Who we are

The Glizzan community’s goal is to help groups self-govern, with a particular focus on groups interacting via digital platforms.

Historically, many groups have chosen to follow charismatic leaders or submit to top-down hierarchies, due at least in part to how simple and well-understood these governance structures are. Other groups reject hierarchies and leadership cults because they don’t align with values like openness, autonomy, or social justice. But what precisely are the alternatives? There have been many other models tried, but it is a daunting task for groups to learn about them, choose from among them, and implement them.

The Glizzan project seeks to help with all three of these challenges. Much of our work includes research, training, and consulting, in an effort to create and share governance knowledge. Our primary focus, however, is on the development of “governance technology” - that is, tools which make self-governance easier and more effective. These tools are not meant to replace the vital diplomatic skills and social labor required for good self-governance. Instead, they are meant to open up new ways for communities to communicate with each other.

Our governance framework, Concord, provides an alternative to existing digital platforms, who have been too likely to assume groups want either dictatorship-style social structures, or no structures at all. Concord lets online communities design systems for moderation, conflict resolution, leadership transition, and more, based around their needs and values.

Want to learn more?