[governance] communicating with our peers

[William Drake]

Hi,

On 2/7/08 2:30 AM, "Jeremy Malcolm" <Jeremy at Malcolm.id.au> wrote:

> Anyway, the upshot is that the selection of comments on rotation that
> were posted last month are intended as the first of a series.  This is
> good, except for the fact that  most of the critical decisions on the
> IGF's structure and processes have already been made, and will be much
> more difficult to change now than if we had had a window into the
> MAG's veiled world two years ago.

While I agree that more communication and transparency would have been good
two years ago, the limitations on what the IGF could be were established
offline and prior to the AG's formation.  As such, probably all we missed
were the echoes of prior understandings rather than some de novo
constitutional decisionmaking.

On 2/7/08 6:35 AM, "Parminder" <parminder at itforchange.net> wrote:
> 
> Avri
> 
>> I do not expect that the reason people might be against has to do with
>> laziness.
> 
> I agree. For many, it is a considered decision. And the fact that it is only
> the view of some people and groups really, but has got expressed in the way
> IGF/ MAG functions would be characterized in social and political theory as
> 'capture'. (I am very afraid to use such terms which are normal to be used
> for any institution in socio-political theory because some people tend too
> easily to read 'extremism' in my contributions.)

Capture sort of implies that a potentially independent decisionmaking body
gets populated and taken over by powerful constituencies, but many of the
ones that matter are not in the room, except as absent presences.  I'd
suggest that the relevant theories here concern structural power more than
capture.

While I sympathize with IGP's efforts to identify potential sites of
external accountability in a post-JPA environment, I agree with Avri that
the IGF would have to become a very different beast in order to play the
designated role.  Not only is that highly unlikely, but pushing for it could
leave IGF in an even shakier position.  On the other hand, shedding some
sunlight on the dividing lines might be healthier in the aggregate than
leaving things in the shadows, even if not for the IGF.

Cheers,

Bill


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