[bestbits] [governance] Call for Participation: Global Congress on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest, 2015

Sun May 17 14:04:03 EDT 2015

"Everyone knows what multistakeholder is. That’s easy."

Respectfully, (I'm making a comment/asking for clarification, not trying to
pick a quarrel), I have the impression that the problem is that everyone
*doesn't* know, or rather that everyone doesn't agree. "Multistakeholder"
seems to me to have become a "Humpty Dumpty" word -
'When *I* use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, 'it
means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.'
(from Alice Through the Looking Glass/Lewis Carroll /
http://sabian.org/looking_glass6.php)
I've begun to record, for my own benefit, when how and where the term is
used, and to notice those contexts in which it is not used.
Does "multistakeholder" now have a stable definition? Does
"multistakeholderism"?
Best wishes
Deirdre

On 17 May 2015 at 11:13, Ang Peng Hwa (Prof) <TPHANG at ntu.edu.sg> wrote:

>
>  >So, in fact, indeed the dominant groups involved with the IGF process
> do seem to think that 'public interest' is a problematic concept, and the
> idea of 'multistakeholder perspective' or interest is a positive political
> evolution over it!
>
>  What a curious (mis)reading.
>
>  First of all, I do not see how the APrIGF can be representative of
> “dominant groups”. We are, at best/worst an n of 1. Nah, I would not want
> to be one of the MASTERS of the UNIVERSE.
>
>  Second, it is precisely because public interest is a problematic concept
> that the APrIGF is not using that notion. We have no time to discuss it
> before we roll out the meeting. Everyone knows what multistakeholder is.
> That’s easy. But public interest—we could discuss it as a panel if you wish.
>
>  It would of course have to be next year.
>
>  But if I say that it is next year, it is because of the deadline. Not
> because, once again, that public interest is not a problematic conception.
>
>  Regards,
> Peng Hwa
>
>   From: Parminder Singh <parminder at ITforChange.net>
> Reply-To: "governance at lists.igcaucus.org" <governance at lists.igcaucus.org>,
> Parminder Singh <parminder at ITforChange.net>
> Date: Sunday, 17 May 2015 9:46 pm
> To: "governance at lists.igcaucus.org" <governance at lists.igcaucus.org>,
> BestBitsList <bestbits at lists.bestbits.net>, "Forum at Justnetcoalition. Org"
> <forum at justnetcoalition.org>
> Subject: Re: [governance] Call for Participation: Global Congress on
> Intellectual Property and the Public Interest, 2015
>
>  Interesting theme of this series of global congresses: 'Intellectual
> Property and the Public Interest' !
>
> Wonder if you ever thought of calling it "IP and the multistakeholder
> Interest' ?
>
> You all have have seen the discussion I recently had with Peng Hwa, head
> of the AP regional IGF process for many years, who strongly argued that
> public interest perspective is a very unclear concept but multistakeholder
> perspective or interest is much easier to establish.
>
> The discussion started when I objected to the call for workshops for the
> AP regional IGF which was categorical that every workshop proposal must
> incorporate a 'multistakeholder perspective'. I suggested that it be
> replaced by 'public interest'. This suggestion was not accepted.  So, in
> fact, indeed the dominant groups involved with the IGF process do seem to
> think that 'public interest' is a problematic concept, and the idea of
> 'multistakeholder perspective' or interest is a positive political
> evolution over it!
>
> Friends, these are serious post-democratic developments to which, it is my
> duty of observe, most of the civil society involved in IG area are either a
> silent or active accomplices.
>
> Meanwhile, of course, I wait for arguments that Internet ( unlike
> intellectual property!?) is a bottom up , private, etc etc, thing, and
> therefore its governance has to be different....  Well, lets admit it, such
> an arugment really does not hold unless we are intent to be misled by it -
> the social artefact of the Internet is no more bottom up, private, etc that
> the social relationships of trade and property, whose governance continue
> to be done in democratic fashions... Time we claimed democratic governance
> for the Internet as well, and rubbish the post-democratic
> multistakeholderist ideas that are so solidly taking root in this space,
> for which the IG civil society will have to answer to history.
>
> Would anyone agree that the proposed global congress on IP and public
> interest to be held in a 'multistakeholder' way, with equal space for the
