PROUT Trainings

A Path of Hope and Vision
A Solution-Oriented Approach to Social Change
Social Transformation Training

The PROUT Institute offers training for those wanting to nurture hope, vision, empowerment, and a solution-oriented approach during this important time of planetary transformation. The training presents a holistic and coherent paradigm of development that promotes sustainable lifestyle, global peace, bioregional planning, economic decentralization, cooperative enterprise, cultural empowerment, planetary integration, and more. Course content balances theory with practical application.

Training focuses on two themes: a durable value base for social living and an empowering paradigm of socioeconomic development. The value base is neohumanism, which extends humanism beyond human welfare to the welfare of all beings. Neohumanism gives importance to living sustainably, living lightly, and living harmoniously with the natural world. Practical approaches to neohumanistic living that are presented include permaculture, ecovillages, integrated urban conversion, full cost analysis, and green consumerism.

The socioeconomic paradigm is the Progressive Utilization Theory (PROUT), a synthetic social philosophy that is lauded by progressive thinkers. Important features of PROUT include: decentralized economics, bioregionalism, economic equity, cultural vitality, world government, cooperative enterprise, revitalization of democracy, deep ecology, guaranteed basic necessities, humanistic incentives, economic democracy, sustainable planning, and species rights. PROUT addresses the roots of global problems and offers practical approaches to balanced and equitable development.

Course Information and Content

There are two focuses to the training: first, presentation of a coherent and holistic theory of development; second, implementation of theory in a design project. Topics typically covered in the theory section of training include:

* Aspects of a Comprehensive Socioeconomic Theory
* A Perennial Value Base for Society
* Conditions for Social and Cultural Vitality
* Dynamics of Historical Change and Re-envisioning the Concept of Progress
* A New Paradigm of Governance
* Structure of a Humanistic Economy
* Economic Decentralization
* A Biocentric Ecological Philosophy
* Strategies for Building the New Society

The design project engages students in applying theory to a developmental problem. Design teams select a project topic, such as designing a sustainable local economy, or planning an agricultural cooperative. Support is provided to the design teams in collective process, whole system design methodology, and sustainable planning strategies.

Go to Prout Institute for more information and sign up.