[governance] Design framework for IGF

[Bertrand de La Chapelle]

Dear David,

Interesting contribution. A few general remarks.

1) yes, fleshing out differences explictely early on in processes usually
allows for better communications later on. Diplomatic discourse works a lot
in the implicit, making understanding each other's positions more difficult.


Initial stage in dealing with an "issue of common concern or interest" is to
get all stakeholders to descibe their understanding of the issue from their
"point of view" (litterally from where they observe it). This does not
require them to relinquish whatever opinion they have but allows them to
integrate opther elements of a more global picture. Same object from a
different angle, or the traditional five blind men and the elephant story.

This initial process does provide a more complete common picture of what an
issue is about, and what the respective positions of actors are. This
provides a better starting point for further discussions.

2) Dialectic process. The alternance between standardization and innovation
phases is a dynamic mechanism worth refering to. In governance, you could
also consider a combination of two notions : "initiation" and "validation".

An broad right of initiative is essential to put issues early on the agenda.
The progressive constitution of interest groups, then more and more formal
working groups and drafting groups (as need arises) leads to a second phase
of validation / adoption of the results (report, recommendation, regimes
proposals, etc...) before they are implemented by the concerned
stakehollders.

This "organic", more biological-like approach (akin to the
activation-repression of genes expression) contrasts with the mechanical,
"checks and balances" approach of most existing governance mechanisms,
particularly representative democracy.

3) Starting up the process. In line with your comments on plenary and
program committee (informal/formal), the first meeting in Athens is an
opportunity to test and implement very open modalities and to
later formalize them into simple protocols; the next meeting and possible
intermediary ones relaunching the cycle in order for the Forum
to progressively get its final shape.

The process here could be the opposite of the lengthy (multi-year)
diplomatic negociations before the establishment of new international
organizations. The iterative approach here would be : move forward, test
modalities, identify the best ones, formalize them somewhat, then repeat the
process....

4) Microcosm. All these concepts are somewhat fractal, self-referential and,
yes, self-similar at different scales. We are establishing a framework
defining how activities can be set up, and the establishment of this
framework is, in itself, one of the activities it should allow.

Traditional political science makes a clear distinction between the
constitutional phase determining an institutional framework and the normal
legislative activities taking place afterwards within it. The US
constitution is 200 years old and the rare amendments are not adopted
through the normal legislative process, but through a special procedure.

But here, the initial definition of the framework (how the Forum is composed
and will function) and its modification on an ongoing basis will be obtained
through the normal procedures that the forum will use for its day-to-day
activities. This should be a typical example of a bootstrapping,
self-establishing process, without a clear Constitutional phase.

I hope these comments will not look too abstract. And for the moment, we
will have to focus on the concrete aspects of how to set up the first
meeting. But thanks for giving me the opportunity to put down some thoughts
I have carried for a long time.

Best

Bertrand


On 2/15/06, David Allen <David_Allen_AB63 at post.harvard.edu> wrote:
>
> For those who may be interested, I have posted a piece on a framework
> for design of IGF.
>
>        http://davidallen.org/papers/IGF_Framework-A4.pdf
>
> (If a letter size version is helpful, substitute LTR for A4 in the URL.)
>
> David
>
> _______________________________________________
> governance mailing list
> governance at lists.cpsr.org
> https://ssl.cpsr.org/mailman/listinfo/governance
>
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