Civic Intelligence !in Uncertain & !Threatening Times

Knowledge Media Institute !June 23, 2017

Douglas Schuler!The Evergreen State College

The goal of this talk is help focus on our historic roles during one of the most significant shifts in human history.

The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off. — Gloria Steinem

Like it or not we are actors, not observers.

ICT researchers & practitioners are central.

…Plan…• Introduction to Civic Intelligence • Big Questions • Big hypotheses • Trump: Threat or Menace? • Research Directions

Introduction to Civic Intelligence

The challenges we face are not “technological”

Some Basic Arguments• Problems (quantitively and qualitatively) seem to be growing faster than

solutions.

• Current approaches to governance are insufficient.

• Citizen revolt is widespread (and not necessarily effective)

• Diffusion and renegotiating of “governance” is necessary and in-work.

• Millions of projects / experiments exist worldwide.

• Complex situations require complex thinking, not “click to like.” Technology will play a role but it can’t do all of our thinking for us.

• All problems — events with collectively unwanted consequences — will have social roots — and therefore alternative social approaches can help ameliorate the problems.

• Problems can only be addressed collectively but the roles, compositions, tactics, and other characteristics of the collectivities that address them are crucial to effective and equitable resolution. Which is where civic intelligence comes in.

Today’s strongly connected, global networks have produced highly interdependent systems that we do not understand and cannot control well. These systems are vulnerable to failure at all scales, posing serious threats to society, even when external shocks are absent. As the complexity and interaction strengths ... increase, man-made systems can become unstable, creating uncontrollable situations ....

— Globally networked risks and how to respond, Dirk Helbing, Nature (02 May 2013)

A New World of Our Own Creation

Hyper-networks

Hyper-risksand

Globally networked risks and how to respond, D. Helbing, Nature 497, 51–59 (02 May 2013)

But “small” problems are also difficult to address.

And “local” problems are often linked to “global” ones.

We define civic intelligence as the capability of people working together to address significant shared problems effectively and equitably. !Civic intelligence is important enough — and sufficiently distinct from collective intelligence — to be considered in its own right. !Informally, civic intelligence refers to how smart society is as-a-whole in relation to its problems.!Although we know that civic intelligence exists, it’s not explicitly acknowledged and hence not something that we can readily examine or improve.

What is Civic Intelligence?

We need a “frame” that can help orient our activity, provide some meaning, and suggest integration — confrontation — with other institutions and organizations.

Why Conceptualize Civic Intelligence?

Civic Intelligence, properly conceptualized, can help us build the collective resources that we need now. We need to be able to think together effectively and equitably.

We need a “frame” that is neither left nor right. One that is open enough to suggest / tolerate a multitude of approaches. One that necessarily combines thinking and acting.

"... what is not named remains unnoticed or, in any event, impervious to cognitive development." — Giovanni Sartori

!Civic intelligence — like all forms of intelligence — is contextual. It will vary according to the people who employ it and the situations they are in. !Civic intelligence acknowledges that people have brains, motivation, emotions and that people (and situations) and people vary and change. It does not assert or assume that people are inert.!It also asserts that people have the right to be involved in the creation of their shared future.!The idea is to help make people more intellectually and materially engaged in addressing the problems that we face.

More Observations about Civic Intelligence...

And civic intelligence can be improved.

FOOD! What is Reality?

Intelligent action is time sensitive

We can’t wait to act until we’ve figured it all out.

Civic Intelligence is not a Brand New Topic

Civic Capacity (Harry Boyte, Xavier Briggs)

Social Intelligence (John Dewey)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Public Work Politics (Center for Democracy & Citizenship)

Civic Innovation (Carmen Sirianni & Lew Friedman)

Open Source Intelligence (Robert Steele)

World Brain (H.G. Wells)

Civic Community (Jane Addams)

Civilizational Competence (Piotr Sztompka)

Social Learning (many authors)

+ Social Enterprise / Social Entrepreneurism / Social Innovation, etc.

Collective Impact (HanleyBrown, Kania, & Kramer)

Community Inquiry (Ann Bishop, Chip Bruce, etc.)

