March 2010

CURRENT ACTIVITIES and NEWS:

1. We are very sad to announce a terrible new. Our collega and friend Tim Costello passed away. Tim was co-funder of Global Labor Startegy and participated at several Networked Politics events (Berkeley December 2009 and Belem do Para January 2010). Tim was a  key contributor on Networked Politics discussions on changes on labour movement organising and on labour strategies open up by the new technologies of information. Tim’s friends have set up a space at http://laborstrategies.blogs.com/where to collect thoughts, memories and celebrations of his rich life, for his family and for all us.

2. In collaboration with Exgae and Free Knowledge Institute, Networked Politics organised the First international forum on free culture and knowledge which  took place at Barcelona from October 29 to November 1st 2009. The Fcforu.net was a great success with hundrets of participants from more than 20 countries. The Fcforum participants approved a Barcelona Culture Forum Charter for Innovation, creativity and Access to knowledge. See the videos of the presentations, the documents approved by issues and the final Charter at: http://www.fcforum.net

Activities during 2009:

3. Report seminar at the World Social Forum - Belem, Brazil - January 2009:  “Social Forums 2.0? Towards Networked Politic: Technology and Knowledge”.

Please find at the link below a report on the seminar organized at the last World Social Forum (January 2009- Belem, Brazil) entitled: “Social Forums 2.0? Towards Networked Politic: Technology and Knowledge”.
The techno-tools provided by the Social Forums seems to have limited success. The goal of this seminar was to reflect on the strategy of Social Forums regarding technology and knowledge and to analyze and learn from the distinctive organizational form on experiences that do an extensive use of the new technology, such as Wikipedia and the Open/Free Software projects.
The seminar report includes materials on short initial presentations (such as Hilary Wainwright on The relevance of communications technology to the rethinking of political organization) and reports on the following discussion in working groups addressing questions such as “Technology and the representational versus networking tension at the WSF” or “Web 2.0, young engagement and cognitive gap” (thanks to Marcelo Santos).
Thank everybody who participate at the seminar and please highlight any issue you consider is missing; I hope the ones who couldn’t come find useful this report; and, finally, that we all keep the exchange though this e-list (http://lists.euromovements.info/mailman/listinfo/network) or thought the webpage-comments where the report is availeble.
WSF seminar report: http://www.networked-politics.info/social-forums-20-towards-networked-politic-technology-and-knowledge/

4. Networked Journalism Project at the World Social Forum - Belem (Brazil) January 2009 The World Social Forum took place at Belem 27th January to 1st February. During the last WSF the Networked Journalism Project  brought together a team of journalists from around the world to share discussions at the World Social Forum with the media.

5. Formation of a “Committee for the creation of a network politics handbook”

Background: At the Networked Politics seminar in Berkeley (6 and 7 December 2008), one of the breakout groups examined how organizers can make practical use of the current development in theories/studies of activist networks. We had a quick brainstorm, and decided we wanted to continue gathering ideas online. The goal would to be able to eventually produce a handbook that provides a primer on effective network strategies, common pitfalls, and other considerations.

Elijah from Riseup would like to set this group up using crabgrass for our group wiki space. If there is a “confluence” of
technology, forms, and norms (as Juris is fond of saying), then crabgrass is riseup’s attempt to push back slightly on the tech part of the equation by making the technological tools more closely attend to our norms and forms instead of the other way around.

Please send your availability to be part of it directly to Elijah (e-mail: elijah (at) riseup.net)

6. Memory of the Networked Politics and Technology seminar at the Bay Area in 5, 6 and 7 of December 2008.The seminar audio-recording will be availeble at this website. Efforts to see if it would be possible to transcribe the discussions are also made.

+ More info on the seminar: http://www.networked-politics.info/berkeley/

7. Interface, a new journey “for and about social movements” impulsed by Laurence Cox (networked politician) launched its first number. Interface is multilingual and is availeble entirely online. It aims to build bridges between research and action.The first number is on “Movements knowledge” and includes articles from Networked Politics network participants: www.interfacejournal.net
8. New book by Judy Rebick participant at the Networked Politics seminars and discussions: “Transforming power” http://www.transformingpower.ca/en

OTHER PERMANENT LINES OF ACTIVITY:

Any other initiative to develop or contribute to our exchange is more than welcome!!!!