Epi-phenomena? RE: [governance] Internet as a commons/ public good; was, Conflicts in Internet Governance
michael gurstein
gurstein at gmail.com
Sat Apr 20 13:42:51 EDT 2013
This is an interesting way of presenting this McTIm but I'm not sure I
agree.. .Rather I see it as follows
I think it may be misleading to talk/think of the
social/political/economic/cultural elements linked to the Internet as an
"epi-phenomenon". Rather I think it more useful to think of the current
Internet as a coalescence of an underlying technical network (of networks?)
with a pre-existing (even if somewhat dormant in parts) set of
social/human/political/cultural relationships/networks. To accept these
latter as an "epi-phenomenon" is to accept the Thatcher argument that "there
is no society/social contract". Even, or particularly, if one focuses only
on these latter relationships/networks, these form complex and powerful sets
of social connections between people within their families, communities,
cultural linguistic groups and so on. We individually, collectively and all
of us live in some sorts of social connections (networking) with others and
those networks pervade all aspects of human activity (including the
development and operation of the Internet).
I think that it is unquestionable that there has been a strong and pervasive
inter-penetration of these two sub-strata--the emerging technical network
(of networks?--the Internet) with the pre-existing
social/cultural/economic/political sub-strata of family/community/society
networks (of networks-society and culture).
IMHO these two sub-strata have always been in intimate relationship with
each other with perhaps initially the social having more (if less
immediately visible) influence on the evolution of the technical but now
with the technical having significant if not co-equal influence on the
evolution of the social.
An Internet governance perspective thus I think should evolve in full
recognition of the above co-evolution and interpenetration and Internet
Governance itself should be seen as a broader framework where specific tech
governance issues are dealt with in one sector perhaps with enhanced
reliance on those with expert tech knowledge; specific social etc. network
issues (as they relate to the internet) could/should be seen in a second
sector; and the over-arching issues governing both sub-strata and most
importantly the interactions between and co-evolutions of both could and
should be seen as a third sector. "Enhanced co-operation" to my mind is
about this third sector.
As for the "definitions"--clearly each sector may (and has) developed its
own "definition"--as we are seeing in the current discussion. Hopefully we
can agree as a group on a definition that can usefully apply to this third.
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org
[mailto:governance-request at lists.igcaucus.org] On Behalf Of McTim
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2013 11:08 AM
To: governance at lists.igcaucus.org; Nnenna
Subject: Re: [governance] Internet as a commons/ public good; was, Conflicts
in Internet Governance
All,
For ~3 decades the Internet has been define as a "network of networks".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet
We seem to be defining it by its epiphenomenal effects rather than by its
its core definition.
Is that what we want to do?
--
Cheers,
McTim
"A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A route
indicates how we get there." Jon Postel
On Mon, Apr 15, 2013 at 12:20 PM, Nnenna <nne75 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Hi people
>
> Thanks for this discussion. This is what interests me in this group.
> I have added a few things and returning the text.
>
> =
> We reconise the Internet as an emergent and emerging reality. Its
> specificity is inherent in its intricate combination of hardware,
> software, protocols, human intentionality and a new kind of social
> spatiality, brought together by a common set of design principles, and
> constrained by policies established by due democratic processes. We
> consider the Internetas a global commons and a global public good. The
> design principles and policies that constitute its governance should,
> therefore, flow from such recognition of the Internet as a commons and
public good.
>
>
> =
>
> "We recognise the Internet as an emergent, and emerging, reality
> consisting of hardware, protocols and software, human intentionality,
> and a new kind of social spatiality, brought together by a common set
> of design principles and constrained by policies fashioned by due
> democratic processes. The Internet is to be considered as a global
> commons and a global public good*. The design principles and policies
> that constitute the governance of the Internet should must flow from
> such recognition of the Internet as a commons and a public good."
>
> (* Here we employ a wider socio-political meaning of a 'public good',
> as for instance articulated by Inge Kaul in her UNDP publication,
> rather than the narrow construction employed by many neo- classical
> economists)
>
> ==
> I cut out the initial sentence. I think it has more presence when it
> is shorter. I love the word "reality" as it is not a commodity, or a
> thing. I started off the second sentence on the "specificity which is
> inherent". I changed "fashioned" to "established".. but still
> thinking we may find a better word, liked "forged". I rearranged the
> last sentence to lead from reason to action.
>
> So on top is text 2, and below is text 1
>
> Regards
>
> Nnenna
>
>
> Nnenna Nwakanma | Founder and CEO, NNENNA.ORG | Consultants
> Information | Communications | Technology and Events | for Development
> Cote d'Ivoire (+225)| Tel: 225 27144 | Fax 224 26471 |Mob. 07416820
> Ghana: +233 249561345| Nigeria: +234 8101887065| http://www.nnenna.org
> nnenna at nnenna.org| @nnenna | Skype - nnenna75 | nnennaorg.blogspot.com
>
> ________________________________
> From: Norbert Bollow <nb at bollow.ch>
> To: governance at lists.igcaucus.org; parminder
> <parminder at itforchange.net>
> Sent: Monday, April 15, 2013 12:47 PM
> Subject: Re: [governance] Internet as a commons/ public good; was,
> Conflicts in Internet Governance
>
> Parminder <parminder at itforchange.net>:
>
>> Agree. The second sentence does not follow from the first. The
>> amended text, removing 'accordingly' will stand as:
>>
>> "We recognise the Internet as an emergent, and emerging, reality
>> consisting of hardware, protocols and software, human intentionality,
>> and a new kind of social spatiality, brought together by a common set
>> of design principles and constrained by policies fashioned by due
>> democratic processes. The Internet is to be considered as a global
>> commons and a global public good*. The design principles and policies
>> that constitute the governance of the Internet should must flow from
>> such recognition of the Internet as a commons and a public good."
>
> This part is pretty good already I think.
>
>> (* Here we employ a wider socio-political meaning of a 'public good',
>> as for instance articulated by Inge Kaul in her UNDP publication
>> <http://web.undp.org/globalpublicgoods/globalization/toc.html>,
>> rather than the narrow construction employed by many neo- classical
>> economists)
>
> I think we should reword the last part a bit to make it sound less
> like a criticism of economists.
>
> How about for example:
>
> "... rather than the narrower meaning often attached to the term in
> contexts of economics."
>
> ?
>
> Greetings,
> Norbert
>
>
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