Current Research Projects

From Tension to Transformation: A Living Cities Action Research Ecosystem
(Living CARE) for a Healthy Planet and Thriving Societies.

LINPR Research Project Summary
By Marina Demchenko Ph.D

By studying how leaders make real change in their cities, towns, and villages — especially in places of social, environmental, or other systemic tension — this proposed Action Research project intends to harness the wisdom of leaders who have already achieved results and given agency and hope to people for how they may change their lives and their communities.

Through this research, by understanding social structures and cultural contexts, it will be possible to identify common patterns and prerequisites for the emergence of a new citizen’s identity as a responsible stewardship which fosters participatory governance, cross-sectoral and intercultural collaboration for the sake of a secure, regenerative future and planetary health.

By creating a dynamic global network of researchers, city and community leaders, and innovators committed to transforming cities into living, resilient, interconnected ecosystems that thrive in harmony with nature we aim to nurture human potential, foster deep connections and curate meaningful, regenerative change in service of flourishing bioregional ecosystems.

This proposal is being put forward by Dr Marina Demchenko in representation of Living Cities Earth and Living Cities Action Research Ecosystem (Living CARE) project

www.livingcare.world

RESEARCH LEAD:
Dr Marina Demchenko, PhD.
RESEARCH TEAM:
Wendy Ellyatt, Dr Ekaterina Matveeva (h.c.), Paul van Schaik, Dr Paddy Pampallis, Dr Marilyn Hamilton, Dr Wanda Krause, Anne-Marie Voorhoeve.

1. Summary of objectives and expected outcomes

The research objectives of Living CARE project focus on exploring and transforming urban environments into living, resilient, interconnected ecosystems that thrive in harmony with their bioregions by fostering responsible stewardship, participatory governance, cross-sectoral and intercultural collaboration for a regenerative future.

First, the research examines the shift in citizens’ identity, emphasising shared responsibility for people, places, and the planet. It gathers evidence of how this identity influences decision-making and governance at multiple levels.
Second, the research supports grassroots initiatives, documenting proactive community-driven solutions and promoting them globally to inspire broader systemic changes.
Lastly, it aims to build an inclusive, ecosystemic society that values ecological sustainability, social equity, collaborative governance and cross-sectoral, intercultural partnership, fostering global transformation and regenerative urban development.

The expected outcomes of the research are centred around three key areas. First, knowledge sharing, envisioning the future and capacity building will inspire other city communities by disseminating practical solutions and success stories, creating a ripple effect of local innovations leading to broader systemic changes. Second, by strengthening community resilience, the research will empower grassroots initiatives, enhancing collective agency and encouraging communities to replicate successful transformations. Lastly, the research will promote global collaboration by establishing a network of practitioners across borders, providing mutual support, resources, and encouragement to individuals and communities, ultimately fostering a global shift towards responsible stewardship and regenerative urban development.

2. Research hypothesis or guiding questions to be addressed

We assume that a city is a living ecosystem made up of different organisations and the people who inhabit them. Cities are the most stable and constantly evolving social ecosystems, far outliving not only people, their organisations and communities, but also states, emerging and disappearing over the centuries.
A city serves as a meeting point for different cultural traditions, practices, and worldviews. The diverse linguistic and cultural fabric of the city enhances its resilience and adaptability to change. The ability to draw from a wide range of cultural practices and perspectives helps the city navigate challenges and seize opportunities in an interconnected world. In this way, our hypothesis is that cities, rather than nations or states, can serve as the source of significant positive change and global epicentres of thriving for the nurturing of healthy populations and a thriving planet.

The following questions aim to address the critical areas of urban transformation into resilient, interconnected ecosystems, focusing on wellbeing, collaboration, governance, and the fusion of traditional and modern knowledge for the regenerative urban development:

• How can cities enhance subjective wellbeing and flourishing by moving from polarisation and tension to fostering mutual support, connections, and intercultural communication for inclusive, healthy societies?
• What are the key strategies for fostering cross-sectoral collaboration and partnerships that support the development of regenerative, life-centred design processes in urban environments?
• How can new forms of local self-governance be developed to engage citizens in participatory decision-making and nurture collaborative approaches to urban development that ensure the wellbeing of both human and non-human life in the cities?
• In what ways can diverse cultural perspectives and indigenous wisdom be integrated with cutting-edge science and technology to promote a unified worldview and advance the health of ecosystems, contributing to a regenerative future for cities?
• How can cities foster a new citizen identity and residents’ agency rooted in collective responsibility for people, places, and the planet?
• How can successful local innovations be scaled and adapted to other cities, creating a global ripple effect for planetary health?

