Power in Transition: Disrupting, Resisting, and Reimagining Systems

​Event Description

We are living through a profound reorganization of global power. Economic instability, political shifts, and changing alliances are reshaping who holds influence—and who is left out.

This session explores how power is shifting, contested, and reconfigured across systems, and what that means for movements working to drive social change. In moments of uncertainty, power does not disappear—it relocates, concentrates, and sometimes hardens. The question is: who is shaping what comes next?

We will examine how movements can navigate, disrupt, and reimagine power, from resisting harmful dynamics to building alternative systems rooted in equity and accountability. The discussion will also explore how different forms of power—political, economic, cultural—interact, and how they can be engaged strategically in an increasingly volatile global context.

Bringing together organizers, practitioners, and thinkers, this session will focus on how to act effectively in a world where the rules are shifting—and where the stakes for shaping the future are higher than ever.

Speakers

• ​Elle Covell is Head of Trusts at Action Aid, advancing feminist approaches and challenging systems of power through strategic funding.

• ​Kealeboga Mase Ramaru is Atlantic Fellow at AI, working across feminist movements, democracy, and donor strategy to strengthen civil society and advance global justice.

​Discussion Questions
How is power being reorganized in the current global moment?
What strategies can movements use to disrupt and redistribute power?
How do different forms of power (political, economic, cultural) interact?
What does it take to build and sustain alternative systems in uncertain times?

​Location & access
Accessibility matters deeply to us, and we do our best to choose spaces that reflect that. That said, some of our Oxford venues are in historic buildings without lifts. This room is unfortunately not accessible for wheelchair users, those with mobility challenges, or anyone needing step-free access.