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In the face of escalating crises—climate collapse, widening economic inequities, and the entrenched power of neoliberal states—the quest for radical democracy and autonomy has never been more urgent. It is in this convulsing global terrain that the Global Tapestry of Alternatives (GTA) emerged in 2019, as a network of grassroots groups, social movements, and communities (especially in the Global South) working together to imagine, enact, and defend alternatives to the dominant political-economic order. Through its horizontal structure, knowledge-sharing practices, and emphasis on ecological sustainability, economic democracy, indigenous rights, and participatory governance, GTA offers an evolving guide for those seeking paths beyond extraction, oppression, and hierarchy.

This compilation gathers stories of radical democracy and autonomy precisely to contribute to that lifeline. The essays and narratives collected here are not abstract theorizing—they are grounded experiments and lived realities: communities practicing self‐governance; indigenous collectives reclaiming land, culture, and decision‐making; solidarities forged across borders resisting extractivism and marginalization. Each story reflects one of the core objectives of the GTA: networking and solidarity; knowledge sharing; amplifying alternative models; and fostering systemic transformation. By drawing these diverse threads into dialogue, this book aims to strengthen the tapestry, offering both inspiration and critical reflection for practitioners, activists, scholars, and anyone yearning to reimagine democracy not merely as a form of government but as a lived, relational, morally grounded process of autonomy.

As you turn these pages, you will sense a common insistence: that autonomy is inseparable from democratic participation, that radical democracy demands more than procedural reform—it demands transformation in how power, resources, and decision‐making are organized. These stories, spanning different geographies, cultures, and challenges, together affirm the vitality and multiplicity of alternative futures already in motion. May this collection serve as a bridge—across continents, across movements, across knowledges—within the GTA, both to honour what has been achieved and to stir what remains possible.

Credits

Franco Augusto and Shrishtee Bajpai edited this booklet report.

Design, Layout & Illustrations were created by Franco Augusto using free open-source software tools.