Summary: This curated list highlights thinkers and practitioners across disciplines who have explored the deep dynamics of domination and partnership—two contrasting cultural paradigms that shape how we relate to each other, the Earth, and ourselves. From Riane Eisler’s systemic analysis of cultural evolution to Indigenous voices like Tyson Yunkaporta and Robin Wall Kimmerer, these figures offer insights into the roots of power-over systems and the possibilities of power-with approaches. Their work spans psychology, anthropology, systems thinking, spirituality, and ecology, collectively pointing toward a more relational, cooperative, and life-affirming way of being.
This is a companion article to the Long Journey Home project – a collection of writings from centuries in the future, at a time when humanity has gone through a great crisis and found a more life-centered way of life. It’s meant to inspire and encourage further exploration. See the index for the chapters and articles.
This article is an overview of some real-life writers that explore similar themes as this project, and whose work this project grows out of and draws from. If you are curious about these topics, you’ll likely find a lot to explore below.
The articles are written by AI with prompts from me. I usually start with an outline, refine it, and then ask for the final article.
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The Thread Between Worlds: Thinkers Exploring Partnership and Domination Cultures
As interest grows in the shift from domination to partnership systems—whether in society, culture, ecology, or inner life—many are asking: Who has mapped this terrain before? Who offers language, insight, or frameworks to help us see more clearly, feel more deeply, and act more wisely?
This article is a companion to The Long Journey Home project. It brings together a curated list of thinkers and practitioners—past and present—whose work explores themes of domination and partnership, “power-over” versus “power-with,” the consequences of the agricultural revolution, and paths of cultural and ecological regeneration. Some are well-known, others less so. Taken together, they offer a wide and rich body of wisdom for anyone drawn to this work.
Foundational Thinkers on Domination vs. Partnership Cultures
Riane Eisler is perhaps the most central figure in this conversation. In The Chalice and the Blade and later works, she developed the partnership/domination continuum—arguing that societies fall along a spectrum between life-affirming, egalitarian models and coercive, hierarchical ones. Eisler’s interdisciplinary approach connects history, gender, economics, and education.
Marija Gimbutas, an archaeologist and linguist, focused on Neolithic Europe. Her research unearthed the existence of “matristic” societies—cooperative, goddess-revering cultures that were gradually replaced by patriarchal warrior systems. Her findings sparked ongoing conversations about cultural memory and suppressed histories.
Carol Gilligan revolutionized developmental psychology by challenging male-centered moral models. She introduced an “ethic of care,” showing that moral reasoning grounded in relationship and empathy is both valid and vital—especially for understanding partnership dynamics.
James DeMeo proposed the Saharasia theory, linking environmental shifts—especially desertification in ancient regions—to the rise of violent, authoritarian cultures. Though debated, his systems-based view of cultural trauma invites further exploration.
Noam Chomsky has spent decades critiquing centralized power, imperialism, and propaganda. While not focused on partnership culture per se, his advocacy for anarcho-syndicalism and decentralized decision-making aligns with the values of mutuality and bottom-up cooperation.
Agricultural Revolution and Its Consequences
Daniel Quinn made waves with Ishmael and related novels. His framing of “Takers” (dominant, agricultural cultures) and “Leavers” (indigenous and foraging cultures) offered a provocative lens on how agriculture severed humanity from ecological balance.
Yuval Noah Harari, in Sapiens, portrayed the agricultural revolution as a double-edged sword—fueling population growth and civilization while also birthing inequality, war, and environmental degradation.
Jared Diamond, in Guns, Germs, and Steel, argued that agriculture enabled state formation and conquest—setting in motion a long arc of centralized power and social stratification.
Marshall Sahlins, a prominent anthropologist, described forager societies as the “original affluent societies”—not materially wealthy, but rich in leisure, social cohesion, and ecological attunement.
David Graeber and David Wengrow, in The Dawn of Everything, challenged the dominant narrative of inevitable hierarchy. They uncovered archaeological evidence of early societies with democratic features, seasonal power-sharing, and cultural experimentation—reminding us that the past is far more complex than we often assume.
Power-Over vs. Power-With & Deep Systems Analysis
Joanna Macy introduced the concept of “The Great Turning,” naming the transition from an industrial growth society to a life-sustaining one. Drawing from Buddhism and systems theory, she articulates a shift from domination to partnership in both inner and outer worlds.
Starhawk, a spiritual activist and author, has long combined Earth-based spirituality with political organizing. Her writings on power, non-hierarchical models, and group process remain foundational to many regenerative movements.
Mary Parker Follett, writing in the early 1900s, coined the term “power-with.” Her ideas about conflict resolution, participatory democracy, and relational leadership were well ahead of her time and are increasingly relevant today.
