April 2015 - P2P-Foundation - lists.ourproject.org

Fwd: "Le tournant de la théorie critique" (Paris: Desclée de Brouwer, 2015)
by Michel Bauwens 22 Apr '15

22 Apr '15

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Simon Susen <Simon.Susen(a)cantab.net> Date: 2015-04-22 20:01 GMT+07:00 Subject: "Le tournant de la théorie critique" (Paris: Desclée de Brouwer, 2015) To: Simon.Susen(a)cantab.net Cher(e)s amis, Certains d'entre-vous m'ont demandé un tract publicitaire de notre ouvrage collectif afin de pouvoir en assurer la promotion de leur côté. Vous le trouverez ci-joint. Je vais également vous faire suivre un certain nombre de versions papier Bien amicalement à tous, Bruno *Introduction* Bruno Frère - Chercheur qualifié du FNRS, Université de Liège, Sciences Po Paris *Partie I. Le mouvement des nouvelles théories critiques* Chapitre 1. Sociologie critique, sociologie morale Jean-Louis Genard - Professeur à l’Université Libre de Bruxelles Chapitre 2. Pour une critique clinique Thomas Périlleux - Professeur à l’Université catholique de Louvain Chapitre 3 A la recherche des modernités possibles: espace d'interprétation et critique dans la société en réseaux Vando Borghi - Professore presso l’Università de Bologna Chapitre 4. L’avènement de l'intellectuel enraciné : nouvelles formes de critique et d'engagement publics Patrick Baert – Professor at the Cambridge University Alan Shipman - Professor at the Open University Chapitre 5. Une réconciliation entre Pierre Bourdieu et Luc Boltanski est-elle possible ? Pour un dialogue entre la sociologie critique et la sociologie pragmatique de la critique Simon Susen- Senior Lecturer, City University London *Partie II. Capacités critiques et théorie de la domination. Quelle complémentarité ?* Chapitre 6. Situation de la critique Luc Boltanski - Directeur d’études à l’EHESS (Paris) Chapitre 7. Qu’est-ce que la critique artiste ? Jean De Munck - Professeur à l’Université Catholique de Louvain Chapitre 8. Zizek et la critique radicale Alain Eraly - Professeur à l’Université libre de Bruxelles Chapitre 9. Autorités à l'épreuve de la critique. Jusqu'aux oppressions du « gouvernement par l'objectif » Laurent Thévenot - Directeur d’études à l’EHESS (Paris) Chapitre 10. L’ensauvagement du conflit social Un regard sur les luttes pour la reconnaissance au début du 21e siècle Axel Honneth - Professor an der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main und an der Columbia University (New York) Chapitre 11. Pour une critique non culturaliste de la culture Remarques à propos des classes sociales et des statuts sociaux dans le capitalisme globalisé Nancy Fraser - Professor at the New School for Social Research (New York) *Conclusion. La matérialisme est-il mort ?* *Petite critique de l’idéalisme critique* Bruno Frère - Chercheur qualifié du FNRS, Université de Liège, SciencesPo Paris Postface Jean-Louis Laville- Professeur au CNAM, Paris Bibliographie -- Bruno Frère FNRS Research Associate - Chercheur qualifié du FNRS University of Liège, Sciences Po Paris 7 bd du rectorat, bat.B.31 4000 Liège Belgium +32 (0) 4 366 48 89 +32 (0) 479 438 809 -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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bittorrent + bitcoin
by Roberto Verzola 22 Apr '15

22 Apr '15

I came across an old issue (Dec 2013) of Bitcoin Magazine which describes a proposal to incorporate the Bitcoin protocol within BitTorrent to enable micropayments. The article claims that this can simplify direct payments to content creators themselves. I wonder if this can help towards the solution of a problem that Michel has been referring to several times, about the private appropriation of value created on a platform that is built up collectively. Roberto

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Fwd: Second Order Science New Research Tool -- http://Epi-Search.com
by Michel Bauwens 21 Apr '15

