Inclusionism Core
Belonging Systems
Structures through which individuals and groups establish, maintain, expand, or restrict membership, identity, participation, and recognition.
This page presents the Inclusionism canon's treatment of Belonging Systems. Inclusionism was developed by James Felton Keith and is published with the Keith Institute.
Definition
Structures through which individuals and groups establish, maintain, expand, or restrict membership, identity, participation, and recognition.
Inclusionist Perspective
Belonging systems answer two foundational questions:
- Who belongs?
- Under what conditions?
Examples
- religions
- nations
- families
- tribes
- companies
- political movements
- digital communities
Core Principle
Every belonging system creates:
- inclusion
- exclusion
- identity
- participation rules
- legitimacy structures
Relationships
Questions
- How do belonging systems scale?
- What lowers the cost of belonging?
- Can belonging become universal?