[P2P-F] prince of networks and grid group theory

[Michel Bauwens]

Dear friends,

I have a question: should I read Prince of Networks, a biography of Bruno
Latour, as perhaps constitutive of p2p-oriented theorizing? So the question
really is: should I know more about Latour?

I have only found a version which seems not copy-able or even printable, see
http://www.re-press.org/book-files/OA_Version_780980544060_Prince_of_Networks.pdf
, can this be hacked or has anyone access to another version?

My second question is for Paul: could you have a look at the theory and book
mentioned below? Comments would be very welcome,

Michel



via
http://charlesvanderhaegen.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/einstein-capitalism-socialism-machiavelli-and-vested-interests-preventing-clumsy-solutions-for-betterment-of-our-world/

This brings me to the subject of a theory - it sails mainly under the name
Cultural Theory but also Theory of Plural Rationality, Grid-Group Theory,
Theory of Socio-Cultural Viability and even Neo-Durkheimian Institutional
Theory -  of which the foundations were lead by Mary Douglas, and
courageously further developed by her followers, the leading researcher of
which is Michael Thompson.

I strongly recommend the book he edited with Marco Verweij: “Clumsy
Solutions for a Complex World:  Governance, Politics and Plural Perceptions”
published by Palgrave.

It is a powerful and original statement on why well-intended attempts to
alleviate pressing social ills so often derail, and how effective, efficient
and broadly accepted solutions to social problems can be found.

It takes its cue from the idea that our endlessly changing and complex
social worlds consist of ceaseless interactions between four organising,
justifying and perceiving social relations. Each time one of these
perspectives is excluded from collective decision-making, governance failure
inevitably result. Successful solutions are therefore creative combinations
of four opposing ways of organising and thinking. The book shows the force
of these theoretically sophisticated, yet simple and practical ideas for a
number of pressing issues from around the World.

To introduce you to the matter, you might follow the link hereafter. It will
lead you to what is substantially the first chapter of the book:
https://mercury.smu.edu.sg/rsrchpubupload/3224/SMUPreprint.pdf


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