21 Apr '15

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Michael Lissack <michael.lissack(a)gmail.com> Date: Tue, Apr 21, 2015 at 8:04 AM Subject: Second Order Science New Research Tool -- http://Epi-Search.com To: secondorderscience(a)simplelists.com The American Society for Cybernetics <http://asc-cybernetics.org> and the Institute for the Study of Coherence and Emergence <http://isce.edu> are pleased to announce the expanded functionality of http://epi-search.com Epi-Search <http://epi-search.com> is the only research tool which allows you to input up tom 10,000 words as your search query (i.e. whole articles, papers, book chapters) Epi-search <http://epi-search.com> then runs a "find more like this search" to recommend books from the 5000 volume ISCE library (these texts are available in full text to ISCE research members), shows you how and why the results shown were recommended AND provides links to "good" related searches from 9 academic databases Just copy and paste, then great related research is but one or two clicks away Epi-search <http://epi-search.com> does NOT use keywords but instead analyzes the full text of your submittal To see examples of Epi-search at work please visit http://secondorderscience.org/websearches.html where we have used the full text of each paper/article as the basis for further research Please contact me at lissack(a)isce.edu to discuss further or to obtain full text access to the library -- Michael Lissack Always looking for comments on http://www.academia.edu/11677778/Second_Order_Science_Putting_the_Metaphysi… [image: http://www.palgrave.com/page/detail/modes-of-explanation-michael-lissack/?i…] <http://www.palgrave.com/page/detail/modes-of-explanation-michael-lissack/?i…> 14 Stratford Rd Marblehead MA 01945 phone 617-710-9565 http://isce.edu http://lissack.com Please try http://epi-search.com <http://epi-search.com> Michael is the Executive Director of the Institute for the Study of Coherence and Emergence, President of the American Society for Cybernetics, ISCE Professor of Meaning in Organizations, Visiting Fellow at Hull University Business School, and an Affiliate Member of the Center for Philosophy & History of Science at Boston University. Modes of Explanation <http://www.palgrave.com/page/detail/modes-of-explanation-michael-lissack/?i…> is now available. . "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. .. Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. " (Winston Churchill) Michael Lissack is the Executive Director of the Institute for the Study of Coherence and Emergence, President of the American Society for Cybernetics, ISCE Professor of Meaning in Organizations, Visiting Fellow at Hull University Business School, and an Affiliate Member of the Center for Philosophy & History of Science at Boston University. To unsubscribe from this list please goto http://www.simplelists.com/confirm.php?u=b2ay5nSJu9r35RvrpBJemS3bN1MFowpr -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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Fwd: The Free Knowledge Institute participates in "Digital DIY" Project
by Michel Bauwens 21 Apr '15

21 Apr '15

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Announcements of the Free Knowledge Institute < fki-announce(a)lists.freeknowledge.eu> Date: Tue, Apr 21, 2015 at 8:54 PM Subject: The Free Knowledge Institute participates in "Digital DIY" Project To: fki-announce(a)freeknowledge.eu The Free Knowledge Institute participates in "Digital DIY" Project Digital Do It Yourself (DiDIY) is a new socio-technological phenomenon, centered around digital devices that support, often through open online communities, the convergence of "atoms" and "bits". The DiDIY Research Project [1], which addresses the Horizon 2020 call for a "Human-centric Digital Age", is studying how DiDIY and the increasing social adoption of ABC devices are: * reshaping organization, work, education, research and creative design * impacting on creative society, * influencing legal systems, * changing ethics The Free Knowledge Institute (FKI) is one of the seven partners of the international Consortium [2], that will carry on this research, whose purpose is to produce well-grounded models and guidelines to support both education and policy making on DiDIY. FKI, which participates mostly with W. Tebbens and M. Fioretti, will lead the Project Work Packages 6 and 8, whose subjects are: WP6: Exploring the impact of DiDIY on laws, rights and responsibilities [3] WP8: Dissemination, future roadmap and sustainability [4] and participate, to various degrees, in all the other Work Packages of the Project. Part of the work will consist of developing and offering, within the Project, online courses and other open educational resources, building on the experience of the Free Technology Academy [5]. [1] http://www.didiy.eu/ [2] http://www.didiy.eu/project/partners [3] http://www.didiy.eu/project/WP6/description [4] http://www.didiy.eu/project/wp8/description [5] http://ftacademy.org/ _______________________________________________ FKI-announce mailing list http://lists.freeknowledge.eu/listinfo/fki-announce To unsubscribe send a message to: fki-announce-leave(a)freeknowledge.eu For more info: http://freeknowledge.eu -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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Re: [P2P-F] FYI -Today 04/21 at 4:30pm EDT/ 3:30 pm CDT from Yale - #RegenerativeCapitalism Launch via Livestream
by Michel Bauwens 21 Apr '15

