This model fails to account for over half of the world’s population and is unsustainable. Peace and security are defined and designed by and for only a part of the population. Our hierarchal, paternalistic system is designed to consolidate decision making, ownership, and governance in the hands of a mostly male minority, leaving women marginalized from seats of power. The dominator model may sound familiar because we live in it. The blade, on the other hand, is the symbol for destruction and death, and its power is unsustainably rooted in fear, domination, and the constant threat of force. The chalice’s power is rooted in its ability to foster creative innovation, resulting in tremendous influence in how social organization evolves with the voices of all members of society involved. The chalice represents the nurturing, sustaining, and restorative values described as feminine. The central argument of the book is grounded in the powerful symbolism of the chalice and the blade. The renewing chalice, the life-taking blade In her capstone work, Eisler proposes a partnership model of social organization that brings all voices to the decision-making table, including the male dominated field of peace and security.
#The chalice and the blade our history our future series
Our first book in the series is The Chalice and the Blade by Riane Eisler. We’re kicking off our Summer Reads series that will examine non-fiction books with a tie to the women, peace and security agenda.