A trial version of participation.net, a collaborative information initiative on participatory approaches to citizenship, rights and local governance, has just been launched. Participation.net is a global, online space for sharing ideas about the participation of people in development, citizenship, governance and rights. Researchers, practitioners, activists, educators, policy makers and others from around the world are welcome to exchange diverse views and resources.
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On October 22-24, 2003, the Deliberative Democracy Consortium (DDC) convened a “Researcher and Practitioner Conference” to map out a research agenda in the field of deliberative democracy. As a result of the conference, several research themes were identified and assigned to teams of researchers and practitioners who would develop these into research proposals.

LogoLink representatives participated in the meeting, where they shared the work that the LogoLink network is pursuing and expressed the network’s interest in linking up with the DDC for various learning events and activities. In particular, LogoLink will be involved in two research projects, one on mapping methods in deliberative democracy and the other on documenting activists’ arguments for and against deliberation. The Hewlett Foundation is funding this research initiative. For more info, visit www.deliberative-democracy.net.

A new Fact Sheet from CIRCLE (The Center for Information & Research On Civic Learning & Engagement), entitled “Attention to Media and Trust in Media Sources,” examines the role of mass media in the development of young people’s civic knowledge and engagement in three countries – Chile, Portugal, and the U.S. The Fact Sheet shows that young people in all three countries use television most often to get information about politics. Newspapers are also used by a fair number of young people, especially in the U.S. In all three countries, students who frequently read newspaper stories about their country had higher average levels of civic knowledge. The Fact Sheet can be found at www.civicyouth.org/research/products/fact_sheets.htm.

“The U.S. Role in a Changing World” is one of the newest units published by the Choices for the 21st Century Education Program of Brown University. This new unit helps students reflect on global changes, assess national priorities, and decide for themselves through informed deliberation the role the US should play in the world today. Click below for info about other resources and ordering details.
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The American Association for Higher Education (AAHE) just created four new web-based COPs (Communities of Practice) — on assessment, cognitive development, electronic portfolios, and democratic dialogue. The Society for Values in Higher Education (SVHE) is facilitating the COP on democratic dialogue, and they are inviting academics who are studying and experimenting with various models of discourse (study circles, National Issues Forums, intergroup dialogue, and others) to participate. Newcomers to the field are welcome! The group will convene a few times a year (optional) and exchange resources, ideas, and announcements via the web site.
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The Mary Parker Follett Foundation announced on February 22 that the past several years have seen the re-issuing of several books by Mary Follett. Two of her important works/collections have recently been reissued. Creative Experience has been re-issued by Thoemmes Continuum as part of a series, and is available in the U.S. through the University of Chicago ($45, ISBN 1843714884). Dynamic Administration, a collection of papers by Follett that was published after her death, has been re-issued by Routledge ($170, ISBN 0415279852).

A great article by Gloria F. Mengual outlines how the Study Circles Resource Center and the Annie E. Casey Foundation have helped neighborhoods in Indianapolis, Indiana, solve their problems through dialogue and collaborative action. According to Mengual, “Since 2000, 780 residents have participated in the 92 Family Circles held in 30 neighborhoods. Participants identified many action ideas they wanted to pursue, including new playgrounds, mentoring programs, after school programs, safe houses for teens and more.” Click below for the full article.
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NCDD has been working with the Utne Institute, Conversation Cafe and The World Cafe to organize a nation-wide dialogue called “Let’s Talk America.” LTA is featured in the March/April Utne that I just received in my mailbox this morning, and I encourage all of you to go out and get this month’s Utne if you’re not a subscriber.

A very cool 2-page ad (p. 48-49) with a red background encourages people to participate in this “new nationwide movement to revitalize our democracy.” And on pages 60-61, a great article by Leif Utne provides background and info on how to get involved. Everyone in the dialogue & deliberation community is invited to participate in this election-year initiative. Go to www.letstalkamerica.org to find out more about the different levels of involvement.

NCDD’s 2004 conference will take place in Denver, Colorado, October 23-25 at Regis University. We plan to have this conference surpass the groundbreaking 2002 conference in every way – in numbers, in quality, in networking opportunities, in learning and skill-building.

Like our first conference, the 2004 conference will be planned as collaboratively and creatively as possible, and your input and involvement are more than welcome. Go to www.thataway.org/conference/2004/index.html for more info.

A case study on Perseverance Theatre has been posted on the Animating Democracy website. A statewide tour of the Theatre’s adaptation of “Moby Dick” in Barrow, Fairbanks, and Anchorage engaged a diverse citizenry in dialogue about contentious issues of subsistence rights and the urban-rural divide in Alaska. The case study is adapted from reflective analysis by Perseverance’s executive director Jeffrey Herrmann, former artistic director Peter DuBois, and dialogue coordinator Susan McInnis. They recount their commitment to bolstering a nonofficial level of public engagement after experiences with the “gatekeepers” of civic discourse. They describe a shift from envisioning civic dialogue in terms of large public gatherings that address policy to valuing more intimate gatherings in which personal story is a potent motivation and a stepping stone to civic deliberation.