21 Apr '15

On Wed, Apr 22, 2015 at 12:18 AM, N E <ne_atl(a)onebox.com> wrote: > Nurul > > ----- > > "For the past two years, Capital Institute and its collaborative network > have been on an evolutionary learning journey … searching for a path that > will lead us beyond our current unsustainable economic system and the > finance-dominated ideology that drives it. > > What we discovered is a new way of thinking about economics and how we > manage our free-enterprise system, aligned with our scientific > understanding of how the universe actually works and with our shared values. > > We call it Regenerative Capitalism. > The Regenerative Capitalism framework and accompanying peer-reviewed white > paper will be formally launched at an event hosted by Yale University’s > Center for Business & the Environment. > > Join us via the (below) livestream on April 21, 4:30pm EDT & follow the > #RegenerativeCapitalism hashtag on twitter for real-time updates. " > > http://capitalinstitute.org/regenerative-capitalism/ > -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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Fwd: On the Table Discussion: Chamber of the Commons
by Michel Bauwens 20 Apr '15

20 Apr '15

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: <terry(a)newcommunityvision.coop> Date: Sun, Apr 19, 2015 at 8:50 PM Subject: On the Table Discussion: Chamber of the Commons To: Cc: Sally Duros <sallyduros(a)gmail.com> Hello Everyone, Sally Duros and I are co-hosting an On the Table discussion inspired by Michel Bauwens <http://p2pfoundation.net/Michel_Bauwens>’ Cooperation 2015 workshop on the peer2peer economy. Our #OnTheTable Discussion topic is the *Chamber of the Commons*. At this conversation, we’re holding space to explore the creation of a Chicago Chamber of Commons and other ways to amplify the work of those in the peer2peer economy <http://wealthofthecommons.org/essay/peer-peer-economy-and-new-civilization-…> here in Chicago. We hope that you will join us. Using the #OntheTable2015 as a platform to discuss the *Chamber of the Commons* melds the two ideas that community discussions spawn energy and interesting ideas. We will submit notes of our discussion to the Chicago Community Trust for input into their programming for the year, the Chicago Community Trust’s 100 th anniversary! Last year, some hosts were invited to speak at Chicago Ideas Week. Our goal in making this event part of On the Table is to heighten visibility AND to put the idea on the table with a general influential public. Who knows what could happen? We are sending this invitation separately from CCT’s online interface and hope that signing up isn’t too complicated. If it seems so, please direct questions to either Sally (SallyDuros(a)gmail.com) or Terry ( terry(a)newcommunityvision.coop) An easy way to sign up, click as instructed: “We hope you will join us. Please click here <https://chicagotrust.eventready.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=reg.page&event_id=…> to learn more about our event and please RSVP at your earliest convenience.” OR Head on over to Meet Sally Duros <http://www.onthetable.com/meet-sally-duros/> http://www.onthetable.com/meet-sally-duros/ Sign Up from the drop down at the top. It will ask for your name and email address. Look for the event at the Red Lion Lincoln Square and mark that you will be attending. CCT’s boilerplate is: *That day and evening, thousands of Chicago-area residents – from Alsip to Zion – will pull up a chair at gatherings like ours to discuss the future of our communities while sharing a meal together. We will be one of thousands of locations across the Chicago region hosting similar events where community residents from all ages and backgrounds will come together to put real issues and solutions “on the table” and share their commitments to helping shape our collective future.* Date: Tuesday, May 12 Time: 6 p.m. Location: Red Lion Lincoln Square, 4749 N Rockwell, street parking Location Details: Free. Food is available for purchase but it is not required. Please don’t bring in food from the outside however. Host email: SallyDuros(a)gmail.com or terry(a)newcommunityvision.coop We hope you will join us. Please click here <https://chicagotrust.eventready.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=reg.page&event_id=…> to learn more about our event and please RSVP at your earliest convenience. If you are unable to attend but want to be on the list of people to follow up with, please click here <https://chicagotrust.eventready.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=reg.decline&event_…> . Sincerely, *Sally Duros,* Independent Journalist & Steward | *Terry Edlin*, Healing the world, one household at a time -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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Fwd: My article "We Need Algorithmic Angels" on Techcrunch
by Michel Bauwens 20 Apr '15

