Additional resources

This report covers topics including:

• Vicious cycle of polarisation
• Roots of our current situation
• Threat perception
• Importance of inner work

This article shares the results of a study on the concept of ‘oneness’ and how a person’s belief in oneness predicts how compassionate they are to people not in their ‘in-group’ – the study found that only 1 in 5 participants had ever thought about the oneness of all things which means we have work to do if we want to create a larger us!

This report focuses on affective polarisation – when polarisation is less about disagreeing on the issues than intense dislike and distrust towards ‘the other side’.

This report focuses on affective polarisation – when polarisation is less about disagreeing on the issues than intense dislike and distrust towards ‘the other side’.

This talk seeks to define compassion and builds on the concept of ‘widening our circles of compassion’.

This podcast is useful for change-makers who want to reflect on how their own world view and beliefs – and those of others – impacts how they respond to facts. It includes reflections on group think, biases and self-preservation.

This report argues that progressive change-makers should not become distracted by the current culture wars and instead should focus on building solidarity. Co-author, Kirsty McNeill, is the Chair of Larger Us

This article considers why belonging is important to humans and offers ideas on how we can create a sense of belonging for ourselves and other people. It also references a number of studies you may want to follow-up on.

This article outlines how right wing political groups are creating a sense of belonging for people experiencing loneliness (particularly men) with examples from the US, Italy and France.

This talk explores the link between shame, connection and belonging through the lens of vulnerability. It builds on the concepts of ‘shame wounds’, self-acceptance and projection.

The story of what happened when a Muslim woman discovered her friend was a white supremacist.

How Obama’s 2008 campaign built a network of 2 million people – many of them in small groups – and then let it die after the election, potentially paving the way for Trump.

This article outlines how small groups can be a catalyst for collective healing, as well as inner and outer change.

This excerpt argues that ‘large-scale transformation occurs when enough small groups are aggregated to lead to a larger change’ and that within small groups people need to experience an intimate and authentic relatedness.

Excellent selection of talks, meditations and other resources from a leading psychologist, author, and proponent of Buddhist meditation.

This advert quickly gets to the heart of what bridge building is all about.

This video focuses on the practical skills needed to have a courageous conversation. Fred Kofman specialises in leadership and culture but we believe the techniques and skills he advises are transferable to many different contexts.

This article is an account of the Radical Love campaign in Turkey. It outlines how the campaign sought to neutralise the populist tactics in play during and after the Istanbul mayoral election in 2019.

This debate is ‘larger us’ thinking in action! The focus here is on climate change but the principles being debated – who to include/exclude in a movement for change – can apply to many different contexts.

This article explains what in-group bias is, why it happens, its effects and what can be done to avoid it.

This is a great example of a campaigning organisation reaching out to build relationships with the ‘unusual’ suspects. By listening to the experiences and concerns of oil workers, Greenpeace and its allies have been able to find areas of common ground.

Daryl Davis is someone who reaches across divides. His TED talk is a moving insight into his story and motivations.

Content warning: this talk features the use of a very strong racial slur as part of a TV report segment included in the talk.

In this podcast, LGBTQ rights activist Dave Fleischer explains how ‘deep canvassing’ can be an effective campaigning tool.

This article explains the idea of ‘amygdala hijack’ – what it is, the symptoms, and how to prevent it.

This article is an interview with political scientist Karen Stenner about her research into how some people have a psychological predisposition towards authoritarianism.

This article explains the ‘tend and befriend’ response to stress. In it, McGonigal argues that stress can be a catalyst for courage and connection

This video features Professor Loretta J. Ross who who argues that calling in, or calling on, are more effective at tackling hate than calling out, and offers practical advice on how to do both.

In this podcast, Karen Stenner talks about her research into how some people have a psychological predisposition to authoritarianism, how this can lead to polarisation, and crucially, what we can do about it.

In this blog Darlington shares his experience of deep canvassing on the issue of UK aid and the impact charity/NGO adverts have on people’s perception of the developing world. He also explores the idea of ‘compassion fatigue’.

This article highlights research that’s been conducted into the power of self-touch – like a hand on the heart or stomach – as an effective way for us to manage our stress levels.

This is a guided simple breathing exercise you could use to self-soothe in stressful situations. It can also be used to support restful sleep. You can read more about the science behind this technique here.

This is a short meditation that invites you to check in with your body, focus on your breathing and quiet the mind which you can use before, during or after a stressful situation to find equilibrium.

This is an introduction on trauma from the mental health charity, MIND.

This article explains how people experiencing loss of status or privilege may be vulnerable to manipulation by a destructive leader.

In this talk, Mparima-Kaguri speaks powerfully about inherited trauma and the work that needs to be done in order to prevent it from being passed down to future generations.

This article focuses on Post Traumatic Growth, what the signs are, how it is distinct from resilience and how it can help bring new meaning to people’s lives.

Report by the Collective Psychology Project (Larger Us’s predecessor organisation) on collective grief during Covid-19 and how we can attend to it.

This toolkit is a guide for racial justice activists to support them to maintain their wellbeing before, during and after an action, with particular emphasis on trauma and healing.

Excellent article exploring what climate grief is, how to cope with it, and with links to lots more resources.

In this article, Cole argues ‘if we are going to interfere in the lives of others, a little due diligence is a minimum requirement’. It speaks to the danger of white-saviour narratives following traumatic events.

This article outlines the ‘Drama Triangle’ which often underpins the concept of ‘savior’ narratives. It explains how it’s possible to shift this dynamic into the ‘Winner’s Triangle’ where a ‘rescuer’ moves from being a fixer or a martyr to a ‘carer’ who is listening and self aware.

This could be a useful toolkit for anyone who wants to design a ritual as a way to help address collective trauma.

This article argues that true recovery in the wake of traumas like Grenfell Tower requires social injustices to be acknowledged and addressed.

In this talk Eber argues that presenting people with data is often not enough if we want them to act. As an alternative she outlines how illustrating data with story can be a powerful tool for change.

This speech encapsulates a theory of storytelling known as ‘the story of self, the story of us, the story of now’ developed by Marshall Ganz.

The article deconstructs the speech, explaining how it follows Ganz’s model and also the ‘hero’s journey’ story arc first identified by the writer Joseph Campbell.

This article explores the story arcs of apocalypse, restoration and emergence. It demonstrates how these narratives can help us to frame crises like Covid.

This is a worksheet to guide you through developing your own story of self, us and now.

In this talk, Ngozi Adichie argues that single story narratives rob people of their dignity, undermine our shared humanity and emphasise our differences rather than our similarities.

This article reflects on the idea of humanity being in its teenage years and at an ‘initiatory moment’ in time.

Excellent report exploring the practice of “deep narrative change” in the UK, including a comprehensive map of who’s doing what in the field.

A brilliant how-to guide for a more US-based audience, including a great section exploring how we know that narrative change works.