Does SMS Make Engagement More Inclusive?

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Roshan Bliss

This cross-post from NCDD Member Tiago Piexoto’s tech and participation blog DemocracySpot reminds us that, as more and more public engagement efforts make use of SMS to reach broader audiences (like the Text, Talk, Act project of the NCDD-supported Creating Community Solutions initiative), we should keep asking “how well is this working?” That’s why we encourage you to read Tiago reflections on the results of a recent study looking at SMS participation’s impact on inclusiveness of engagement in Uganda, which holds useful insights for us here in the US. You can find his thoughts below or see the original here.

The Effect of SMS on Participation: Evidence from Uganda

I’ve been wanting to post about this paper for a while. At the intersection of technology and citizen participation this is probably one of the best studies produced in 2013 and I’m surprised I haven’t heard a lot about it outside the scholarly circle.

One of the fundamental questions concerning the use of technology to foster participation is whether it impacts inclusiveness and, if it does, in what way. That is, if technology has an effect on participation, does it reinforce or minimize participation biases? There is no straightforward answer, and the limited existing evidence suggests that the impact of technology on inclusiveness depends on a number of factors such as technology fit, institutional design and communication efforts.

If the answer to the question is “it depends”, then the more studies looking at the subject, the more we refine our understanding of how it works, when and why. The study, “Does Information Technology Flatten Interest Articulation? Evidence from Uganda” (Grossman, Humphreys, & Sacramone-Lutz, 2013), is a great contribution in that sense. The abstract is below (highlights are mine):

We use a field experiment to study how the availability and cost of political communication channels affect the efforts constituents take to influence their representatives. We presented sampled constituents in Uganda with an opportunity to send a text-message to their representatives at one of three randomly assigned prices. This allows us to ascertain whether ICTs can “flatten” interest articulation and how access costs determine who communicates and what gets communicated to politicians. Critically, contrary to concerns that technological innovations benefit the privileged, we find that ICT leads to significant flattening: a greater share of marginalized populations use this channel compared to existing political communication channels. Price matters too, as free messaging increase uptake by about 50%. Surprisingly, subsidy-induced increases in uptake do not yield further flattening since free channels are used at higher rates by both marginalized and well-connected constituents. More subtle strategic hypotheses find little support in the data.

But even if the question of “who participates” is answered in this paper, one is left wondering “as to what effect?”. Fortunately, the authors mention in a footnote that they are collecting data for a companion paper in which they focus on the behavior of MPs, which will hopefully address this issue. Looking forward to reading that one as well.

Opportunity to Contribute to IIAS Study Group

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Roshan Bliss

We hope that you will consider taking advantage of a significant opportunity that NCDD Sustaining Member Dr. Tina Nabatchi shared with us recently from the International Institute of Administrative Sciences. Her study group is seeking paper submissions, and it could be a great way for some of you NCDDers to contribute to the field while also getting your work out there. For more information, read the full announcement below or find the original here.

Call for papers for the IIAS study group on ‘Co-production of public services’

The IIAS Study Group on ‘Coproduction of Public Services’ is organizing its second open meeting. Our aim is to create and nurture an intellectual platform for the theoretical discussion and empirical analysis of coproduction and its implications for the organization and management of public services.

Topic
Coproduction refers to the involvement of both citizens and public sector professionals in the delivery of public services. Although countries differ in the extent to which citizens play a role in the provision of public services, the idea of coproduction is gaining ground around the world. Financial crises, austerity in public finances, and growing doubts about the legitimacy of both the public sector and the market, have led numerous governments to involve and cooperate with citizens and civil society in the production of public services. Unfortunately, practice is leading both theory and research, and there is a need to bring together theoretical insights and empirical data to enable a better understanding of public service coproduction. Specifically, this study group is interested in:

