Author and founder of The New Citizen Project Jon Alexander talks about reclaiming our identity as citizens and the love of our own species
How would you describe the concept of the "new citizen"?
It's been about 10 years since I used the term "the new citizen" and I'm actually not sure I would use it today. I have increasingly come to see this work as a kind of remembrance process rather than an innovation process.
One of the most meaningful experiences for me in recent years has been spending time with indigenous cultures and people. They can quickly identify with my core beliefs because they feel it's their story, and in many ways it is, because it's fundamentally about interdependence and community. We need each other, the earth and nature to be ourselves.
When researching my book, I was thrilled to discover the etymology of the word citizen: it literally means people together. It's also important to distinguish between citizenship as status and citizenship as practice. The word 'citizen' is problematic because it can be used to exclude non-citizens. We need to load the word with participation, engagement and imagination rather than a passport.
So rather than a new civic role, is it the rediscovery of the civic role?
Yes, it's a rediscovery or recapture. I love the word "recollect" because it's about recapturing something we are already a part of.
Stewards of the earth
What are some of the most important lessons you've learned from indigenous people?
One of the most meaningful experiences was spending time with Aboriginal philosopher and author Tyson Yunkaporta. He is the author of the book Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World.
Tyson's main point is that we as humans have a role to play. Sometimes I fear that we no longer love ourselves as a species. Tyson talks about humanity having the responsibility, according to indigenous people, to be the guardians or stewards of the Earth. It's not just about doing no harm, but remembering how we are generative and constructive and playing the role we are meant to play.
You say we are losing love for ourselves as a species. Is finding that love again the first step towards positive change?
My friend Baratunde Thurston, an American comedian and writer, used the term "latent love" when we were talking about the current political climate in the US. I believe that as humans, we naturally want to love each other and the world, but we are trapped in a narrative that prevents us from doing so.
I think that love can start anywhere - in any community. Many people love where they live, they just don't talk about it that way. One of my favorite examples is from Grimsby in the North East of England. It's a very run-down town and one man stood up at a council meeting and said: "The council is not going to fix this for us. We have to do it ourselves." Today, they have raised funds to convert ten houses into social housing, established an arts festival and a local newspaper. It all started with a shared love of the place.
Out with the consumer story
Why is this transition to remembering the citizen role especially important now?
This is crucial because our current systems and institutions are falling apart. Those in power only see the consumer story and try to maintain it. But this story cannot be sustained and it pushes people towards authoritarianism and fascism. We need a new community where everyone can participate.
Do you see the ongoing riots in England as an example of this?
Absolutely, absolutely. But it's important to say that people came out and rebuilt their cities. And when new riots were announced, people showed up - sometimes in the thousands - to protect their cities. Unfortunately, this has not been recognized by the Prime Minister. You could have given a speech about the energy of those communities and built on it. But they don't see it.
Small, deep changes
In your book, you talk about signs of the shift from passive consumer to participating citizen. What do you see as the biggest barriers to this transition?
Outside the existing systems, we see many small, deep changes, but these forces of change may not see each other. We need to connect these movements and help them see that they are part of something bigger. Within the systems, it's about opening up and making room for citizen participation. Taiwan is a good examplewhere activists created solutions that the government eventually recognized and integrated.
Where do we go from here?
I think the solution needs to come from outside the government, just like we saw in Taiwan. We need participatory democracy processes like citizens' assemblies that can create concrete plans for climate action and other big challenges. It's about building an alternative to the existing legitimacy because the current systems simply cannot deliver the solutions we need.
