Social Science Brokering Social Science Brokering Between Between

Academia Localities PolicyAcademia Localities PolicyHazel AshtonHazel Ashton

BRCSS Post Doctoral ResearchBRCSS Post Doctoral Research

Locally Grounded Civic Cosmopolitan Locally Grounded Civic Cosmopolitan Transdisciplinary MethodologyTransdisciplinary Methodology

In contexts of applicationIn contexts of application

Social Futures for Aotearoa/New Social Futures for Aotearoa/New Zealand in a Global EraZealand in a Global Era

Post Doctoral Research: Post Doctoral Research: contexts of applicationcontexts of application

Theme: Theme: New wealth New wealth creation and distribution creation and distribution systems in a globalised systems in a globalised context – linking also to:context – linking also to:

Sustainability of diverse Sustainability of diverse households, communities households, communities and settlementsand settlements

Building e-research Building e-research networks in the social networks in the social sciences.sciences.

Robust Policymaking for Wealth Robust Policymaking for Wealth Creation/Distribution in a Global EraCreation/Distribution in a Global Era

Blending vision & reality:Blending vision & reality: We need to “We need to “engage grass engage grass

roots organisations and roots organisations and communities in debate communities in debate about the kind of future we about the kind of future we want for our countrywant for our country” ” (former PM Helen Clark Oct (former PM Helen Clark Oct 2005)2005)

““The world has moved very The world has moved very quickly from the best of quickly from the best of times to the worst of times” times to the worst of times” Minister of Finance, Bill Minister of Finance, Bill EnglishEnglish

The Old Ways are Not Working The Old Ways are Not Working ““British food-basket” a reality British food-basket” a reality

1881-19731881-1973 1973 Britain into EU and 1973 Britain into EU and

First Oil Crisis First Oil Crisis 1973-2008 (“elephant in 1973-2008 (“elephant in

room”) “Borrow and Hope” room”) “Borrow and Hope” Now “NZ is facing a perfect Now “NZ is facing a perfect

[global] storm” with $166 [global] storm” with $166 billion net debt (Don Brash, billion net debt (Don Brash, Feb 2009)Feb 2009)

2009 “Asian food-basket” 2009 “Asian food-basket” mantramantra

No environmental limits?No environmental limits?

Top-down global screens and Top-down global screens and networking fragment national/localnetworking fragment national/local

Multicultural Fragments or Multicultural Fragments or Intercultural Opportunities?Intercultural Opportunities?

When in a big hole shovels and When in a big hole shovels and ladders need to be distinguishedladders need to be distinguished

A ladder gets us out, a shovel digs us deeper (village-connections.com)A ladder gets us out, a shovel digs us deeper (village-connections.com) New ideas needed – possibly including some New ideas needed – possibly including some “. . .the government hasn’t “. . .the government hasn’t

thought of, that we don’t really quite understandthought of, that we don’t really quite understand” (Bill English 27 Feb 09)” (Bill English 27 Feb 09) Job and entrepreneurial summitsJob and entrepreneurial summits Engaging localities? Creative (R Florida) and Weightless economies? Engaging localities? Creative (R Florida) and Weightless economies? Can social science help to differentiate ladders from shovels?Can social science help to differentiate ladders from shovels?

Methodology available as created Methodology available as created and piloted in doctoral thesisand piloted in doctoral thesis

Social science solutions Social science solutions brokering (transdisciplinary) brokering (transdisciplinary) via ground-up networkingvia ground-up networking

Via screen interfaces for Via screen interfaces for local-through-to-global local-through-to-global communication/networking communication/networking (= “civic cosmopolitan”)(= “civic cosmopolitan”)

= creating communicative = creating communicative networking nodes within and networking nodes within and between locality policy and between locality policy and academiaacademia

Web research/networking portal Web research/networking portal www.village-connections.comwww.village-connections.com

For “Village-Square” conversationsFor “Village-Square” conversations between locality, between locality, academia and policy about co-creating places where local academia and policy about co-creating places where local inhabitants identify local-through-to-global aspirational inhabitants identify local-through-to-global aspirational opportunities, obstacles and practical solutionsopportunities, obstacles and practical solutions

Village-connections Blogs:Village-connections Blogs: Soap Box, Brokering Soap Box, Brokering Solutions, Ladder and Shovel Awards, Theory CaféSolutions, Ladder and Shovel Awards, Theory Café

Information Pages: Information Pages: methodology, development, methodology, development, resources, events calendarresources, events calendar

Presentation @ Sussex University EU Presentation @ Sussex University EU Social Theory ConferenceSocial Theory Conference

and interview @ Goldsmithsand interview @ GoldsmithsShowed DVD and discussed methodology Showed DVD and discussed methodology

Presentation onPresentation on applying social science applying social science theory to social developmenttheory to social development

1.1. Social theory:Social theory: from local from local fragmentation to civic cosmopolitan fragmentation to civic cosmopolitan networking (Delanty). Paralleled in:networking (Delanty). Paralleled in:

2.2. Narrative theory:Narrative theory: reconfiguring reconfiguring discordant social heterogeneities in discordant social heterogeneities in concordant narrative (Ricoeur)concordant narrative (Ricoeur)

3.3. Inclusive local film-makingInclusive local film-making narratives of local aspirations, narratives of local aspirations, obstacles and practical attainmentobstacles and practical attainment

4.4. AccessibleAccessible to academia/policy on to academia/policy on DVDDVD

NZ in world via CairoNZ in world via Cairo

Context of application Context of application NZ to recognize opportunities and NZ to recognize opportunities and

build connections:build connections: Peace brokering & high-level Peace brokering & high-level

connection-buildingconnection-building Also intercultural/Interfaith local-Also intercultural/Interfaith local-

global communication buildingglobal communication building Can international students (e.g. Can international students (e.g.

big Saudi intakes) come into big Saudi intakes) come into supportive locality and supportive locality and university nodes?university nodes?

Met first secretary of NZ Met first secretary of NZ embassy, and Egypt Telecom embassy, and Egypt Telecom head in Smart Village gave a head in Smart Village gave a personal tour personal tour

Christchurch - Localities and Christchurch - Localities and university research/scopinguniversity research/scoping

NZ locality & university nodes to build NZ locality & university nodes to build national capacitynational capacity

Create locality, & university, F2f-&-ICT Create locality, & university, F2f-&-ICT (web +) nodes(web +) nodes

2 kinds of university node:2 kinds of university node:1.1. Campus local-cosmopolitan student Campus local-cosmopolitan student

networkingnetworking2.2. Social science-led nodes from (at least) Social science-led nodes from (at least)

locality-academia-policy networkinglocality-academia-policy networking

Collaborative local-to-global Collaborative local-to-global networking:networking:

Locality, & university, collaborations - Locality, & university, collaborations - on on international projectsinternational projects

Including innovative & inclusive wealth Including innovative & inclusive wealth creation and distributioncreation and distribution

Thanks to BRCSS NetworkThanks to BRCSS Network For funding support to For funding support to

complete my PhD and for this complete my PhD and for this Post Doctoral Award. Post Doctoral Award.

To those with the vision to To those with the vision to “foster innovative and new “foster innovative and new research” and to contribute “to research” and to contribute “to the development of new and the development of new and emerging researchers” and to emerging researchers” and to encourage “networking via the encourage “networking via the Access Grid Nodes.” Access Grid Nodes.”

To those whose energy has To those whose energy has helped implement and sustain helped implement and sustain this vision. this vision.