Coproduction in different national and policy contexts. What ideological and normative stances about the role of government shape the debate on coproduction? What variations are seen across the policy fields in which coproduction takes place? What variations are seen in national (western and non-western) structures of service provision, and what factors explain this variation?
The organization and structure of public service organizations. Do existing structures enhance or work against coproduction? How can public service organizations be better structured to utilize coproduction processes and approaches?
Challenges of coproduction for the work of public sector professionals. How can professionals find ways to meaningfully interact with people using and coproducing services? What are the (dis)incentives for professionals in promoting and using coproduction?
The role, capacity, and willingness of citizens to engage in coproduction. What characteristics distinguish citizen-coproducers from passive service recipients? What motivates citizens to engage in coproduction?
The potential benefits and pitfalls of directly involving citizens in the production of public services. What is the impact of coproduction on efficiency, democratization, responsiveness, accountability of public service delivery?
The way in which coproduction is accommodated in public law and/or constitutional law. How do various legal frameworks support (or not) coproduction? How can law be enhanced to further and sustain coproduction activities?
The relationship between public spending and coproduction. What financial models can be used to nurture coproduction? Can coproduction compensate for the withdrawal of public spending in times of financial crisis, or does collaboration with citizen-users demand additional resources?
What are the implications of a service-recipient/coproducer dominant approach to public services for the further study of public administration? What insights can be brought in from other disciplines, such as political science, law, economics, psychology, sociology and history? What insights can be gathered from complementing research on coproduction with research on active citizenship, service management and customer engagement, or citizen self-organization?

Meeting Format
The meeting will open with keynotes by Prof. Elio Borgonovi, Professor of Economics and Management of Public Administration at the Bocconi University and Prof. Tony Bovaird, Professor of Public Management and Policy at the University of Birmingham.

The meeting will consist of individual paper presentations and conclude with a round table discussion about the study group’s plan for future intercontinental collaboration in coproduction research.

The goal of the study group is to shed light on the current theory, research, and practice of coproduction. Therefore, we welcome both theoretical and empirical papers on all topics addressed above. We also invite scholars to use a variety of disciplinary analyses: public administration, political science, law, economics, psychology, sociology, and history among others. Interdisciplinary papers are also welcomed.

As a study group of IIAS, we seek to establish an intercontinental discussion, and therefore invite scholars from both western and non-western settings to submit paper abstracts. Submissions are particularly encouraged from doctoral students working on the topic of coproduction.

Output
The study group co-chairs aim at providing outlet for papers presented at the meeting, most likely through a special issue in an international public administration journal. A special issue of IRAS (International Review of Administrative Sciences) is in process, as a result of the successful first meeting of the study group, which was held in The Hague last May.

Moreover, the study group aims at setting up close intercontinental collaboration among coproduction scholars beyond the scope of this meeting, including the development and sharing a database of international cases on coproduction and strategies to enable effective interaction between professionals and citizen-users in the production of public services. In addition to special issues of international journals, the study group is exploring the possibility of a book project at the closing of its three-year (2013-2015) collaboration.

Date and Location
The meeting of the Study Group on Coproduction of Public Services will take place in Bergamo, Italy from May 20 to 21, 2014.

Cost
The registration fee is 100 Euro. Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodations.

Submissions
Please submit abstracts (maximum 600 words) by March 15th, 2014 to mariafrancesca.sicilia@unibg.it and t.p.s.steen@cdh.leidenuniv.nl.

Participants will be notified of acceptance by March 31st. Full papers should be submitted by May 10th.

Organization
The IIAS study group on ‘Coproduction of Public Services’ is co-chaired by Trui Steen (Leiden University, the Netherlands and KU Leuven, Belgium), Tina Nabatchi (Syracuse University, US) and Dirk Brand (University of Stellenbosch, South Africa). The second meeting of the study group is organized by Mariafransesca Sicilia (University of Bergamo, Italy).

Bring D&D to Israel/Palestine This May

Posted on December 4, 2013 by NCDD Community

We are pleased to highlight the post below, which came from Rabbi Andrea Cohen Kiener of the Compassionate Listening Project via our great Submit-to-Blog Form. Do you have news you want to share with the NCDD network? Just click here to submit your news post for the NCDD Blog!

Compassionate Listening delegations to Israel and the West Bank allow us to engage with this heart-wrenching situation in a life-affirming way. Each delegation meets with Israelis and Palestinians representing multiple “sides” to the conflict. We meet people and hear perspectives that deepen our understanding and help build the relationships necessary to establish trust.

