experiences of the Global South, the GSL has the potential to challenge and transform the current global narrative, offering a more inclusive and equitable perspective.
Project Objectives
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Engagements and Learnings - We understand that the first step in building trust and relations is getting to know each other (bridging). The GSL activities will facilitate this large-scale bridging by facilitating global conversations that enable us to engage with various social actors and institutions in the Global South, building relationships, amplifying knowledge, and developing strategies for a world of mutual respect and belonging.
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Praxies and Narratives - The GSL aims to serve as a hub for developing inclusive and translatable global narratives that inspire people and civic institutions toward a shared vision of the future, one where we all belong, including the natural world. As such, the GSL will serve as a meeting point for departure to build broad, lasting, transregional, and transitional strategies across sectors, capable of realizing the work of belonging.
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Incubator for Collaborations - The GSL's ultimate goal is to be an incubator for global solidarity and various collaborations. Partnering with Global South civil society organizations, social movements, and social actors, among other entities, to facilitate regional conversations across sectors and geographies to share novel practices and learning and assess actionable strategies. The aim is to build multiple global hubs based on mutual understanding and trust for future collaborations