> big IP holders, as one always insists for an IG meeting... What really is
> the difference, other than that the discourse in the IG space has been
> captured by powerful forces before public interest actors could assert
> themselves. Civil society in this area must help in re-democraticing this
> area, and reclaiming 'public interest'.
>
> Meanwhile, my best wishes to the the organisers of this very importanr
> congress.
>
> In fact some of us have been talking about holding a global congress on
> 'Internet governance and public interest'. Happy to talk to those who may
> be interested.
>
> parminder
>
> On Friday 15 May 2015 03:21 PM, Geetha Hariharan wrote:
>
> PFA the call for participation for the Global Congress on Intellectual
> Property and Public Interest.
>
> Apologies for cross-posting. Please do circulate to anyone you think
> might be interested.
>
> Best,
> Geetha.
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Swaraj Barooah
> Date: Wed, May 13, 2015 at 1:05 PM
> Subject: Call for Participation: Global Congress on Intellectual
> Property and the Public Interest, 2015
>
> Dear all,
>
> We are pleased to announce the call for participation for the fourth
> edition of the Global Congress on Intellectual Property and the Public
> Interest (“Global Congress”). The theme for this year’s Congress will be
> “Three Decades of Openness; Two Decades of TRIPS.” We are now inviting
> applications to participate in the Congress, including session
> participation and presentations. We are also welcoming proposals for
> panels and workshops.
>
> The application form is available now at
> [http://form.jotformpro.com/form/50854976184973?] Please note that this
> form is for application purposes, and does not amount to confirmation of
> participation. The registrations for the plenary sessions, which are
> open to the public, will open closer to the date of the Global Congress.
>
> Deadlines
>
> August 1st: Priority Deadline for Applications- Applicants will be
> considered on a rolling basis, with applications made by August 1st
> being given first consideration. Applications after August 1st to
> receive travel assistance will be considered only under exceptional
> circumstances (these details will be collected in a subsequent form).
>
> November 1st: All applications for session participation and paper
> submissions will close on November 1st.
>
> Application Information
>
> For applications to participate/host: Applications to present or host
> workshops shall be considered based on the proposals to be submitted in
> the form.
>
> For applications to attend sessions:Applications to attend sessions as
> discussants will be considered based on the statement of purpose and/or
> any other relevant information provided by the applicant.
>
> Limited travel grants to cover accommodation and/or travel to the
> Congress will be available, with priority to those from developing
> countries.
>
> Background, Theme and Expected Outcomes
>
> The Global Congress on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest is
> the most significant event on the calendar for scholars and policy
> advocates working on intellectual property from a public interest
> perspective. By sharing their research and strategies, the network of
> experts and activists supported by the Global Congress are empowered to
> put forward a positive agenda for policy reform. The Global Congress
> began in Washington D.C. in 2011, moved to Rio de Janeiro in 2012, and
> was held in Cape Town in 2013. The fourth Global Congress will now be
> held in New Delhi, in December 2015. The event would be the largest
> convening of public interest-oriented intellectual property
> practitioners ever held in Asia, and would help link in the world's most
> populous region to these global debates around how intellectual property
> policy can best serve the public interest.
>
> The fourth edition of the Global Congress, which brings research, civil
> society, industry and regulatory and policy-making communities together
> for active, intense engagement on key public-interest intellectual
> property issues. Opportunities for these groups to interact are rare but
> valuable; and have been proven to lead to successful policy outcomes.
> The 4thedition of the Congress, slated to be held in December, 2015 in
> New Delhi seeks to be one such opportunity.
>
> The theme for the 2015 Congress is Three Decades of Openness; Two
> Decades of TRIPS-coming at a pivotal time for reflection, revision, and
> further strategizing. Specifically, the 2015 Congress seeks to produce
> three outcomes- first, the mobilization of existing scholarly research
