[governance] Going forward - Role of the governance caucus [3 options]

[Meryem Marzouki]

Hi all,

I see that Milton is bringing his contribution to the International  
Women Day by nominating two women (through conscription: after Hegel  
and Marx, let's talk about Uncle Sam:)). However, the only little  
time I can dedicate to WSIS/post-WSIS activities would be rather used  
for human rights (caucus) activities. Thanks anyway, I appreciate.

Also, I wouldn't appear as discouraging any vocation, but being on  
this mailing almost since its creation, I know that it would need  
unlimited patience to coordinate it, and this doesn't appear to be my  
main quality, and BTW I commend Jeanette and Adam for all their work !

Finally, to comment on Bill's options, I think his 'status quo'  
option, which seems to gain the larger - expressed - preference,  
doesn't include the key role of nominating CS people to the IGF (I  
mean further to people nominated on behalf of this specific caucus).  
I think Bill is right on this.

I would also have expected some comments to my own proposal w.r.t. CS  
as a whole organization, which is entirely compatible with Bill's  
'status quo' option for the governance caucus. I'm restating below  
this proposal in summary. Although it doesn't only concern the  
governance caucus, I'd be interested in comments from its members:

- This caucus could remain a discussion place for (at large)
governance issues [addition, Re: 'statu quo option': developing its  
own positions if possible]
- Any (already existing or to be recomposed/newly formed) caucus/
coalition could be formed to develop substantive opinions on various
governance issues (and other post-wsis issues as well)
- One (or more) CS coordination/liaison group should be formed to
deeal with organizational matters and, if desirable and possible,
facilitate global CS at post-wsis opinions/declarations developments.

Best,
Meryem

Le 6 mars 06 à 03:33, Milton Mueller a écrit :

>
>>>> "William Drake" <drake at hei.unige.ch> 3/5/2006 5:01 AM >>>
>> A procedural rather than substantive focus could be viable.
>> But for your solution to work we'd need to address a number
>> of challenges, e.g.: 1) Nobody appears to want to want to
>> chair; Jeanette's prior call for nominations met a stony
>> silence.
>
> That can change. I don't think people fully realize the  
> consequences of inaction, yet.
>
>> And preferably we'd have multiple candidates, and competitive
>> choice, or else we're in politburo mode.
>
> Of course, in many ways it would be better if more people were  
> eager to do this than there were slots, but the reality is that we  
> would be lucky to get two volunteers. It is a false leap in logic  
> to suggest that no competition = politburo.  Most volunteer  
> organizations don't have competition for their chairs, but rather  
> lurch from one reluctant person who agrees to do it to hold the  
> thing together, to another.
>
>> They'd have to be dedicated procedural mavens to achieve
>> what you ask, too
>
> Dedicated yes, procedural maven, no.
>
>> 2)  Even if some folks were to step forward now, it's a
>> hard to have a really proper election without an
>> identifiable electorate.
>
> You don't need an election now, you need a couple of volunteers  
> willing to take the responsibility who can write (and/or shepherd  
> the rest of us into writing) a new set of rules for defining an  
> electorate and making elections in the future.
>
> A bootstrapping problem afflicts all forms of collective authority.  
> No need to get hung up on it, just find an acceptable way to get  
> over it. These are problems that can be solved, if we want to solve  
> them. If we don't, then fine, let's be open about that.
>
>> Suggestions?
>
> I suggest that we conscript Avri Doria and Meryem Merzouki (or, if  
> she declines, Bill Drake) as co-coordinators for the next year and  
> charge them with facilitating the creation of a structure.
>
>
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