[P2P-F] Technological Sovereignty and the crisis of capitalism

[Michel Bauwens]

Technological Sovereignty and the crisis of capitalism BITS Symposium

Event details

Date: 8-9 December 2016
Time: 10.00am – 8.00pm
Event: Symposium Invitation only and open community events Venue:

Welcome

Welcome to the symposium of the Barcelona Initiative for Technological
Sovereignty (BITS), a multidisciplinary effort to analyze and shape a
technological agenda rooted in the ideals of democracy, solidarity, and
autonomy.

Hosted by the City of Barcelona and bringing together leading thinkers
about technology, cities, and geopolitics, BITS is a strategic partnership
between Hans Crescent Symposium London, the Internet Interdisciplinary
Institute (IN3/UOC), the Institute of Government and Public Policy
(IGOP/UAB), and a network of social movement activists and academics. It
originates from the partners’ shared interest in developing a strategic
vision of using advanced information technologies to benefit an alternative
political, social, and economic agenda.

Purpose

BITS will stimulate a global debate about the changing meanings of
sovereignty and explore the ways in which various types of sovereignty – of
citizens, cities, nation states, and regions – can still be maintained in
today’s highly technological global conditions. With a strong focus on the
political effects of technological change, BITS will explore how the rise
of technology platforms and the data extractivism they enable is
transforming governments, labor, ownership, and access to the basics of
life such as water, food, housing, and energy. This task is particularly
important as the current political and economic regime reformulates itself
around the rhetorical and practical kernel of digital technology, with a
new mighty alliance between technology firms, global finance, and the
military-industrial complex.

Activities

BITS’ initiatives include workshops, Symposiums, a series of monthly
lectures and workshops linking researchers, grassroots, and public
officials starting in 2017, and a Summer School in July 2017. Regular
content will be produced and shared, including research briefings and news
digests pertaining to the questions addressed by the initiative.

BITS seminars, work streams, and research lines are geared towards "what's
to be done?" sort of questions. Its members and audience include prominent
academics, journalists, researchers, social movement activists,
campaigners, entrepreneurs, and public officials from municipal and
national governments in attendance. Thus, while BITS raises awareness and
stimulates robust theoretical discussions, it also brings in and encourages
concrete examples and suggestions for specific policy interventions in the
political context.

Agenda

December 8

DAY ONE: POWER

10.00 Welcome
Gerardo Pisarello, First Deputy Mayor, Barcelona

Francesca Bria, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Barcelona
10.15 Opening
Remarks

Roy Singham, Chairman ThoughtWorks

10.30- Keynote: Power, Economics and Crisis in the Era of Authoritarian
12:00 Capitalism

Kees van der Pijl, Emeritus Professor International Relations, Sussex
University

Respondent:
Julian Assange, Founder and Editor Wikileaks

12:15- Session 1: The Geopolitics of Technology
14:15 Keynote: Dan Schiller, Historian of information and communications,

University of Illinois

Respondents:
Evgeny Morozov, author
Carlos Figueira, former Vice Minister of Technology, Venezuela

Open debate
Facilitator: Francesco Nachira, independent researcher Note taker: Renata
Avila, lawyer and activist

Lunch break
15:15- Session 2: The New Global Financial Architecture

17:15 Keynote: Andres Arauz, Minister of Talent and Knowledge, Ecuador
Respondents:
Brett Scott, Journalist and Researcher

Ekaitz Cancela, Journalist and author

Open debate
Facilitator: Jaromil, Dyne.org <http://dyne.org/>
Note taker: Anthony Arnove, ThoughtWorks

Coffee Break

18:00- Session 5: Automation, Labour struggles and the Future of Work 20:00
Panelists

Valery Alzaga, Union Organiser, Change to Win Federation- EOC Annette
Muehlberg, Ver.di
Philipp Staab, Institute for the history and future of work

Open debate
Facilitator: Juha Leppänen, Demos Helsinki Note taker: Federico Primosig,
BITS

Dinner with guests (public event with Barcelona en comù and BITS
communities)

DAY TWO: COUNTERPOWER

10:00- Session 4: Transcending the State, Transcending Capitalism? 12:30

Leslie Sklair, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, London School of
Economics Shelley
Hurt, Professor of International Relations, Science & Technology Policy and
American Political Development, Cal Poly University

Open debate
Facilitator: Evgeny Morozov, author Note taker: Arnau Monterde, UOC

Lunch break

14:00- Session 3: Elites and Power brokers 16:00 Keynote: Inderjeet
Pramar, City
University

Respondent: Matt Kennard, Centre for Investigative Journalism, Goldsmiths
university of London

Open debate
Facilitator: Prabir Purkayastha, ThoughtWorks Note taker: Olga Coscodan,
BITS

17:00- Session 6: Data Sovereignty and Democracy 19:00 Panelists

Richard Barbrook, Professor of Media University of Westminster Alex
Hache, Tactical
Tech Collective
Tamar Sharon, University of Maastricht

Open debate
Facilitator: Joan Subirats, IGOP
Note taker: Renata Avila, lawyer and activist

Closing Session and General Reflections

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