This is a most heart-opening way to approach the Israel/Palestine conflict.

Compassionate Listening is based on a simple yet profound formula for the resolution of conflict: that to help reconcile conflicting parties, we must have the ability to understand the suffering of all sides.

On this basis, TCLP founder Leah Green began leading annual delegations to Israel and Palestine in 1991. Today, after 29 delegations in 22 years, and countless conflict transformation workshops for Israelis and Palestinians, TCLP is one of the oldest organizations engaged in people-to-people peacemaking.

My co-leader Munteha Shukrallah is a Muslim American. We have been to the Middle East on Compassionate Listening trips a dozen times. We look forward to expanding YOUR horizons in May of 2014.

For more information, a sample itinerary, and application details, please visit us at www.compassionatelistening.org/journeys/is-pal.

Announcing the New Journal of Dialogue Studies

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Roshan Bliss

We were pleased to learn recently about the creation of the Journal of Dialogue Studies, a brand new academic publication dedicated to the theory and practice of dialogue. The JDS will be published by the Institute for Dialogue Studies, which is the academic platform of England’s Dialogue Society.

For us non-academics, this journal presents a great opportunity to engage on a deeper level with dialogue theory. For you NCDD members who are doing scholarly work on dialogue to reach a broader audience with your work. We highly encourage you to consider submitting your work to the Journal of Dialogue Studies by emailing your paper to journal@dialoguesociety.org. You can find more information on submissions here.

To understand a bit more about the new journal, check out the overview provided by its creators:

The Journal of Dialogue Studies is a multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed academic journal published twice a year. Its aim is to study the theory and practice of dialogue, understood provisionally as: meaningful interaction and exchange between people (often of different social, cultural, political, religious or professional groups) who come together through various kinds of conversations or activities with a view to increased understanding. The Editors welcome vigorous discussion of this provisional description, of dialogue’s effectiveness as a means of increasing understanding, and of other fundamental questions. The Journal brings together a body of original scholarship on the theory and practice of dialogue that can be critically appraised and debated. It publishes conceptual, research, and/or case-based works on both theory and practice, and papers that discuss wider social, cultural or political issues as these relate to the evaluation of dialogue. In this way, the Journal aims to contribute towards establishing ‘dialogue studies’ as a distinct academic field (or perhaps even emerging discipline).

The new journal will be published twice a year, and the first issue is already available online, and is focused on questions such as:

What arguments might there be for (or against) developing ‘dialogue studies’ as a distinct academic field (or perhaps even emerging discipline)?

What are the implications of doing so?

How might ‘dialogue studies’ be of use to academics, policy-makers and practitioners?

What do we mean by dialogue, dialogue theories and dialogue practices?

Where along the spectrum of fields is this field best placed?

We are encouraged to see the dialogue field continue to grow and deepen, and will definitely be keeping an eye on this new publication.

You can find out more about the Journal of Dialogue Studies by visiting www.dialoguesociety.org/publications/academia/829-journal-of-dialogue-studies.html.

Importing Democracy: The Role of NGOs in South Africa, Tajikistan, & Argentina

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Courtney Breese

This 2013 book written by Julie Fisher and published by the Kettering Foundation Press, focuses on the roles of democratization nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in three countries in the developing world: South Africa, Tajikistan, and Argentina.

The book is organized around three chapters for each country, South Africa, Tajikistan, and Argentina. The first chapter of each country’s section begins with the historical, political, and economic context and continues with a discussion of the general contours of civil society. The second chapter in each section deals with the role of democratization NGOs in promoting both loyal opposition and law-based civil liberties. The third chapter focuses on their role in promoting political culture and political participation. Loyal opposition and law-based civil liberties help define democratization at the national level, whereas changes in political culture and increased political participation often occur throughout society. Following the nine country chapters, the book concludes with a comparative overview and implications for international policy.

Fisher, a former Kettering Foundation program officer, writes that the idea that democracy can be exported has lost credibility in recent years. In many countries, however, democratization NGOs are importing democratic ideas and recovering local democratic traditions.