Science 29 October 2010: Vol. 330. no. 6004, pp. 686 - 688 DOI: 10.1126/science.1193147 !REPORTS

Evidence for a Collective Intelligence Factor in the Performance of Human Groups Anita Williams Woolley,1,* Christopher F. Chabris,2,3 Alex Pentland,3,4 Nada Hashmi,3,5 Thomas W. Malone3,5 !Psychologists have repeatedly shown that a single statistical factor—often called "general intelligence"—emerges from the correlations among people’s performance on a wide variety of cognitive tasks. But no one has systematically examined whether a similar kind of "collective intelligence" exists for groups of people. In two studies with 699 people, working in groups of two to five, we find converging evidence of a general collective intelligence factor that explains a group’s performance on a wide variety of tasks. This "c factor" is not strongly correlated with the average or maximum individual intelligence of group members but is correlated with the average social sensitivity of group members, the equality in distribution of conversational turn-taking, and the proportion of females in the group. !

Five critical aspects of civic intelligence

Knowledge is necessary in any situation but it’s not the only aspect. Knowledge includes theory as well as information that’s specific to individual situations. It includes models of the context — including models of the processes you’re using, without which one couldn’t think about one’s own thinking. The knowledge that’s required can be found in books, the internet, computer simulations, other people and a million other places.

!Attitudes and aspirations are crucial. They’re what animates the knowledge and inspires people to get involved. It covers a wide range including social imagination, enthusiasm, and courage.

!Organizational capital describes the structures and processes that groups rely upon. !Relational capital describes the important aspects by which groups connect to other groups.!Material resources include money, equipment, property, tools, places to meet, time, and any other thing one needs.

Civic Intelligence Capacities

Another view

Courtesy Alicia Capp

Some Big Questions• What basic forms does civic intelligence take? How could they be characterized?

Through a combination of challenges to be faced, people doing it, social norms, etc. And how does this operate under more oppressive regimes? And how can we have meaningful interchanges under these regimes?

• How many people can opt out of (or actively disrupt) the civic intelligence system (if that’s the right word) before it’s hopelessly inoperative?

• How does (or can) civic intelligence scale up?

• How does civic intelligence spread and improve (or degrade?)

• What is the relation between individual actions, policy and institutionalization, social norms?

• Our current situation (in US) is strongly / dangerously linked. Fake news, class & culture wars, corporate media, unemployment, high levels of inequality. How can this be characterized?

• Meta-civic intelligence: How can the people who are explicitly working within this; perspective work together?

Some Big HypothesesHypotheses: Dipping below a certain level may be extremely dangerous to health of a country as it directly impacts the ability to address problems collectively — as democratic societies are supposed to do. Acting as if problems are trivially solved or can be addressed solely by a strong man is one example. Demeaning reputable journalism and knowledge is another. When civic intelligence is low or degraded people like Trump get elected. !

Hypothesis: In the U.S. there will be countering movements to the Trump occupation. Will they be civically intelligent— and will the counter mobilization be smart enough, soon enough? The mobilization is actually huge — but why was I confident that it would happen?!

A variety of civic intelligences coexist (including its “opposite”, civic ignorance); And there are at any given time competing intelligences; !

civic intelligences most likely have life cycles (at least patterns or trajectories of life cycles); !

Low or poor civic intelligences may be more likely to result in even poorer civic intelligences. !

Civic intelligence must be institutionalized — it’s harder to build it than to tear it down; !

We may be at the case where rebuilding our civic intelligence can not happen fast enough for us to address the problems that we face now (and may be growing). !

The civic intelligence of a group of people is a product of the time, place, and circumstances to which it is needed. And with that in mind, the civic intelligence that we need now is the greatest we’ve ever had. !

levels of civic intelligence can change — but they usually keep re-manifesting themselves!

violence against all is probably the lowest mode in terms of civic intelligence; violence promotes fear and hatred and dialogue is very difficult!

changes in the environment should prompt adjustment; And can the changes in the environment be anticipated?!

!!

