Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds

Biomimicry refers to the practice of imitating and learning from nature’s designs, processes, and systems to solve human problems and create sustainable solutions. It is a key part of brown’s emergent strategy framework, as the principles and elements are all grounded in qualities observed in the natural world.

In the context of social movements and organizing, the concept of critical mass relates to the sufficient number of something needed to complete a certain goal. It may relate to the minimum number of voters, signatures, volunteers, or attendees needed for a specific political outcome to be achieved, for example. brown argues against prioritizing critical mass in social movements and instead calls attention to the need for critical connections.

brown uses the definition of “emergence” that author and speaker Nick Obolensky provides, which emphasizes the power of small, interconnected actions in creating transformative change. It acknowledges the limitations of rigid control and suggests that meaningful social shifts can arise organically from interactions and relationships. In social justice work, emergence encourages decentralized decision-making, collaboration, and adaptability. By nurturing connections, social movement members can collectively navigate and shape the changes they envision.