From the book’s Introduction:

Nothing has so discredited the attempt to export democracy militarily as the Iraq and Afghan wars. Both Iraq and Afghanistan remind us that democracy must be built from within. Even peaceful efforts to export democracy, undertaken with the best of intentions, can founder on the reefs of simplistic Western visions of other societies.

A common response to this failure is to assume that many countries are simply not suited to democracy, at least for the foreseeable future. This book is about the people of three countries–South Africa, Tajikistan, and Argentina–who refuse to be so easily dismissed and who have already started the long, arduous process of democratization from within. They have done this, first, by “importing” democratic ideas from abroad and, second, by rediscovering indigenous democratic traditions….

Table of Contents includes:

Preface & Acknowledgments

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 South Africa: History, Politics, & Civil Society

Chapter 3 The Role of Civil Society in South Africa: Building a Loyal Opposition & Law-Based Civil Liberties

Chapter 4 The Role of Civil Society in South Africa II: Nurturing a Democratic Political Culture & Deepening Political Participation

Chapter 5 Tajikistan: History, Politics & Civil Society

Chapter 6 The Role of Civil Society in Tajikistan: Building a Loyal Opposition & Law-Based Civil Liberties

Chapter 7 The Role of Civil Society in Tajikistan II: Nurturing a Democratic Political Culture & Deepening Political Participation

Chapter 8 Argentina: History, Politics, & Civil Society

Chapter 9 The Role of Civil Society in Argentina: Loyal Opposition, Strengthening the State, and Law-Based Civil Liberties

Chapter 10 The Role of Civil Society in Argentina II: Nurturing a Democratic Political Culture & Deepening Political Participation

Chapter 11 Conclusions

Chapter 12 International Implications & Recommendations

Appendix I List of Interviews

Appendix II Democratization NGOs in Other Countries

Appendix III An Overview of Democracy Assistance

Appendix IV Research Methods

List of Acronyms

Bibliographies

Ordering info: The book is currently available for purchase from the Kettering Foundation or from Amazon.com

Resource Link: http://kettering.org/publications/importing-democracy/

Importing Democracy: The Role of NGOs in South Africa, Tajikistan, & Argentina

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Courtney Breese

From the book’s Introduction:

Table of Contents includes:

Preface & Acknowledgments

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 South Africa: History, Politics, & Civil Society

Chapter 3 The Role of Civil Society in South Africa: Building a Loyal Opposition & Law-Based Civil Liberties

Chapter 4 The Role of Civil Society in South Africa II: Nurturing a Democratic Political Culture & Deepening Political Participation

Chapter 5 Tajikistan: History, Politics & Civil Society

Chapter 6 The Role of Civil Society in Tajikistan: Building a Loyal Opposition & Law-Based Civil Liberties

Chapter 7 The Role of Civil Society in Tajikistan II: Nurturing a Democratic Political Culture & Deepening Political Participation

Chapter 8 Argentina: History, Politics, & Civil Society

Chapter 9 The Role of Civil Society in Argentina: Loyal Opposition, Strengthening the State, and Law-Based Civil Liberties

Chapter 10 The Role of Civil Society in Argentina II: Nurturing a Democratic Political Culture & Deepening Political Participation

Chapter 11 Conclusions

Chapter 12 International Implications & Recommendations

Appendix I List of Interviews

Appendix II Democratization NGOs in Other Countries

Appendix III An Overview of Democracy Assistance

Appendix IV Research Methods

List of Acronyms

Bibliographies

Ordering info: The book is currently available for purchase from the Kettering Foundation or from Amazon.com

Resource Link: http://kettering.org/publications/importing-democracy/

Int’l Course on Participatory Methods in India, Spring 2014

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Roshan Bliss

This post was submitted by NCDD member Varun Vidyarthi of the Manavodaya Institute of Participatory Development via our Submit-to-Blog Form. Do you have field news you want to share with the rest of us? Just click here to submit your news post for the NCDD Blog!

You’re invited to participate in a two-week program titled “People Based Development – Concept and Practice” is a unique experience in participatory development in India. It combines inputs in classroom with field visits involving direct interaction with villagers. This will be the seventeenth international course at the Manavodaya Institute that is known for its pioneering contribution to the self help movement in India.

