Democracy starts in the smallest conversations, dialogues and meetings by raking in most diverse opinions and ideas, piecing them together to create something new and meaningful to all participants.
Building Movement Democracy through Democratic Facilitation
Course Description
We all have attended meetings where decisions were made by only a few members, most outspoken ones or someone at the top. We may have once thought, “Why am I even here?” and left without saying a word.
Democracy starts in the smallest conversations, dialogues and meetings by raking in most diverse opinions and ideas, piecing them together to create something new and meaningful to all participants.
This course provides the organizing tools to discuss and practice exactly how to do that. Active participation by the participants are expected in this course.
- Class Starts on October 15, 2026
- Class Length: 1.5 hour per session
- Session Schedule: 5 Online Weekly Sessions (*schedule are subject to change)
- Course Fee: USD$60 (Regular Price) / USD$40 (Students/Workers/Unemployed)
- If you are in financial difficulties and would like to apply for a fee waiver, please email us at convenor@labourschool.org, and a decision will be made by the course facilitator.
- Class Size: Class Limited to 10 Students (*first come first serve)
Registration Ends October 14, 2026
Course Starts on October 15, 2026
Course Facilitator
Chie Matsumoto is a labor organizer. As a member of media union in Tokyo, she works to build grassroots power with women in unions and civil society organizations. Most recently, she’s contributed to organizing East Asia Labor Conference in Tokyo in 2025, women in Media Network Japan – the very first nationwide women-only media group in Japan on the back of sexual harassment by the authorities.
Class Time (Timezones in Asia)
- 4:00pm: Pakistan
- 4:30pm: India/Sri Lanka
- 4:45pm: Nepal
- 5:00pm: Bangladesh
- 5:30pm: Myanmar
- 6:00pm: Indonesia/Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam
- 7:00pm: Hong Kong/Taiwan/China/Philippines/Singapore/Malaysia
- 8:00pm: Japan/Korea
Session Schedule
Session 1 (Oct 15, 2026): What does democratic facilitation look like?
- The good and bad of regular facilitation
- Principles of democratic facilitation
Session 2 (Oct 22, 2026): Stepping into others’ shoe – thinking about diversity
- Who is in the room? Identity, positionality and diversity of participants (social status, gender, class, ethnicity, power)
- Asking the right questions (drawing on people’s experience)
Session 3 (Oct 29, 2026): How to deal with difficult situations
- What are the commonly difficult situations?
- Why are they difficult? Analyzing the reasons for a difficult situation to address the roots of the problems- Importance of (Radical) Respect
Session 4 (Nov 5, 2026) What to do when “divide and conquer” happens within allies?
- Thinking about the motivation behind that.
- Proactivity is not always the solution
- Turning conflicts into something positive
Session 5 (Nov 12, 2026): Case studies and Exercises
- Class practices
To contact us: convenor@labourschool.org