20 Apr '15

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jarno Mikael Koponen <jarno.koponen(a)gmail.com> Date: Sun, Apr 19, 2015 at 11:34 PM Subject: My article "We Need Algorithmic Angels" on Techcrunch To: Michel Bauwens <michel(a)p2pfoundation.net> My story about the future of algorithms "We Need Algorithmic Angels" just out on Techcrunch http://techcrunch.com/2015/04/18/we-need- algorithmic-angels/ "Today our algorithmic selves are beyond our control. Our agency in digital environments is diminishing. That leaves us very vulnerable. Could this be changed?" "Is it really helpful to know exactly how personalization algorithms work... Maybe it would be more practical to have algorithms that would be on our side and in our control — personal algorithms, or algorithmic angels if you will (for a lack of a better word). They’d be a combination of an aid, guardian and assistant, helping us out in various digital and physical environments." All feedback appreciated. Many thanks! -Jarno M., https://twitter.com/ilparone -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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Fwd: What Happened to Obama's Promise to Restore Scientific Integrity?
by Michel Bauwens 20 Apr '15

20 Apr '15

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jonathan Latham <jrlatham(a)bioscienceresource.org> Date: Mon, Apr 20, 2015 at 8:22 AM Subject: What Happened to Obama's Promise to Restore Scientific Integrity? To: bsr-PROJECT-ELIST1(a)gn.apc.org Dear Friends and Colleagues Published today (Mon, April 20th), on *Independent Science News*: *What Happened to Obama's Promise to Restore Scientific Integrity?* By Jonathan Latham, PhD http://www.independentsciencenews.org/news/what-happened-to-obamas-promise-… *Synopsis:* For plenty of people, including many outside academia, President Obama was elected as an intellectual hero. In the standard narrative, after the corruption of the Bush era, President Obama would return enlightenment values to government. Thus, in his inauguration speech the new President proposed to "restore science" to its rightful position. In his own words, it was "a key campaign promise". The President duly ordered measures to turn his promise into a reality. For a while, the resulting policy developments were closely watched, but press interest faded. The latest (i.e. slowest) agency to adopt the President's scientific integrity regime is arguably the most important and certainly is the most interesting. In 2013 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) appointed Francesca Grifo as its Officer of Scientific Integrity. Dr Grifo joined EPA from the Union of Concerned Scientists where she headed its scientific integrity programme. Her first report has just been published. The report shows Grifo has ducked the challenge of bringing scientific integrity to the EPA. Enjoy and please share this article Jonathan Jonathan Latham, PhD Executive Director The Bioscience Resource Project Ithaca, NY 14850 USA www.independentsciencenews.org and www.bioscienceresource.org jrlatham(a)bioscienceresource.org Skype: jonathanlatham2 Tel: 1-607-319-0279 “The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.”—Edward Bernays, Propaganda _______________________________________________ BSR-project-elist1 mailing list Info and options: http://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/bsr-project-elist1 To unsubscribe, email bsr-project-elist1-unsubscribe(a)gn.apc.org -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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Fwd: Colloque de Cerisy: Les fondements (non-utilitaires) de la science sociale (16-23 mai 2015)
by Michel Bauwens 15 Apr '15