> directly into the hands of civil society advocates, business leaders and
> policy makers, leading to evidence-based policies and practices;
> second,the collaborative identification of urgent, global and local
> research priorities and generation of a joint research/advocacy agenda;
> and third, the solidification of an inter-disciplinary, cross-sector and
> global networked community of experts focused on public interest aspects
> of IP policy and practice.
>
> Participation Opportunities
>
> Discussions at the Global Congress will be carried out in the form of
> plenary sessions, thematic tracks, cross-track sessions, and the room of
> scholars. Participation is invited for the thematic track sessions,
> cross-track sessions and the room of scholars.
>
> The thematic tracks at the Global Congress are: 1) Openness, 2) Access
> to Medicines, 3) User Rights, 4) IP and Development.
>
> Cross-track sessions will feature research that cuts across tracks in
> order to facilitate engagement between tracks on themes of mutual
> interest.
>
> The Room of Scholars will feature presentations of research outputs such
> as draft works or white papers that may not fit directly within the
> thematic tracks but fall within the overall theme of the Global Congress
> .
>
> Participation could be in the form of presenting / discussing conference
> papers or policy briefs, or by conducting workshops where they may share
> their own work and solicit feedback from peers, during the
> aforementioned sessions.
>
> The application form for participation is available now
> athttp://form.jotformpro.com/form/50854976184973?. Please forward this
> invitation to interested lists and individuals. For more information or
> questions, you may contact globalcongress2015 at gmail.com
> <mailto:globalcongress2015 at gmail.com> <globalcongress2015 at gmail.com>.
>
> Organisation
>
> The Centre for Internet and Society <http://cis-india.org/>
> <http://cis-india.org/>serves as the
> convenor of the fourth Global Congress on Intellectual Property and
> Public Interest, carried out in cooperation withNational Law University,
> Delhi <http://www.nludelhi.ac.in/> <http://www.nludelhi.ac.in/>.
>
> The implementing partners arethe <http://www.openair.org.za/>
> <http://www.openair.org.za/>American
> Assembly <http://americanassembly.org/> <http://americanassembly.org/>at
> Columbia University in New
> York,Open A.I.R <http://www.openair.org.za/> <http://www.openair.org.za/>.,
> and theProgram on
> Information Justice and Intellectual Property <http://www.pijip.org/>
> <http://www.pijip.org/>at
> American University Washington College of Law in Washington DC.
>
>
> On behalf of the organizing committee,
>
> Swaraj Barooah
>
> Swaraj Paul Barooah
> Project Manager, "Global Congress"
> (Global Congress on IP and the Public Interest, 2015)
>
> Editor-in-Chief, SpicyIP.com <http://SpicyIP.com> <http://SpicyIP.com>
> Founder, Know-GAP
> Twitter: @swarajpb
>
>  >
> >
> > ____________________________________________________________
> > You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
> >      governance at lists.igcaucus.org
> > To be removed from the list, visit:
> >      http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing
> >
> > For all other list information and functions, see:
> >      http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
> > To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
> >      http://www.igcaucus.org/
> >
> > Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t
>
>
>  [image: SG50]
> ------------------------------
> CONFIDENTIALITY: This email is intended solely for the person(s) named and
> may be confidential and/or privileged. If you are not the intended
> recipient, please delete it, notify us and do not copy, use, or disclose
> its contents.
> Towards a sustainable earth: Print only when necessary. Thank you.
>
> ____________________________________________________________
> You received this message as a subscriber on the list:
>      governance at lists.igcaucus.org
> To be removed from the list, visit:
>      http://www.igcaucus.org/unsubscribing
>
> For all other list information and functions, see:
>      http://lists.igcaucus.org/info/governance
> To edit your profile and to find the IGC's charter, see:
>      http://www.igcaucus.org/
>
> Translate this email: http://translate.google.com/translate_t
>
>

-- 
“The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge" Sir William
Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize Economics, 1979
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.igcaucus.org/pipermail/bestbits/attachments/20150517/b77e113a/attachment.htm>