[Fwd: [governance] Workshop proposal - Internationalisation of

Parminder parminder at itforchange.net
Tue Apr 14 09:20:17 EDT 2009


Ian

 >Participative political governance by all people of the world, who are 
all implicated"  will, I think, lead to an argument that the appropriate 
participative structures for all >people are governments, and sovereign 
states are the basic building blocks for people's participation in 
internet governance"

If they so argue we have to argue against it. It is not the first time 
that it will be claimed that elected governments do not exhaust the 
issue of people representation. The whole concept of 'deepening 
democracy' is about it. And it is not merely a concept, it is practiced 
all over the world, with great results. India has a very fertile ground  
of fruitful civil society and grassroots movements engagement in 
deepening democracy. There is extensive literature on it, UNDP has an 
annual HDR report on this issue. In the specific context of the 'new 
situation' of an unprecedented level and kind of global-ness of the 
Internet and therefore of IG, we need to  argue that  a new level (and 
kind) of  global  civil society  involvement is even more important, and 
should be appropriately structured.

 >This requires participative political involvement of all people, 
including civil society, private sector and governmental actors in 
multistakeholder governance structures

I do not believe the the private sector (business sector) brings in 
'participative political involvement of people'. Do you believe it does? 
Therefore I really do not believe it should be 'a part of' any political 
governance system.   The fact that in many circles is is becoming 
difficult to even mention this proposition - which would be taken as 
something obvious in any political discussion maybe only 2 decades ago - 
points to the fact of how much the ideology of democracy is threatened 
today. Would you agree to private sector begin a part of your national 
governance system? If not, why different standards for global systems?

But I do understand the present context in which IG, and most of the 
civil society around it is situated, and we may accordingly mention the 
multistakeholder word. I will propose the following formulation.

"One thing however is clear by now; the Internet is not just a technical 
artifact, requiring technical governance with regard to keeping it 
running smoothly, but a key socio-political phenomenon requiring 
participative political governance by all people of the world, ensured 
through multi-stakeholder models.  "

Parminder

Ian Peter wrote:
> Parminder, my problems with the way you have phrased this is below.
>  
> The wording "Participative political governance by all people of the 
> world, who are all implicated"  will, I think, lead to an argument 
> that the appropriate participative structures for all people are 
> governments, and sovereign states are the basic building blocks for 
> people's participation in internet governance (and so the rest of you 
> can go home!)  Unless we have strong arguments - which we do - that 
> other players such as private sector and CS need to be represented 
> separately because of the nature of their structures and their avenues 
> for richer levels of participation.
>  
> I dont think we are far apart here but we do need some appropriate 
> wording. How about
>  
>  
> One thing however is clear by now; the Internet is not just a 
> technical artifact, requiring technical governance with regard to 
> keeping it running smoothly,
> but a key socio-political phenomenon. This requires participative 
> political involvement of all people, including civil society, private 
> sector and governmental actors in multistakeholder governance structures
>  
>  
>  
>
> Ian Peter
>
> PO Box 429
>
> Bangalow NSW 2479
>
> Australia
>
> Tel (+614) 1966 7772 or (+612) 6687 0773
>
> www.ianpeter.com
>
>  
>
>  
>
>  
>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>     *From:* Parminder [mailto:parminder at itforchange.net]
>     *Sent:* 13 April 2009 14:14
>     *To:* governance at lists.cpsr.org; Ian Peter
>     *Subject:* Re: [Fwd: [governance] Workshop proposal -
>     Internationalisation of IG
>
>
>
>     Ian Peter wrote:
>>     Thanks Parminder - one small suggested change
>>      
>>     >One thing however is clear by now; the Internet is not just a
>>     technical artifact, requiring technical governance with regard to
>>     keeping it running smoothly,
>>     > but a key socio-political phenomenon requiring participative
>>     political governance [by all people of the world, who are all
>>     implicated]
>>      
>>     Can I suggest replacing the bracketed words with " involving
>>     civil society, private sector and governmental actors in
>>     multistakeholder governance structures
>>      
>>      
>>     How does that sit?
>>
>     Ian,
>
>     Frankly, I believe that the basic political purpose is to get
>     equal political representation of all people and all sections of
>     people, of the world. Multistakeholderism is *only a means*, to
>     the extent it does achieve the purpose, of ensuring that such
>     participation is in fact achieved. I have great issues in
>     mentioning multistakeholderism *instead of* participation of all
>     people. Such a stance underlies a new political ideology that is
>     taking strong roots in the world, which in my view is essentially
>     anti-democratic. I have no problem with *also* mentioning
>     multistakeholderism along with political participation of people
>     of the world.
>
>     regards
>
>     Parminder
>
>
>
>>      
>>      
>>
>>     Ian Peter
>>
>>     PO Box 429
>>
>>     Bangalow NSW 2479
>>
>>     Australia
>>
>>     Tel (+614) 1966 7772 or (+612) 6687 0773
>>
>>     www.ianpeter.com
>>
>>      
>>
>>      
>>
>>         ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>         *From:* Parminder [mailto:parminder at itforchange.net]
>>         *Sent:* 13 April 2009 13:07
>>         *To:* 'governance at lists.cpsr.org'
>>         *Subject:* [Fwd: [governance] Workshop proposal -
>>         Internationalisation of IG
>>
>>
>>         This is an attempted draft for the proposed
>>         internationalisation workshop.
>>
>>         *Title*
>>
>>         *
>>         Democratic internationalization of Internet Governance - The
>>         way forward from where we stand today
>>         <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
>>         <!--[endif]-->*
>>
>>         *Concise description (up to 200 words)*
>>
>>         *
>>         *As the Internet becomes a key factor of reorganizing our
>>         social structures, and doing so at a global level as never
>>         before, democratic global governance of the Internet is a
>>         pressing imperative. Its present governance structures grew
>>         out of certain historical contexts, as well as of some new
>>         socio-political realities around the Internet. In the context
>>         of rapid changes that the Internet has wrought, the key and
>>         emerging issues related to its governance, and the
>>         correspondingly legitimate governance arrangements, could not
>>         have been anticipated by anyone. One thing however is clear
>>         by now; the Internet is not just a technical artifact,
>>         requiring technical governance with regard to keeping it
>>         running smoothly, but a key socio-political phenomenon
>>         requiring participative political governance by all people of
>>         the world, who are all implicated.  However, the direction we
>>         move in from here depends on where we stand. It is important
>>         to analyze the needs of evolution and internationalization of
>>         IG from these dual standpoints.
>>
>>
>>         The workshop will seek to discuss some real institutional
>>         possibilities of what to do next, possibly presenting and
>>         analyzing alternative models, along with the advantages and
>>         disadvantages of each. * *
>>
>>         *
>>         Relates to theme -- *IG, CIRs
>>
>>         **
>>         *Who would you approach as co-organizers ? Or who do you
>>         think should organize it?*
>>
>>
>>         It is best that this workshop is organized by civil society
>>         actors. IG Caucus will like to organize this workshop, along
>>         with some  civil society organizations form the North and
>>         South that have shown interest.
>>
>>
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