The program is based on the following lessons learned at Manavodaya:

Participatory development is a process that builds on people’s own capacity and resources and it can be initiated by outsiders through deep dialogue.
The process of participatory development is feasible even among the very poor and illiterate.
A successful participatory development process requires a clear vision, strategy, and suitable values among facilitators of the process.
Participants from earlier programs have used the method among refugees in Norway as well as people with learning disabilities in the UK.

For more info about Manavodaya’s work you can find their website at www.manavodaya.org.in, visit Manavodaya’s Facebook page, or check out their informative and inspiring video below:

Cartographers of the Commons

Posted on October 24, 2013 by David Bollier

How far we’ve come in ten years! In 2004 a number of us at the Tomales Bay Institute – the predecessor to On the Commons – tried to get a number of small communities to conduct what we called “local commons surveys.” The idea was to encourage people to make their own inventory of the many overlooked commons that touch their everyday lives, and especially those that are threatened by enclosure. By making commons more visible, we reasoned, people might begin to organize to defend them. It was a great idea, but only one or two communities actually got it together to survey their local commons. A valiant experiment with modest results.

Now we are the midst of a veritable explosion of commons mapping projects. In October alone, there have been two loud thunderclaps of activity along these lines -- the MapJams organized by Shareable.net and Ville en biens communs in France.

The MapJam took place this month in over fifty cities in the US, Europe, Australia and Arab nations. The process consisted of people meeting up to share what they know about sharing projects in their communities. They ten categorized the results, co-created a map and spread the word. It’s all part of the new Sharing Cities Project launched by Shareable.

Many of the new cartographers of the commons are overlaying specific sharing projects and commons on top of Google Maps. Here, for example, is a map from Share Denver. And here is the map from Sharing City Berlin.

As if by cosmic coincidence, hundreds of self-organized commoners in dozens of communities in France and Francophone nations recently participated in a similar exercise. Hosted by Villes en biens communs, many communities produced maps while others hosted workshops, experiments or convivial meet-ups. All of them focused on the commons.

Healthy Democracy Wins IAP2′s 2013 Project of the Year

Posted on October 9, 2013 by Roshan Bliss

We hope you will join us in extending a huge congratulations to our friends at Healthy Democracy, who were just awarded with the IAP2 2013 International Project of the Year Award for their Citizens’ Initiative Review project, which we recently highlighted on our blog. Both Healthy Democracy and IAP2 USA are members of NCDD, and we couldn’t be more pleased to celebrate both organizations’ excellent work.

You can read more about all of IAP2′s 2013 awards in their press release below. Congratulations to all the award winners, and here’s hoping that 2014 brings even more great projects and bigger successes for the field!

International Core Values Awards celebrate Excellence in Public Participation

(Salt Lake City, Utah USA) – At the IAP2 North American Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) announced the 2013 International Core Values Awards honoring award winners from around the IAP2 Federation Presiding Member, Ms. Nomi Muthialu congratulated the winners on behalf of the Board of Directors and national affiliates. “IAP2’s seven Core Values go to the very heart of our association and guide how we think about and practice authentic public participation. The laureates of the 2013 awards represent best practice in our field, and serve as model of excellence for others to emulate.”

Healthy Democracy (Portland, Oregon, USA) was selected the IAP2 International Project of the Year for their entry, “The Citizens’ Initiative Review” which addressed the question: how can we strengthen ballot measures as a tool for public participation in government by giving voters the unbiased information they need to make informed decisions? Tyrone Reitman, Executive Director of Healthy Democracy, said, “We’re honored to see the Citizens’ Initiative Review recognized as project of the year by the leading international organization for public participation. Our moderators, panelists, and supporters have done a tremendous amount of work to develop a fair, unbiased process that improves the initiative system for Oregonians.”

