Building the Commons A collection of slides from a seminar presentation By Steven Clift (Board...
-
Upload
jackson-donovan -
Category
Documents
-
view
216 -
download
0
Transcript of Building the Commons A collection of slides from a seminar presentation By Steven Clift (Board...
Building the CommonsA collection of slides from a seminar presentation
By Steven Clift
http://www.publicus.net(Board Chair, E-Democracy, http://www.e-democracy.org)
Copyright 2003
Building the CommonsCopyright 2003, Steven Clift, Publicus.Net
Building the Commons• Build the Citizen Commons Online
– Related terms: Agora, The Forum, Town Square, Town Hall Meeting, Public Sphere, Public Space
• Goals– Create an online center of real community life online where views
on local issues can be publicly exchanged. – Create the ability for new ideas and information to enrich local life
and decision-making. – Connect the Commons to online consultations, communities of
practice techniques, social software, etc…
• How?– Succeed with active citizens first. Open to all, but most citizens will
remain skeptical until results are demonstrated– Build on the two-way nature of the Internet– Convenience - use e-mail-based group “publishing” at its core
• Why?– Informs, educates, and activates– Expand diversity of dialogue, counter media fragmentation
Building the CommonsCopyright 2003, Steven Clift, Publicus.Net
Building the Commons
• Where does the Commons exist today?– Neighborhoods everywhere, under the radar
• Adams-Morgan, Washington, DC• Cleveland Park, Washington, DC
– Cities, city-wide e-lists are very rare, very special• Minneapolis, St. Paul, Winona, Minnesota• Arlington, Massachusetts• Knoxville, Tennessee• Tripoli, Lebanon
– State, National, Global• Minnesota Politics Discuss• e-thepeople.org – News talk, events (web)• UK OpenDemocracy.Net – Articles and discussion (web)• Many regional media sites, but many have closed
– Hey! We need a global directory of _local_ forums
Building the CommonsCopyright 2003, Steven Clift, Publicus.Net
Building the Commons• No, not like Hyde Park
– Not one to few
– The Commons seeks to connect many-to-many throughdialogue not ranting and flaming
– Other online places, such as newsgroups provide an online Hyde Park
– Even the pigeons look disengaged
Building the CommonsCopyright 2003, Steven Clift, Publicus.Net
Building the Commons• Minnesota E-Democracy e-democracy.org
Since 1994, almost a decade of success!
Building the CommonsCopyright 2003, Steven Clift, Publicus.Net
Building the Commons
• Online Civic Communication Model 1994-98
Commons
Group communicationremains highly private via e-mail without commons
Commons serves as public group communication organizer, multiplier, and amplifier; “leaks” back into private communication
vs.
Building the CommonsCopyright 2003, Steven Clift, Publicus.Net
Building the Commons
• TheCommonsClose-up
Mayor’s Office
“SecondaryNetworks”
City Department
PersonalNetworks
Local Media
Political Activist
Reporte
rCiti
zen
#1
City Staff
Citizen #2
Candidate
Res
earc
her
Council Member
Neighborhood Leader
Student
List Manager
Citizen
#500
Craz
y Pe
rson
Citizens
Issues ForumE-mail group server sends posts direct to people and web archive
Send-Receive Public Sphere
You subscribe onceCommitment madeMay post via e-mail
Everyone is a citizen!
Building the CommonsCopyright 2003, Steven Clift, Publicus.Net
Building the Commons• Online Civic Communication Model 1998+
Commons
One-way content, semi-public online advocacy without the commons
Commons diffusion, viable two-way options tied to online advocacy and one-way content
vs.
Citizen Commons Online
Online Consultation
Online Civic Events
Hou
sin
g
Park
s
Recy
clin
g
Gra
ffiti
Child
care
Communities of Practice for
Policy Implementation
Etc.
The big picture
someday? …
Building the CommonsCopyright 2003, Steven Clift, Publicus.Net
Related Resources• E-Democracy Research Links
– http://www.e-democracy.org/researchIncludes great academic articles and more.
• Start an Online Commons (9 tips)– http://www.e-democracy.org/do/commons.html
• A Wired Agora (the Minneapolis story)– http://www.publicus.net/present/agora.html
• E-Democracy Thrives in Winona– http://onlinedemocracy.winona.org/startup.html
• StarTribune: Minneapolis e-mail forum has become a force in city politics– http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/773948.html
• E-Democracy Training– http://www.e-democracy.org/center/training.html
Building the CommonsCopyright 2003, Steven Clift, Publicus.Net
Further Information
• Democracies Online Newswirehttp://www.e-democracy.org/doOver 2500 people around the world exchanging announcements, news, and articles related to e-democracy, e-government, and e-politics.
• E-Democracy Resources Flyerhttp://publicus.net/articles/edemresources.htmlLinks to the top e-democracy starting points on a two page flyer available in HTML, Word, and PDF.
• Publicus.Net http://www.publicus.netMore articles and presentations by Steven Clift