3. Major theoretical frameworks to which your work adheres

The theoretical framework of Living Cities Action Research Ecosystem (Living CARE) draws on multiple integrative approaches to transform urban ecosystems and foster a regenerative future. Central to this is the Unitive Narrative, which emphasises the interconnectedness of life and the collective responsibility for planetary well-being. The 4P Code of Care (Person, People, Place, Planet) serves as a guiding ethical framework to ensure that urban development aligns with broader goals of sustainability, equity, wellbeing and resilience.
In addition, frameworks like Cultural Intelligence Theory and the Theory of Language Alter Ego offer insights into how multicultural and multilingual identities shape urban citizenship, fostering global collaboration. Tools like INNER KEY© and MeshSCAN provide diagnostic assessments of the personal, cultural, and ecological dynamics of cities, enabling targeted interventions to enhance wellbeing and resilience.
The Flourish Model introduces an ecological wellbeing framework that promotes whole systems thinking and an ecosystemic understanding of human flourishing. Moreover, Evolutionary Systems Design (ESD) and the Five Dimensions of Systemic Thrivability and Syntony offer approaches for fostering regenerative design in cities, while Evolutionary Learning Ecosystems (ELE) support continuous learning and adaptation, ensuring cities evolve as resilient and life-centred ecosystems. Together, these frameworks align with the Evolutionary Development Goals (EDG.Earth) to position cities as dynamic, interconnected systems that can thrive across generations, harmonising human activity with ecological integrity.

4. Selected research methodology

The research methodology for Living CARE is centred around a combination of participatory action research, case studies, and the development of innovative diagnostic tools. The initiative will collect and analyse case studies from cities worldwide, focusing on innovative approaches to societal and environmental challenges. These will be gathered through field research, interviews, surveys, and collaborations with local communities and leaders. A participatory research approach ensures direct community engagement through workshops, focus groups, and dialogues, allowing for inclusive representation. Living CARE employs an action research methodology, integrating continuous cycles of planning, action, observation, and reflection / thinking. This approach emphasises co-creation, empowering participants to contribute to both research and solutions.

The insights gathered will be synthesised into a comprehensive repository of best practices, which will be disseminated globally through publications and events.
Additionally, diagnostic tools such as INNER KEY© and MeshSCAN© will be employed to assess and enhance urban ecosystems.

5. Potential impact and implications for further research

The Living CARE project aims to revolutionise urban development through a unique blend of interdisciplinary research, indigenous wisdom, and cutting-edge science. By embedding ecosystemic thinking and fostering collaboration across hemispheres, different cultures, sectors and walks of life, it redefines urban citizenship with a focus on collective responsibility for the wellbeing of people, places, and planet. Living CARE bridges theory and practice by developing adaptable governance tools, empowering local leaders to drive holistic urban transformation.

Through its global network of researchers and city leaders, Living CARE promotes knowledge-sharing and collaboration, enabling cities to adopt sustainable, regenerative practices. Its support or grassroots initiatives and responsible stewardship fosters community resilience, intercultural dialogue, and regenerative urban ecosystems. The initiative has far-reaching implications for future research on sustainable thriving cities, including participatory governance models and ecosystemic stewardship.

By facilitating the transition from theory to real-world application, Living CARE can inspire systemic changes that benefit both humanity and the planet, setting the stage for continued research on urban resilience, ecological stewardship, and sustainable city networks. It also emphasises ecological sustainability, social equity, and inclusive governance, ensuring that all voices, including non-human entities, are recognised and valued.