Finalists for the “best of the best” international award were gathered from entries submitted by national affiliates in Australasia, Canada, Southern Africa and the United States. Other winners recognized this year include:

IAP2 International Member-at-Large Project of the Year Award winner Intelligent Futures in partnership with O2 Planning + Design (Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada) were recognized for their entry entitled, “Our Wascana”. “This project was a unique opportunity to combine creativity in engagement with long-term strategic thinking. By combining place-based engagement, creative graphic design, social media and face-to-face workshops, we were able to really understand how much the community values the Wascana Centre. This was a crucial element to planning the next 50 years of Wascana and beyond,” notes Mr. John Lewis, President of Intelligent Futures.

The City of Calgary, Calgary Transit (Calgary, AB, Canada) received Highly Commended recognition for their entry entitled, “Route Ahead: The 30-year strategic plan for Calgary Transit.”

In addition, the 2013 Project of the Year awards presented by IAP2 national affiliates include:

In Southern Africa: Sonja Pithey Consulting the “City of Cape Town S78(3) Waste Review Stakeholder Engagement” process.

In Australasia: City of Marion, South Australia “Making Marion – A Community Plan towards 2040.”

In the USA: City of West Hollywood, Social Services Division, “City of West Hollywood 2013 Community Study: Engaging, Listening, Learning” as well as Healthy Democracy “The Citizens’ Initiative Review”.

“We are delighted with the response to the 2013 IAP2 Core Values Awards competition from public participation practitioners all over the world. This is a testament to the huge growth of our field of expertise”.

Special thanks were extended to the international jury members, Ms. Leanne Hartill, IAP2 Federation Director (Australia), Mr. Rodolfo Lewanski, University of Bologna, IAP2 Italy (2012 Award Winner). Ms. Patricia Munro, World Café Europe, (Germany) and Ms. Fiona Cavanagh, Centre for Public Involvement, (Canada).

Media inquiries: Iris Almeida-Côté, IAP2 International Headquarters. Email: iris@iap2.org Website: www.iap2.org

Register for the Global Challenges Institute TODAY

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Roshan Bliss

We just heard about a great opportunity to participate in the American Democracy Project’s 2013 Global Challenges Institute on the National Issues Forum Institute’s news feed, and the deadline to register is fast approaching. (Please note: the NIF post lists the deadline as today, Friday Oct. 4th, but the conference website lists Oct. 9th. Either way, register ASAP!).

The two-day gathering focuses on the challenge of educating globally competent citizens, and is especially focused on those working in higher ed. You can read more about the gathering in below or check out the original NIF post by clicking here.

The American Democracy Project is pleased to announce that registration is now open
for the 2013 Global Challenges Institute, but it won’t be for long.

Friday & Saturday, November 8 – 9, 2013
Global Challenges Institute
Washington, D.C.

DEADLINE TO REGISTER: October 4, 2013

This two-day institute introduces participants to numerous tools for educating globally competent citizens. Global Engagement Scholars (faculty members) from 11 AASCU campuses describe how they have built courses and curricula around the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ 7 Revolutions Framework (population, resources, technology, information, economic integration, conflict/security and governance). Institute leaders demonstrate the teaching materials and resources they have found most valuable in the courses they teach (including introductory, first-year, discipline-based and honors courses) and guide participants in anticipating how these same tools could be used effectively on their home campuses.

To register, visit http://aascu.org/meetings/globalchallenges13 by October 4, 2013.

For more information about this year’s speakers, click on their names below:

• Mike Jeffress with the National Intelligence Council
• David H. Grinspoon, the current curator of Astrobiology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science

To learn more about the Global Challenges, visit the following website: www.aascuglobalchallenges.org.

Civic Studies

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Category Archives: international

Does SMS Make Engagement More Inclusive?

The Effect of SMS on Participation: Evidence from Uganda

Opportunity to Contribute to IIAS Study Group

Call for papers for the IIAS study group on ‘Co-production of public services’

Bring D&D to Israel/Palestine This May

Announcing the New Journal of Dialogue Studies

Importing Democracy: The Role of NGOs in South Africa, Tajikistan, & Argentina

Importing Democracy: The Role of NGOs in South Africa, Tajikistan, & Argentina

Int’l Course on Participatory Methods in India, Spring 2014

Cartographers of the Commons

Healthy Democracy Wins IAP2′s 2013 Project of the Year

International Core Values Awards celebrate Excellence in Public Participation

Register for the Global Challenges Institute TODAY