World Affairs Archives – Integral Life

Mapping an Ecology of Integrative Approaches to Addressing the Metacrisis

Brandon Nørgaard — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 09:08:16 +0000

IAM scholars Brandon Norgaard, Nicholas Hedlund, PhD, and Claudia Meglin provide a sweeping (albeit provisional) cartography of emergent frameworks rooted in an “Integrative Worldview“—ranging from metamodernism and integral theory to systems science, process philosophy, and critical realism—that are converging around a shared impulse to address the root causes of our civilizational predicament.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Integral Democratic Inclusivity: A New Vision of Human Rights

Mark Fischler — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 17:52:04 +0000

Law professor and integral scholar Mark Fischler argues that American courts remain trapped in a binary approach to rights — a structure that cannot meet the complexity of today’s pluralistic society. Drawing on the example of Roe v. Wade, comparative legal models, and integral theory, he proposes a new legal paradigm — Integral Democratic Inclusivity — capable of honoring multiple rights and fostering a more inclusive, evolving vision of justice.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

How the Metacrisis is Birthing the New Human

Nicholas Hedlund — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:41:06 +0000

Nick Hedlund introduces Visionary Realism, a synthesis of Integral Theory and Critical Realism that addresses the root causes of our global Metacrisis. Rather than offering surface-level solutions, he invites us to align with the deeper structure of reality through aletheic resonance — a participatory, reverent way of knowing that may be key to the emergence of a new kind of human.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Why Philanthropy Is the Most Powerful Lever for Systemic Change

Josh Leonard — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 18:39:49 +0000

This episode introduces a groundbreaking developmental map of philanthropy, revealing how the field is evolving from strategic rigor to empowerment-driven justice — and now toward a new paradigm of integrative systems change. Josh Leonard and Robb Smith explore how philanthropic institutions hold the unique freedom and leverage to become civilization’s steering mechanism, capable of addressing root causes rather than symptoms in the age of the metacrisis.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Terminal Crisis: The Economic World War Has Begun

Robb Smith — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 19:14:48 +0000

The global system isn’t collapsing — it’s transforming. In this urgent episode, Robb Smith reveals why the U.S. is facing a historic terminal crisis, what comes next in the 700-year cycle of capital accumulation, and how a new world order — or global anarchy — is already taking shape.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Polarization and the Algorithmic Undertow: Integral and Critical Realist Perspectives

Bruce Alderman — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 19:28:36 +0000

Bruce Alderman explores how our rapid transition into a globally networked information environment has created unprecedented challenges for human cognition, social cohesion, and collective meaning-making and sensemaking.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Overflowing Purpose: An Inside Look

Integral Life — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 19:44:31 +0000

In this short 14-minute video, we give you an exclusive inside look at Overflowing Purpose, a transformative new course that brings together renowned thinkers like Ken Wilber, John Vervaeke, Robb Smith, Cindy Wigglesworth, Gail Hochachka, Peter Merry, Greg Thomas, and others to address the complex challenges of our time — and your unique role in meeting those challenges.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Polarity Politics and the 2024 Election

Corey deVos — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 01:21:21 +0000

Corey deVos and Mark Fischler explore the complexities of the 2024 U.S. presidential election through an integral lens, offering insights into how political polarization is shaped by systemic structures, and how these structures influence our individual psyches and sense-making. They introduce practical approaches for navigating political polarities, recognizing personal and collective shadows, and engaging in more nuanced political discourse.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Faces of X: Making Peace with the Culture War

Corey deVos — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 20:15:31 +0000

Stephanie Lepp talks with Corey deVos about her Faces of X project, which models how we can transcend culture wars by integrating opposing perspectives. The discussion explores how the polarization we see in society mirrors unresolved polarities within ourselves, and emphasizes the need for both personal and social integration. This discussion highlights the limitations of binary thinking and the importance of synthesizing conflicting viewpoints to create more inclusive, nuanced solutions.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

The Wonderful (But Flawed) Ideals of DEI

Keith Martin-Smith — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 19:47:16 +0000

Keith Martin-Smith takes a careful look at the diversity, equity, and inclusion movement when he began to notice the damage it was causing people he knew under the guise of progress, or equity. Putting his keen mind to the task, Keith identified seven key areas where the DEI movement goes markedly astray from the values it aspires to.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.