6. Documentation

• Demchenko M (2022) Philosophia ustoychevogo razvitiya gorodov (The philosophy of sustainable urban development). Paper presented at the 9th Living Cities Forum, Moscow, Russia, 16-17 December 2022.
• Demchenko M. (2021). Integral Happiness: the hidden source, essential condition and inevitable outcome of sustainable development.
• Ellyatt W (2023) Chapter Author, Transformative Education, The Holomovement: Embracing Our Collective Purpose to Unite Humanity, Light on Light Press.
• Ellyatt W (2022) Co-author Unitive Narrative https://sdgthoughtleaderscircle.org/unitive- new-narrative
• Ellyatt W (2022) Education for Human Flourishing – a New Conceptual Framework for Promoting Ecosystemic Wellbeing in Schools, Challenges Journal.
• Ellyatt W (2020) Introducing the Flourish Model, Flourish Project https://www.flourishproject.net/uploads/1/8/4/9/1849450/introducing_the_flourish_model__optimized_.pdf
  https://medium.com/@marinademchenko/integral-happiness-the-hidden-source-essential-condition-and inevitable-outcome-of-sustainable-7697892d33a7
• Hamilton M (2008, 2019) Integral City: Evolutionary Intelligences for the Human Hive. Amaranth Press, LLC, Minneapolis, MN.
  Hamilton M (2018) Integral City 3.7: Reframing Complex Challenges for Gaia’s Human Hives. Amaranth Press, LLC, Minneapolis, MN.
  Hamilton M (2017) Integral City Inquiry & Action: Designing Impact for the Human Hive. Amaranth Press, LLC, Minneapolis, MN.
• Klaus B. von Pressentin, Angela de Sá, Paddy Pampallis and Tasleem Ras (2024). Cultivating leaders for primary health care: A revised approach to transformative leadership development. African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine | Vol 16, No 1 | a4410 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/phcfm.v16i1.4410
• Laszlo A, (2018) Leadership and Systemic Innovation: Socio-Technical Systems, Ecological Systems, and Evolutionary Systems Design. In: Ruzzeddu M and Ferone E (ed) International Review of Sociology, Special Issue on “Governance of Innovation Processes: A Sociological Approach”, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 1-12.
• Laszlo A, Huber-Heim K, Blachfellner S, Luksha P (2021) Systemic Innovation for Thrivable Cities. In: Brears RC (ed) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Urban and Regional Futures. Springer Nature, Switzerland, pp. 1-20.
  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030- 51812-7_212-1
• Laszlo A, Huber-Heim K, Blachfellner S (2022) From Sustainability to Thrivability: Transforming systems with purpose. In: Ladeja Godina Košir (ed) The Kyoto Post COVID Manifesto for Global Economics: Confronting Our Shattered Society. Springer, Singapore, pp. 305–316. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8566-8_18.
• Matveeva, E., (2016) Language Alter Ego – The key to multicultural linguistic personalities, Philology Journal, issue No 4 (4), July, ISSN 2414-4452.
• Matveeva. E., (2020) Auybowan, Multilingual is normal, p.123-126, Hamilton. K., United Kingdom.
• Pampallis P., van Schaik P. at al. (2021). Urban Hub 23 – Integral Africa: Thriveable Cities, https://www.amazon.com/Urban-Hub-23-Integral-Thriveable/dp/B08S2ZZ93N
• Pampallis P. (2019). Evaluating Client Progress: A Developmental Approach – Beyond Convention. Professional Coaching: Principles and Practice. Ch. 17. Springer Publishing Company, LLC ISBN _ 978026180087.
• Pampallis Paisley, P. (2006). Towards a theory of supervision for coaching: an integral vision. DProf thesis Middlesex University Institute for Work Based Learning.  https://repository.mdx.ac.uk/download/fe6c59c9ac27c5f820d7dc266c6daacf9d4dc775eafa2326a369987e305462a5/9000807/PPampallisPaisley%20thesis.pdf
• Unitive Narrative (2022a) https://www.evolutionaryleaders.net/unitivenarrative. Accessed 13 May 2023.
• Unitive Narrative NGO UN Thematic Cluster (2022b)
  https://sdgthoughtleaderscircle.org/ngo-unitive-thematic-cluster/. Accessed 14 May 2023.
• The Union Of Creators And Leaders Of Territorial Development “Living Cities” (2023). Presentation of the Inner Key methodology by Marina Demchenko. Living Cities Union presentation brochure. 2023. p. 8.
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kp_lQy2TrZMqICJ75zghtlvTczktV4aj/view?usp=drive_link
• The Urban Hub book series (2016 – 2024) by Paul van Schaik and IntegralMentors -https://www.facebook.com/IntegralUrbanHub

Currently in the process of peer review or publishing

• Demchenko M (2022) The Philosophy of Sustainable Urban Development: Socio-Cultural, Communicative And Educational Aspects. Slated for publishing in 2024.
  Link to the manuscript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Gv2DauMlhpNsp1Tp2yaIzuc7iGqomwM8/view?usp=drive_link
• Demchenko M. et al (2023) From Sustainable to Thrivable Urban Development: Conceptual Frameworks for Designing a Socio-Cultural, Relational, and Educational Ecosystem of Cities (Demchenko et al) – Planned for publication in the Scopus-indexed Springer Publishers book “Urban Planning and Design for Megacities in the Global South: Strategies for Smart and Sustainable Urban Development” in 2024. Link to the manuscript:
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1naBPvjTnXkDP5OnK6Bta0dzIFmztKb6g/view?usp=sharing
• Ellyatt W (2024) Galileo Commission, Optimising Worldviews for a Flourishing Planet – Exploring the Principle of Right Relationship, Challenges Journal Special Edition Nurturing Connected Consciousness in the Anthropocene: Addressing Calls for Cultural and Spiritual Transformation as a Path to Personal, Collective, and Planetary Health’.