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

Mon May 18 09:34:18 EDT 2015

Dear Ang Peng Hwa,
I am uncomfortable with a word that is defined so often in terms of itself
and yet has become prescriptive.
It is interesting that the Chair's Statement from the Global Conference on
Cyberspace
<https://www.gccs2015.com/sites/default/files/documents/Chairs%20Statement%20GCCS2015%20-%2017%20April.pdf>
managed to avoid using "multistakeholder" and "stakeholder" for the section
on Capacity Building (paragraphs 48-51, pp 8,9)
The "more than 50 shades of greying that keeps academics employed" - well
at least the term is serving some useful purpose? :-)
Best wishes
Deirdre

On 17 May 2015 at 21:15, Ang Peng Hwa (Prof) <TPHANG at ntu.edu.sg> wrote:

>   Deirdre,
>
>  Google multistakeholder.
> https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=multistakeholder&oq=multistakeholder&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60l3j69i65l2.2580j0j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=119&ie=UTF-8
>
>  The first entry is a Wiki where Norbert Bellow is quoted and where he
> distinguishes between types even.
>
>  The second entry is a glossary entry from APC.
>
>  The third entry is an ICANNWiki entry.
>
>  Like many words, there is a “core” meaning and moving beyond that, more
> than 50 shades of greying that keeps academics employed.
>
>  Regards,
>   Ang Peng Hwa
>
>   From: Williams Deirde <williams.deirdre at gmail.com>
> Date: Monday, 18 May 2015 2:04 am
> To: Internet Governance <governance at lists.igcaucus.org>, Ang Peng Hwa <
> tphang at ntu.edu.sg>
> Cc: Parminder Singh <parminder at ITforChange.net>, 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
>
>   "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
>>
>>  >
>> >
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>
>
>  --
> “The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge" Sir William
> Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize Economics, 1979
>

-- 
“The fundamental cure for poverty is not money but knowledge" Sir William
Arthur Lewis, Nobel Prize Economics, 1979
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