Affinity group

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
An affinity group of anti-war protesters

An affinity group is a group formed around a shared interest or common goal, to which individuals formally or informally belong. Affinity groups are generally precluded from being under the aegis of any governmental agency, and their purposes must be primarily non-commercial. Examples of affinity groups include

private social clubs, fraternities, writing or reading circles
, hobby clubs, and groups engaged in political activism.

Some affinity groups are organized in a non-

consensus decision making, and are frequently made up of trusted friends
. They provide a method of organization that is flexible and decentralized. Other affinity groups may have a hierarchy to provide management of the group's long-term interests, or if the group is large enough to require the delegation of responsibilities to other members or staff.

Affinity groups can be based on a common social identity or

legal support, medical aid, software engineering), or shared personal identity (e.g. race/ethnicity, gender, disability, cultural
interests). Affinity groups may have either open or closed membership, although the latter is far more common. Some charge membership dues or expect members to share the cost of the group's expenses.

Employee and professional affinity groups

Affinity groups in the workplace or as part of a professional association are composed of people who share similar backgrounds or interests. In the workplace, they are also referred to as

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that form a part of the organization diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Employee affinity groups are historically race- and gender-based but now also include groups that recognize affinity in age, veteran status or sexual identity.[1] As part of a professional association, affinity group members engage in networking, mentoring, and opportunities for both professional and personal development.[2][3]

Political affinity groups

Affinity groups engaged in political activism date to 19th century

tertulias or in the local groups.[4]

Politically oriented affinity groups in the United States gained public attention during the anti-Vietnam War movement of the 1960s and 1970s. The term was first used by

anti-globalization
, to name some examples.

The 1999

WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999 included coordinated organization by many clusters of Affinity groups.[7]

Organization

External

By definition, Affinity groups are

Toastmasters
, may be individual units that conform to shared standards so that one may participate in another group of the same name anywhere on earth without requiring the individual to reapply for a new membership.

Internal

Affinity groups tend to be loosely organized, however there are some formal roles or positions that commonly occur. A given Affinity group may have all, some or none of these positions. They may be permanent or temporary and the group may opt to take turns in these roles, or assign one role to one person.

  • Spokesperson (or just spoke): The individual charged with representing the Affinity group at a spokescouncil or cluster meeting. Occasionally, the spoke will be granted a more general ambassadorial role by the Affinity group.
  • Facilitator: A person or people who perform
    facilitation duties in consensus process
    of the group and also, to varying degrees, act as arbiter of internal conflicts.
  • Media contact: An individual who represents the group to the mass media. Often this individual is the same person as the Spoke.
  • Vibe watch: A person or people charged with monitoring the mood and feeling of the group. The reference is to vibrations in the colloquial emotional sense. In some Affinity groups, the vibe watch is also charged with keeping the facilitator from using his or her role to favor any position or proposal.
  • Snap-decision facilitator: Also called "quick decision facilitator", this is a person charged with making decisions for the group in time-constrained or high-pressure situations. The position is rare and is almost always temporary (contrast with the pre-Imperial Roman concept of a temporary dictator).

See also

References

  1. ^ "Today's Affinity Groups: Risks and Rewards". SHRM (Society for Human Resources Management). 2019-10-11. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  2. ^ Sha, Mandy (May 2023). "Cross-cultural and multilingual research affinity group" (PDF). American Association for Public Opinion Research. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  3. .
  4. ^ "rantcollective.net". ww12.rantcollective.net. Archived from the original on May 19, 2006.
  5. ^ "Starhawk.org : Affinity groups". Archived from the original on August 28, 2006.
  6. ^ Uproot : Affinity groups
  7. ^ "Seattle prepares for battle - Trade before freedom". Archived from the original on 2020-10-25. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  8. ^ "rantcollective.net". ww12.rantcollective.net. Archived from the original on May 19, 2006.
  9. ^ "Austinspokes.org". Archived from the original on July 9, 2006.
  10. ^ "Austinspokes.org What is a spokescouncil?". Archived from the original on July 9, 2006.

External links