Why are members of the Bahá'í Faith talking about "social discourse?" What does that mean, what contributions can they make, and where can this discourse take place

1. Contributing to the
Discourses of Society
Irving Speakers Series
on Social Discourse
Presented by Stephen A. Fuqua
29 August 2014

2. Discourse
1 archaic : the capacity of orderly thought or procedure
: rationality
2 : verbal interchange of ideas; especially : conversation
3 a : formal and orderly and usually extended expression of
thought on a subject
b : connected speech or writing
c : a linguistic unit (as a conversation or a story) larger than
a sentence
4 obsolete : social familiarity
5 : a mode of organizing knowledge, ideas, or experience
that is rooted in language and its concrete contexts (as
history or institutions) <critical discourse>
Merriam Webster Dictionary Online - http://www.merriam-webster.
com/dictionary/discourse

3. Universal House of Justice
Effective social action serves to enrich participation in the
discourses of society, just as the insights gained from
engaging in certain discourses can help to clarify the
concepts that shape social action. … involvement in
public discourse can range from an act as simple as
introducing Baha'i ideas into everyday conversation to
more formal activities such as the preparation of articles
and attendance at gatherings, dedicated to themes of
social concern - climate change and the environment,
governance and human rights, to mention a few. It
entails, as well, meaningful interactions with civic groups
and local organizations in villages and neighbourhoods.
Ridván Message to the Bahá'ís of the World, 2010

4. Social Action
• Devotional programs, children’s classes, junior
youth groups, study circles that develop
relationships and skills at the grassroots.

5. Social Action
• Devotional programs, children’s classes, junior
youth groups, study circles that develop
relationships and skills at the grassroots.
• Social and economic development projects.

6. Social Action
• Devotional programs, children’s classes, junior
youth groups, study circles that develop
relationships and skills at the grassroots.
• Social and economic development projects.
• Professional and avocational engagement in
community programs of action and education.

7. Universal House of Justice
Effective social action serves to enrich participation in the
discourses of society, just as the insights gained from
engaging in certain discourses can help to clarify the
concepts that shape social action. … involvement in
public discourse can range from an act as simple as
introducing Baha'i ideas into everyday conversation to
more formal activities such as the preparation of articles
and attendance at gatherings, dedicated to themes of
social concern - climate change and the environment,
governance and human rights, to mention a few. It
entails, as well, meaningful interactions with civic groups
and local organizations in villages and neighbourhoods.
Ridván Message to the Bahá'ís of the World, 2010

8. Discourses of Society
• Where do these discourses take place?
• And when do they occur?

9. Discourses of Society
• Media
• Government
• Academics
• Education
• Online
• At work
• At home

10. Universal House of Justice
Effective social action serves to enrich participation in the
discourses of society, just as the insights gained from
engaging in certain discourses can help to clarify the
concepts that shape social action. … involvement in
public discourse can range from an act as simple as
introducing Baha'i ideas into everyday conversation to
more formal activities such as the preparation of articles
and attendance at gatherings, dedicated to themes of
social concern - climate change and the environment,
governance and human rights, to mention a few. It
entails, as well, meaningful interactions with civic groups
and local organizations in villages and neighbourhoods.
Ridván Message to the Bahá'ís of the World, 2010

11. Bahá’í Ideas
• What are some “Bahá’í ideas” that might
shape our social discourse and action?

12. Bahá’í Ideas
• Equality – race, gender
– Unity in diversity
• Essential nobility of the human spirit
– Dignity and respect
• Elimination of the extremes of wealth and
poverty
• Education and vocational opportunity
• Sustainable living
• Consultative, inclusive decision-making

13. “Bahá’í Ideas”
• Equality – race, gender
– Unity in diversity
• Essential nobility of the human spirit
– Dignity and respect
Principles based on
spiritual reality
• Elimination of the extremes of wealth and
poverty
• Education and vocational opportunity
• Sustainable living
• Consultative, inclusive decision-making

14. Universal House of Justice
Effective social action serves to enrich participation in the
discourses of society, just as the insights gained from
engaging in certain discourses can help to clarify the
concepts that shape social action. … involvement in
public discourse can range from an act as simple as
introducing Baha'i ideas into everyday conversation to
more formal activities such as the preparation of articles
and attendance at gatherings, dedicated to themes of
social concern - climate change and the environment,
governance and human rights, to mention a few. It
entails, as well, meaningful interactions with civic groups
and local organizations in villages and neighbourhoods.
Ridván Message to the Bahá'ís of the World, 2010

