Maple Leaf Meme Project: Abstract Archive


1. Maple Leaf Memes: Project Definition

Maple Leaf Memes (MLM) is a project to map Canada’s human values systems using wholistic, evolutionary, developmental integral spiral frameworks. It began with a pilot project mapping community values, to be followed with a multi-phase, multi-year series of goals:

  • Stage 1: 2003
    • Distribute report on prototype in Abbotsford
  • Stage 2: 2003
    • Locate potential collaborators, partners, participants
    • Develop relationships with collaborators, partners, participants
    • Develop a research institute or research chair
    • Obtain funding for research
    • Obtain funding for maintenance of infrastructure
    • Develop data gathering technology/ infrastructure
    • Test data gathering infrastructure
  • Stage 3: 2004
    • Start to collect data nationally, semi-annually
    • Develop Canada vital signs monitors
    • Connect with global vital signs monitors globally
  • Stage 4: 2005 +
    • Refine, report out and apply Canada vital signs monitor
    • Research on applications in Canada

2003


2. Spiral Flower Values Map of Abbotsford

This four colour, four quadrant, multi-level system map of Abbotsford’s values, was developed for Abbotsford Community Foundation, Retreat 2003 – Exploring a Vision for our Community of the Future. It is based on Responses from a random Survey of residents that asked questions about what makes community work and what holds it back and how it could improve. It should be noted that the “weightings” of the values in the map have been normalized for workshop purposes. The actual weightings are shown in the graphs in Archive item 3.

2003


3. Abbotsford Map and Data

This is a powerpoint summary of the Abbotsford Values map showing the questions, the graphs of the actual responses and their relationship to one another. A graph comparing residents’ responses to the Board of Abbotsford Community Foundation is also shown – plus the concept of how this could be mapped on GIS.

2003


4. Integral Community: Lenses, Values and Indicators forMaple Leaf Meme Maps

Abstract
This research into integral community mapping reports two results. The first explores the literature and methodology for mapping community values (at geo, bio and noetic levels of reality) combining integral, spiral and living systems frameworks. With indicators from five previous studies, the combined meta-framework is proposed as a common language to dynamically map community. The second result, reports on a Pilot Project conducted in Abbotsford, BC, Canada, which maps the noetic values of a random population sample using integral and spiral frameworks. Findings demonstrate the relationship between subjective, intersubjective, objective and interobjective values at seven levels of complexity, utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods. Comparisons are made between the values of the general population and a selected group of community leaders. The study concludes that the pilot project demonstrates how to create a common language from data obtained from multiple methodologies and sources. The study recommends the expansion of the research to a bio-regional and national level.

2003


5. Discovering Integral Capacities in the Global Village Through Values Meta-Mapping

Abstract
Today’s City and the City of the Future are living systems with bio-psycho-social-cultural capacities, that emerge from the interaction of universal evolutionary processes. A four quadrant, eight level meta-map creates a common language to describe and understand the dynamic patterns and feedback loops amongst these forces. The meta-map can be used by regional planners, land-base and social planners and other professional city management communities of practice.

2003


6. Why Meta-Map the City of the Future?

Abstract
Today’s City and the City of the Future are living systems with bio-psycho-social-cultural capacities, that emerge from the interaction of universal evolutionary processes. A four quadrant, eight level meta-map creates a common language to describe and understand the dynamic patterns and feedback loops amongst these forces. The meta-map can be used by regional planners, land-base and social planners and other professional city management communities of practice.

2004


7. Integral Metamap Creates Common Language for Urban Change

Abstract
Purpose: An integral metamap creates a common language to dynamically track values-based urban change at multiple levels of scale: individual, organization, neighbourhood, city, bio-region and nation.

Methodology/Approach: In a pilot project, using an ethnographic codebook, analysis of data collected from urban residents via telephone interviews, discloses diverse lenses, indicators and values at different levels of complexity. A four quadrant metamap of the data reveals the relationship between four sets of values: (subjective, intersubjective, objective and interobjective) at eight levels of complexity.

Findings: A review of taxonomies of indicators shows how multiple existing data bases can be translated into a common integral map. The pilot project demonstrates how the four quadrant-based analysis and feedback methodology creates vital signs monitors for what we value, want to change (stop or improve), and how we can develop processes to influence change.

Research Limitations: The scope of application is global, and embedded in a paradigm shift to an integral worldview, implying users share that worldview. However, the methodology can be applied anywhere, on all scales.

Practical Implications: Conclusions show how metamapping research data, planning and management, contributes to improving choices, monitoring and influencing change and the quality of urban life.

Originality/Value: This paper proposes a new integral common language to frame and track urban change.

Keywords: integral, values, metamap, change, quality-of-life, urban

Category: Research Paper

2004


8. Summary of Maple Leaf Meme Data

At a workshop in Ottawa in October 2004, the following data was gathered from multiple workgroups:

  • Value graphs and memestacks for each of 10 Provinces (and territories)
  • Canada

At a workshop in Hollyhock Retreat, Cortez Island, BC, in October 2004, the following data from Vancouver Sun pre-municipal referendum reports was analysed by multiple workgroups:

  • Value graphs for five potential Vancouver wards

At a workshop in Vancouver in April 2005, the following data was gathered from multiple workgroups:

  • Vancouver graphs and memestacks
  • Cascadia graphs and memestacks (Vancouver, Seattle, Portland)

These graphs and memestacks are presented in a Powerpoint summary.

Spiral Dynamics integral Confab, Powerpoint Presentation

2005


9. Maple Leaf Memes: Glimpses of Integral Canada 2005

At the end of 2005, with a year of global disasters behind us we ask the question — how well does Canada support the basic needs of human life at home and respond to tsunamis, hurricanes and earthquakes elsewhere? We are a nation of immigrants – how well do we remember and honour our roots? We are a nation of explorers and traders of both places and ideas – how well do we protect the freedoms of expression that drove us beyond old borders? We are a nation of peace, order and good government – how able are we to ensure mutual trust and respect? We are a nation of hewers of wood and drawers of water – how effectively do we steward our raw materials and produce our goods and services? We are a nation of social safety nets — how willing and able are we to share our human and social capital with the rest of the world? We are a nation of innovative caregivers – how flexible are our healthcare systems? We are a nation of environmentalists – how effectively do we steward our nation’s natural resources? We are a nation of peacemakers – what kind of example do we set to which the world might aspire?

The Dance of the Maple Leaf Meme-lights calls forth from Canada eight great capacities with which we can serve the world. Each meme is like a colour from our Northern Lights, whose hue radiates from a prism-set of values, each more lustrous than the one preceding it.

Taken altogether the octet of values and the quintet of layers of existence [Place, Plant, Phylum, Person, Planet] define the boundaries of a new integral dance floor that is just coming into view on this planet. The values and layers provide criteria and give us powerful new lenses to glimpse an Integral Canada – a Canada who can appreciate, capitalize on and share an emerging, global-centric, evolutionary, integrated, multi-perspectival, dynamic view of the world. This article identifies glimpses of integral behaviour in Canada.

2005


10. Integral Framework for Community Learning

Abstract
The Integral model recontexts the traditional sustainability model by placing social and economic factors within the context of the environment. This basically allows us to see the relationship of the I/WE social experiences in relationship to the IT/ITS economic actions. We can also see the larger context of the environmental life conditions. The directions of growth and complexity of learning for both human experiences and human actions then becomes visible. This short article summarizes the value of community learning in four key worldviews.

2006


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