The Power of Bridging

Outline

The Power of Bridging (2024) explores how societies can move past division and build a sense of belonging for everyone. John Powell explains the difference between breaking, which pushes people apart into us and them, and bridging, which reaches across differences with curiosity and respect. The book offers practical guidance for individuals, communities, and organisations that want to reduce conflict and create a shared sense of belonging.

• Breaking pushes people apart into us and them, while bridging reaches across differences with curiosity and respect.
• Societies can move past division by building a sense of belonging that includes everyone.
• Empathy, trust and genuine connection are the tools for bridging, as opposed to simply tolerating people from a distance.
• The book offers practical guidance for individuals, communities and organisations that want to reduce conflict.
• A shared sense of belonging gives people a common purpose they can work toward together.

John Powell is an American legal scholar and professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where he directs the Othering and Belonging Institute. He has spent decades working on civil rights, social inclusion, and bridging divides between groups. His books include Racing to Justice and The Power of Bridging.