15. Themes of Social Concern
• Climate Change
• Governance
• Human Rights
• And …. ?

16. Universal House of Justice
Effective social action serves to enrich participation in the
discourses of society, just as the insights gained from
engaging in certain discourses can help to clarify the
concepts that shape social action. … involvement in
public discourse can range from an act as simple as
introducing Baha'i ideas into everyday conversation to
more formal activities such as the preparation of articles
and attendance at gatherings, dedicated to themes of
social concern - climate change and the environment,
governance and human rights, to mention a few. It
entails, as well, meaningful interactions with civic groups
and local organizations in villages and neighbourhoods.
Ridván Message to the Bahá'ís of the World, 2010

17. Meaningful Interactions
• Partnerships
• Town halls and related fora
• Bringing stakeholders together
• Civic groups…. Any local examples?
• All types of governance – Such as?

18. Meaningful Interactions
• Partnerships
• Town halls and related fora
• Bringing stakeholders together
• Civic groups…. Grand Prairie Unity Coalition (in
TX), Interfaith Power & Light (across US)
• All types of governance - HOA, water planning
boards, city, school board, housing authority

19. Universal House of Justice
The overall direction of the process of learning that
the Bahá’í community is pursuing is guided by a
series of global plans, the provisions of which are
established by the Universal House of Justice.
Capacity building is the watchword of these plans:
they aim at enabling the protagonists of collective
effort to strengthen the spiritual foundations of
villages and neighbourhoods, to address certain of
their social and economic needs, and to contribute
to the discourses prevalent in society, all while
maintaining the necessary coherence in methods
and approaches.
Letter to the Bahá'ís of Iran, 2 March 2013

20. Process of Learning
• Inspect and Adapt
• Cycles of activity
• Open to new ideas and approaches
• Without unduly throwing out the old

21. Universal House of Justice
The overall direction of the process of learning that
the Bahá’í community is pursuing is guided by a
series of global plans, the provisions of which are
established by the Universal House of Justice.
Capacity building is the watchword of these plans:
they aim at enabling the protagonists of collective
effort to strengthen the spiritual foundations of
villages and neighbourhoods, to address certain of
their social and economic needs, and to contribute
to the discourses prevalent in society, all while
maintaining the necessary coherence in methods
and approaches.
Letter to the Bahá'ís of Iran, 2 March 2013

22. Global Plans
• Bahá’ís of the world engaged on the same
path of learning and development
• Same types of activities
• Twofold goal
– Individual transformation
– Societal transformation

23. Universal House of Justice
The overall direction of the process of learning that
the Bahá’í community is pursuing is guided by a
series of global plans, the provisions of which are
established by the Universal House of Justice.
Capacity building is the watchword of these plans:
they aim at enabling the protagonists of collective
effort to strengthen the spiritual foundations of
villages and neighbourhoods, to address certain of
their social and economic needs, and to contribute
to the discourses prevalent in society, all while
maintaining the necessary coherence in methods
and approaches.
Letter to the Bahá'ís of Iran, 2 March 2013

24. Protagonists
Individuals

25. Universal House of Justice
The overall direction of the process of learning that
the Bahá’í community is pursuing is guided by a
series of global plans, the provisions of which are
established by the Universal House of Justice.
Capacity building is the watchword of these plans:
they aim at enabling the protagonists of collective
effort to strengthen the spiritual foundations of
villages and neighbourhoods, to address certain of
their social and economic needs, and to contribute
to the discourses prevalent in society, all while
maintaining the necessary coherence in methods
and approaches.
Letter to the Bahá'ís of Iran, 2 March 2013

26. Coherence
• Integrative
• All aspects working together…
– Mutually reinforcing…
– Amplifying
• Unity in diversity
• Avoiding distractions

27. Also in that letter…
• “principle of the oneness of humankind …
calls for a complete reconceptualization of the
relationships that sustain society.”
– Humanity and nature
– Family life, treatment of women and children
– Individuals and government institutions
– Markets and labor
Letter to the Bahá'ís of Iran, 2 March 2013

28. Collaboration
• “… Bahá’ís do not believe the transformation
thus envisioned will come about exclusively
through their own efforts.”
• “Nor are they trying to create a movement
that would seek to impose on society their
vision of the future."
Letter to the Bahá'ís of Iran, 2 March 2013

29. Discussion
• Examples of social discourse in your lives in
the past week?
– In the news
– At work
– At home / friends / family
– Other social spaces
• Constructive and destructive discourse

30. On the Web
• First letter:
– http://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/ridvan-messages/
20100421_001
• Second
– http://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/involvem
ent-life-society/20130302_001
• Related:
– http://universalhouseofjustice.bahai.org/involvem
ent-life-society/