15 Apr '15

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Frederic Vandenberghe <frederic(a)iesp.uerj.br> Date: Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 10:44 AM Subject: Fwd: Colloque de Cerisy: Les fondements (non-utilitaires) de la science sociale (16-23 mai 2015) To: Jeffrey Alexander <jeffrey.alexander(a)yale.edu>, kathya araujo < kathya.araujo(a)gmail.com>, Alexandre Werneck <av.werneck(a)uol.com.br>, Margaret Archer <Margaret.archer(a)warwick.ac.uk>, "andre.berten(a)gmail.com" < andre.berten(a)gmail.com>, Dear friends and colleagues, Together with Alain Caillé and some friends from the MAUSS (Mouvement anti-utilitariste dans les sciences sociales), I am organizing week long symposium on the anti-utilitarian foundations of social theory in the castle of Cerisy in Normandy in France. The place is legendary and as you will see from the flyer we have put quite an impressive programme together. The symposium will take place from 16 th. till the 23 d. of May. The flyer can also be downloaded from the following address. http://www.ccic-cerisy.asso.fr/programme.html The full programme with abstracts can be found here: http://www.ccic-cerisy.asso.fr/sciencesociale15.html The working languages of the conferences are French and English. People who would like the attend the conference will find the necessary information on the flyer. Please circulate this announcement to your lists. Warm regards Alain Caillé Philippe Chanial Stephane Dufoix Frederic Vandenberghe Chers ami(e)s, cher(e)s collègues, Ensemble avec Alain Caillé et quelques amis du MAUSS (Mouvement Anti-utilitariste dans les Sciences Sociales), nous avons organisé un colloque international sur les fondements (non-utilitaristes) de la science sociale. Ce colloque aura lieu au Centre Culturel de Cerisy-la-Salle du 16 au 23 mai prochain. En attachement, vous trouverez un flyer avec le programme. Vous verrez qu' il s' agit d' un événement assez extra-ordinaire. Ce flyer est téléchargeable sur le site de Cerisy à la page < http://www.ccic-cerisy.asso.fr/programme.html>. La présentation complète du colloque (avec les résumés) est accessible à la page http://www.ccic-cerisy.asso.fr/sciencesociale15.html. Afin de garantir une bonne diffusion de cet événement, je vous prie de bien vouloir diffuser cette annonce sur vos listes. Cordialement, Alain Caillé Philippe Chanial Stephane Dufoix Frederic Vandenberghe Queridos amigos e colegas, juntamente com Alain Caillé e alguns amigos do MAUSS, eu estou organizando um simpósio de uma semana sobre os fundamentos anti-utilitaristas da teoria social no castelo de Cerisy na Normandia, França. O lugar é célebre e como vocês podem ver no folheto abaixo nós organizamos uma programação realmente admirável. O simpósio acontecerá entre 16 e 23 de maio. O folheto também pode ser baixado no seguinte endereço: http://www.ccic-cerisy.asso.fr/programme.html A programação completa com os resumos está disponível aqui: http://www.ccic-cerisy.asso.fr/sciencesociale15.html As línguas de trabalho da conferência são o inglês e o francês. Os interessados em comparecer à conferência encontrarão as informações necessárias no folheto. Por favor, divulguem esse anúncio em suas listas. Saudações calorosas Alain Caillé Philippe Chanial Stephane Dufoix Frederic Vandenberghe Frederic Vandenberghe Professor/pesquisador IESP-UERJ 82 Rua da Matriz Botafogo 2226-100 Rio de Janeiro Brasil ________________________________ -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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Fwd: Draft Appeal - From Open Co-operativism report to Open Coop organisation
by Michel Bauwens 14 Apr '15