Jean Liedloff, through her observations of indigenous childrearing practices, advocated for more attuned, non-coercive parenting. The Continuum Concept became influential in rethinking early life as a foundation for partnership.
John Seed, a deep ecologist and activist, helped pioneer practices like the Council of All Beings. His work reconnects humans with the wider living world and emphasizes the value of humility, interbeing, and ecological empathy.
Psychological and Philosophical Dimensions
Erich Fromm, a social psychologist and humanist, distinguished between life-affirming (biophilic) and control-oriented (necrophilic) tendencies. His analysis of authoritarianism, freedom, and love speaks directly to the dynamics of domination.
B.F. Skinner, often criticized for behaviorism, also critiqued punitive systems. In Beyond Freedom and Dignity, he argued for environments that support cooperative behavior without coercion—a nuanced and often misunderstood position.
Michel Foucault explored how power operates through institutions, knowledge systems, and norms. His work is especially valuable for understanding how domination becomes internalized and normalized in modern societies.
bell hooks brought an intersectional lens to domination, writing about race, class, gender, and patriarchy. Her call for a culture of love, mutuality, and radical care remains a cornerstone for those envisioning post-domination societies.
Carl Jung introduced the concept of the shadow—the parts of ourselves we disown and project. His exploration of the collective unconscious provides insight into the psychological roots of domination.
James Hillman, founder of archetypal psychology, critiqued reductionist thinking. He invited a return to myth, soul, and imagination as ways to engage collective pathologies and cultural healing.
Ecological and Cultural Regeneration
Fritjof Capra, a physicist turned systems thinker, helped popularize the idea of living systems. He described the shift from mechanistic thinking to ecological thinking as essential for planetary survival and cultural renewal.
Vandana Shiva, an ecofeminist and scientist, critiques industrial agriculture, seed monopolies, and patriarchal development models. She uplifts indigenous and feminine knowledge systems rooted in reciprocity and ecological balance.
David Abram, philosopher and ecologist, writes beautifully about perception, language, and the animate Earth. He urges a reawakening of our sensory connection to the more-than-human world.
Thomas Berry, a cultural historian and theologian, offered the “Universe Story”—a cosmological narrative emphasizing the sacredness of life and the necessity of Earth jurisprudence. His work continues to inspire ecological movements.
Francisco Varela and Humberto Maturana, Chilean biologists and philosophers, developed the theory of autopoiesis—highlighting how living systems are self-organizing and relational. Their work has profound implications for leadership, education, and cooperative models.
Spiritual and Indigenous Perspectives
Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen teacher, taught interbeing—the insight that everything exists in relationship. His emphasis on mindfulness, compassion, and non-duality supports a “power-with” worldview.
Martin Prechtel, drawing from Indigenous and Mayan traditions, writes about grief, beauty, and ceremonial life. His teachings remind us that regeneration includes emotion, memory, and the unseen.
Robin Wall Kimmerer, a Potawatomi botanist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass, integrates science and Indigenous knowledge. She teaches the practice of reciprocity as a way of life and cultural healing.
Malidoma Somé, a West African elder and teacher, spoke about initiation, ancestral wisdom, and indigenous cosmology. His work bridges modern and traditional ways of knowing.
Tyson Yunkaporta, an Aboriginal scholar and author of Sand Talk, explores Indigenous knowledge systems with sharp insight and humor. He critiques Western thinking while modeling complexity, humility, and relational intelligence.
Contemporary Practices and Frameworks
Donella Meadows, one of the leading figures in systems thinking, identified “leverage points” where change can happen. Many of these involve mental models, values, and paradigms—where partnership mindsets can take root.
Charles Eisenstein, though a controversial figure for some, has contributed to conversations about interbeing, gift economies, and the “story of separation.” His writings have helped many question dominant cultural narratives.
Gabor Maté, a physician and speaker, has brought compassionate attention to trauma, addiction, and modern disconnection. He links personal suffering to systemic conditions rooted in domination.
Bayo Akomolafe, a philosopher and poet, invites us to pause, listen, and reimagine activism itself. He encourages “postactivism”—a way of engaging the world beyond urgency, control, or certainty.
Nora Bateson, daughter of systems theorist Gregory Bateson, develops “warm data” practices—ways of perceiving relationships in their full complexity. Her work supports a shift toward relational intelligence and intercontextual understanding.
This list is not exhaustive, nor are these figures always in agreement. But that’s part of the point: cultures of partnership make space for complexity, contradiction, and emergence. These voices are offered as pathways into a deeper exploration—of history, power, culture, and the possibilities that live within us and around us.
Whether your path is ecological, political, spiritual, psychological, or artistic, these thinkers can help illuminate the contours of domination culture and the many ways we are already finding our way back into relationship.