Threats to Civic Intelligence

Exhibit T.

Trump is a gift to people who are studying civic intelligence• Trump is an existential threat to democracy — and hence a

“natural experiment” has been launched. • Trump helps us by non-subtly forcing the citizens of the US into a

new civic intelligence regime / ecosystem. Are people ready to abandon democracy?

• His occupation helps us test theory — incremental vs. paradigmatic change, for example. What factors seem to support resiliency?

• It’s not trivial to parse individual contributors to civic intelligence — and civic ignorance — to broader characterizations

Civic Ignorance

• Lesson 1. Repeat the mistakes of the past. E.g. exhume the failed expensive idea of mass incarceration for use of possession of drugs.

• Demonize African Americans, women, poor, migrants,non-Christians, LGBTQ, and, yes, even (or especially?) academics.

• cast aspersions on credible news sources; i.e. the most reliable sources are now

• Claim infallibility and omnicompetence. I can solve all of your problems.

The World According to Trump

at the top and at the core

signs of civic ignorance*• advocates use of violence (e.g. killing or forceful deportation of “infidels”,

“foreigners”, or “terrorists”) • suggests or believes that broad societal issues are easily resolved • sole focus on undefinables (often a single one) such as dignity, liberty, purity, or

decency without thinking about how it would be measured or what the consequences or tactics of such a quest might be pursued.

• absolute authority or certainty of something (e.g. literal truth of bible, constitution, “free market”, real Americans, sect leaders -- religious, political, etc.) other values;

• institutionalization of inequality, abuse, or oppression • return to some “golden age” — MAGA • inevitability or fate • exclusivity, is xenophobic, anti-immigrant, sexist, racist, homophobic, etc.

* Note that Trump does not have a monopoly (or copyright) on civic ignorance.

Danger Signs from the Trump Campaign• Without stating or believing that this is necessarily a slide into fascism,

totalitarianism, or a failed state, the signs are clear that there are some strong negative trends in relation to civic intelligence.

• "I can solve all of your problems!" • putting blame on marginalized people (mostly migrants, women, people of color) • Intimidation vs. democratic processes (e.g. putting journalists behind fences) • Lack of experience and knowledge — considered by many Trump voters to be an

asset • Very little transparency (of financial and international affairs) and very little respect

for transparency (of his affairs) • Forcing people into strong, oppositional camps thus making discussion difficult • Peculiar and seemingly unfounded fondness for Putin and, generally, Russian

connection (which is being unraveled as we speak)

Obstacles to Civic Intelligence• inability to get ideas on the public agenda • inability to reason together; Inability to discuss across national

(and other) boundaries • fatalism, feeling of impotence, boredom, debilitating

ideologies • inequality, influence of money in media and politics • media monopolies • oppression and censorship • lack of intelligence, skills, motivation of citizens • intentional promotion of civic ignorance

Implications of Civic Intelligence perspectiveAn artifact that affects social relations (all?) is more than technology. !Having a system “solve” something by relieving people of their responsibility to deliberate and act is probably not civically intelligent. !Generally speaking, part of “solving” a problem is helping to make citizens smarter so they can make smarter decisions about it. !Any part of the civically intelligence process could use support. (perception, learning, memory, discourse, discussion, action, awareness, focus, etc.) !You tell me! !

Further ResearchGlobal problems force us into global thinking! The Paris talks were an amazing achievement. Can we do that for civil society. New federations; cross-boundary tools and collaborations. A global people’s parliament? !Can we support distributed cognition without “harvesting knowledge?” Who owns the data? What about turning the tables? Sousveillance systems? !Can civic intelligence be cultivated without artifice, oppression, secrecy, or propaganda? Be open to goal; share information; work together !Beyond the Silos: How do we re-integrate disciplines? Education, policy, and design probably need to be linked with many of today’s apps for actual change.

Who or What Will Save Us?

Citizens are necessary for social problem-solving and social progress.

But they shouldn’t expect engraved invitations.

Thanks for your work.

Don’t forget to write

douglas@publicsphereproject.org @doug_schuler