14 Apr '15

dear friends, thank you so much for spreading the word on the below, as requested by Stacco Troncoso: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Stacco Troncoso <staccotroncoso(a)gmail.com> Date: Tue, Apr 14, 2015 at 7:44 PM Subject: Re: Draft Appeal - From Open Co-operativism report to Open Coop organisation To: Henry Tam <htam.global.t21(a)btinternet.com> Cc: Gary Alexander <garyalexand(a)gmail.com>, Jon Walker < walker.jon.99(a)gmail.com>, Pat Conaty Hi friends. I've made a post compiling info about the Open Coops Development agency in Common Transition.org. Please share the following extract with your contacts or in Social Media. Thanks! *Facebook/G+/Diaspora* The Open Coop Development Agency, a proposal by Henry Tam. "Unlike their traditional for-profit counterparts, Open Cooperatives are oriented towards the common good in their statutes. They draw their membership from several classes of stakeholders to co-produce both material and immaterial commons. Another distinguishing quality is that they seek to address the issue of global social and political power. What is missing is an Open Coop equivalent of the CERN Accelerator, something to initiate changes with ever greater momentum that will eventually escalate the energy to an entirely new level. We propose to make the social economy hyper-productive, hyper-competitive, hyper-cooperative. This is the mission of the Open Coop Development Agency – a stand-alone or a federated network with existing pro-Open Coop groups and institutions as supporters." http://wp.me/p5UWKD-436 <http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwp.me%2Fp5UWKD-436&h=SAQH-9yw_&e…> *Twitter et* An agency to develop #OpenCoops <https://twitter.com/search?q=%23OpenCoops> for the #Commons <https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Commons>. "Open Cooperatives are oriented towards the common good" http://wp.me/p5UWKD-436 On Fri, Feb 13, 2015 at 6:26 PM, Henry Tam <htam.global.t21(a)btinternet.com> wrote: > Many thanks to Jon and Gary for your comments. > > On Gary’s point about whether there is the beginning of a team working on > the development of some form of OCDA, I’m pretty sure Pat, Michel, John and > other colleagues meeting on 25 April will look at this issue in the context > of Synergia’s evolution. For any meta system to succeed, it must steer a > path between Hobbesian authoritarianism and Godwinesque anarchy – too much > unaccountable centralised control, and it would be swiftly rejected; too > little collective coordination, and it would never get off the ground. > Accountability through a respected group of prominent stakeholder > organisations could be the way to start building a value-adding mechanism. > > Jon, your point about potential obstacles resonated with me a lot. I’ve > had a bit of experience too working with community-based and/or social > purpose organisations, and there’s always considerable scepticism (and in > some cases, hostility) when it comes to the suits coming in to tell ‘real > people’ how to do things. When I led the ‘Together We Can’ programme for > the previous government, one of the initiatives we came up with was that of > Guide Neighbourhoods, where we enabled community groups in deprived > neighbourhoods in different parts of England and Wales to visit other > groups/neighbourhoods and learn from them. It boosted the ‘teaching’ > groups as they felt respected in being asked to share their experience; and > it went down very well with the ‘learning’ groups as they were much better > disposed to find out how their peers overcame comparable problems rather > than having to listen to a bunch of rootless consultants. When it comes to > cooperative/commons groups, if we can help relationship-building to develop > as mutual-support networks in social and economic terms, that could draw > more in who can see beyond ‘someone else taking up our time’ to ‘we may be > able to count on someone else one day’. > > Getting economies of scale advantages without losing democratic > connections will be the big challenge and also the great prize. Once > groups find they can raise funds more easily, negotiate with conventional > corporations with greater clout, etc their backing for a development agency > that will bat for them, will continue to grow. > > The optimist in me wants to say, while this may all be some way off, but > the glass is already one tenth full. > > In solidarity, > > Henry > > > On 12/2/15 17:13, "Gary Alexander" <garyalexand(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > > Hi folks, > > > > Firstly, thanks to Jon for these very helpful comments. I also think > that > > using Viable Systems principles is actually necessary to help all the > separate > > parts of our movement to come together. From Jon's comments, I would > > especially highlight 2) dealing with conflicts of interest, both between > > organisations and between people within organisations. If we are setting > up a > > collaborative society we need to know how to collaborate, and this is > not > > trivial in our culture. It should be an explicit and early function of > Henry’s > > proposal. > > > > Henry, I like your proposal very much. As Jon says, it is the beginning > of a > > meta-system. Do you have the beginnings of a team working on it? > > > > As for Pat and David’s paper, I thought it was excellent, and have > promoted it > > several times on Facebook and Twitter. It covers so much in a few pages. > > > > Regards, > > > > Gary > > > > ================================ > > Dr Gary Alexander > > > > Author of "eGaia, Growing a peaceful, sustainable Earth through > > communications" > > > > Website: http://earthconnected.net > > > > Mobile: 07766 - 711999 > > > > On 12 Feb 2015, at 15:39, Jon Walker <walker.jon.99(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > > >> Dear All > >> > >> Before my comments here’s a very quick history for those who don’t know > me. > >> I spent around 30 years making my living setting up and working in > coops in > >> the UK, form small whole food-shops, to food-processing plants, to a > big > >> warehouse (Suma) to the Out of this World supermarkets which pioneered > >> ethical consumerism, and now I’m a director of the Green Valley Grocer > - a > >> community owned multi-stakeholder coop in my village, currently > fighting off > >> Aldi. So my perspective is always from inside coops. I came across > the > >> Viable Systems Model while working in Suma and used it to help to > create an > >> effective organisational structure which was 100% in line with > individual > >> autonomy and creativity and coop principles and works for large > numbers. 20 > >> years later I was invited by Cloughjordan eco-village and helped them > to > >> design a structure for their project. In 2002 I met, married and > started to > >> work with Angela Espinosa who also worked with the VSM (up to and > including > >> governmental level in Colombia) and we wrote a book on the VSM and > >> sustainability (kindly reviewed by Pat for Resurgence) and since then > we’ve > >> been busy working on these ideas. Coops are right at the heart of our > >> thinking. As an insider, the VSM is incredibly valuable - whatever > you do , > >> you have to be organised effectively. > >> > >> So - my thoughts: > >> > >> Pat and David’s paper is spot-on in identifying that we need to start > >> building links, finding ways to create new wholes out of the existing > parts. > >> which is why I’m keen to support and develop John’s Synergia project. > >> > >> Henry’s proposal is again right in line with this - we need a stable, > >> accessible central function which is there to support the individual > coops > >> (the 8 jobs stated for the OCDA) but also needs to start developing > the > >> links. I would call this a meta-system. So I would add an R&D > function > >> which looks at ways in which this already works (Mondragon, Emilia > Romagna > >> etc etc ) and then start to talk to people like me out there and > showing why > >> this is a good idea. Maybe organise regional conferences to start > developing > >> inter-trading or whatever mutually supportive functions can be > identified in > >> order to begin a collaborative economy. I’m sure P2P will have much > to > >> contribute. > >> > >> From my experience there are a number of obstacles to making this work. > >> > >> a) People in coops (in the UK anyways) are suspicious of people who try > to > >> advise them. Often they are seen as outsiders who’ve never worked in a > coop > >> and are making a very nice living telling the real cooperators what to > do. > >> > >> b) Making a living in business is tough, and there’s often little time > for > >> thinking about anything else. This tends to lead to a very inward > looking > >> perspective and a lack of interest in working with other coops. I’ve > seen > >> coops refuse to share expertise, or to work with others when there > were very > >> clear advantages, but a slight loss of autonomy. > >> > >> Maybe my experiences were particularly bad, but these issues have to > be > >> dealt with. > >> > >> There are ways forward: > >> > >> 1) Establish a unifying vision which provides the cohesion for the > larger > >> whole. This is partly what the Open Coop document does, but needs > to be > >> developed and discussed so there’s a sense of solidarity with something > >> larger. > >> > >> 2) Deal with conflicts of interest. Most coops are trading and thus in > >> competition with each other. Ways must be found to ensure these > conflicts > >> don’t shake the whole thing to pieces. The change in mind-set from > >> competition to collaboration is not a trivial undertaking. > >> > >> 3) Make sure the synergies are clear. Mutual support, economies of > scale, > >> supportive markets. > >> > >> 4) Establish the value of a development body for the network which can > look > >> at issues impossible for the individual coops. > >> > >> 5) Clarify the way autonomy can be used as the basis for the effective > >> functioning of the network. Coops will need to know they won’t be > throwing > >> away their capacity to self organise and won’t be forced to take order > from > >> above. > >> > >> > >> All of this is straight from the viable systems model, which has > always > >> helped to point us in the right direction. Currently Angela and I are > >> working with a colleague who is using these ideas with networks of > businesses > >> (not coops !) in Mexico and Colombia, attempting to collaborate to > lower > >> their environmental impact , and the results are much better than > expected. > >> > >> Hope this helps. > >> > >> Jon > >> > >> ******* > >> > >> > > > -- Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: http://commonstransition.org P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net - http://blog.p2pfoundation.net <http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation>Updates: http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens #82 on the (En)Rich list: http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/

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