{"id":206,"date":"2014-05-13T08:13:36","date_gmt":"2014-05-13T08:13:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/epress.utsc.utoronto.ca\/cord\/?page_id=206"},"modified":"2015-04-07T21:59:03","modified_gmt":"2015-04-07T21:59:03","slug":"knowledge-technology-and-democracy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/epress.utsc.utoronto.ca\/cord\/working-groups\/knowledge-technology-and-democracy\/","title":{"rendered":"Knowledge, Technology and Democracy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Work Plan for 2014-15<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n
Key words:<\/span><\/h5>\n
Openness, Knowledege, Collaboration, Networked Activism, Commons based production<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
Group Coordinators:<\/h5>\n
Leslie Chan, Hani Morsi<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Group Members:<\/h5>\n
Andrew Charman, Joanna Wheeler, Ronald Naluwairo, Laura Waisbich, Becky Hillyer<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Context:<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n
In the past few years, there has been an explosion of citizen contestation against\u00a0 prevailing power structures, both political and economic.\u00a0 Historically, there is nothing that is particularly novel about\u00a0 citizens challenging authority and claiming rights, yet it is the new\u00a0 modalities of these movements – largely driven by rapid advances in\u00a0 information and communication technologies (ICTs) – that warrant a\u00a0 closer examination of these instances of popular dissent.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
At\u00a0 the same time, there is growing interest among the development\u00a0 communities in understanding the impact of new modes of knowledge\u00a0 production, either horizontal and citizen-driven or enabled by technologies, and how in particular “open”\u00a0 approaches and networked-based peer-production might provide alternative\u00a0 ways of framing development policy and practices.
\n<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The emergence of open technologies is not without resistance, however. Both autocratic and ‘democratic’ regimes are crafting new and restrictive regulatory frameworks whose impact on the new technological pathways\u00a0 for citizens mobilisation and sharing knowledge could be far reaching.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

Problems:<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n

Several\u00a0 attempts to understand these new modalities of action work within\u00a0 conventional disciplinary and methodological boundaries, and frame questions limited in conceptual scope. This limits the potential of\u00a0 producing new knowledge on the complex relationships between technological change, knowledge production and sociopolitical change. Examples include:<\/p>\n

\n
    \n
  • The\u00a0 body of research focused on understanding citizen-led movements does\u00a0 not adequately account for the technological\/networked facilitators and\u00a0 catalysts of such movements, including how pervasive network\u00a0 technologies influences modes of mobilisation, communication of ideology\u00a0 and contentious action.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
    \n
      \n
    • Analyses of institutional framework and incentives of knowledge production\u00a0 framed in market-based thinking often overlook the new kinds of\u00a0 motivations and organizational innovations created by distributed\u00a0 individuals working on common causes. This is creating a\u00a0 dissonance between discourses on “openness” and the actual restricted (market-based) pathways of knowledge production and distribution.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
      <\/div>\n
      With\u00a0 that in mind, it becomes apparent that some conceptual reassessments,\u00a0 as well as an exploration of methodological innovations, are necessary\u00a0 to better understand the relationships between emerging technologies and\u00a0 current trajectories of socio-political change.<\/span><\/div>\n
      <\/div>\n

      Emerging Themes:<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n
      I. Actors, identities and strategies<\/b><\/h5>\n
      \n
        \n
      • Citizen-centred and citizen-driven research and knowledge generation in solving local problems; how knowledge for action is constituted\u00a0 (commons-based peer production, co-production, creativity)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
        \n
          \n
        • “Small Data” that shed light on\u00a0 the relationship between mediated practices,\u00a0\u00a0 social identities and\u00a0 repertoires of action and citizen-state\u00a0\u00a0 relationships.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
          II. Networked activism and networked actions<\/b><\/span><\/h5>\n
          \n
            \n
          • Technologically-catalysed activism and networked social movements<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
            \n
              \n
            • Barriers to democratic activism – role of technology in facilitating or prohibiting different forms of activism\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
              \n
                \n
              • The role of technology in mediating forms of activism<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                III. Openness and knowledge production<\/b><\/span><\/h5>\n
                \n
                  \n
                • The notion of “openness” in current discourses on knowledge production and sharing.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                  \n
                    \n
                  • Innovations in social innovations and governance of commons based resources based on principles of “openness”<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                    \n
                      \n
                    • Knowledge is two-ways, not just access to institutional knowledge, but also making open knowledge from the community\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                      IV. Policy framing and big data<\/b><\/span><\/h5>\n
                      \n
                        \n
                      • Impact of emerging policies and regulatory frameworks on sharing knowledge for citizens mobilisation and empowerement. (state surveilance and censorship, emerging policy trends on Internet governance)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                        \n
                          \n
                        • Big\u00a0 Data from various sectors (health, finance, education) and how they\u00a0 provide new insights and patterns into a brough range of social issues\u00a0 that would otherwise be invisible<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                          \n
                            \n
                          • Ethical\u00a0 considerations relevant to the increasing interest in Big Data (e.g.\u00a0 privacy, right to information, concerns around de-humanisation).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

                            Questions:<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n
                            \n
                              \n
                            • What\u00a0\u00a0 forms of production and what pathways of knowledge circulation are\u00a0 necessary for and created through democratic\u00a0 activism? How do these\u00a0 knowledge creation processes differ in varying\u00a0 local contexts?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                              \n
                                \n
                              • How\u00a0 do these pathways\u00a0 challenge\u00a0 conventional explanations on the flows of\u00a0 knowledge about\u00a0 democracy?\u00a0 (a focus empirically on what creates these\u00a0 pathways and how\u00a0 they are shifted)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                                \n
                                  \n
                                • What are the key actors and institutions in these processes, and what interests do they promote?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                                  \n
                                    \n
                                  • How\u00a0 do the current and emerging legal and policy frameworks impact\u00a0 knowledge production and communication? And how can citizen participate\u00a0 in the policy making process?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                                    \n
                                      \n
                                    • How are open forms of technology challenging\/reinforcing discourses around democracy, particularly within political contexts?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                                      \n
                                        \n
                                      • Are\u00a0\u00a0 there differences in the manifestations of the above in different\u00a0\u00a0 geo-political contexts, particularly between the Global South and the\u00a0 North?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

                                        Outputs:<\/h4>\n
                                        Towards\u00a0 the Development of a “Scholarly API” (Application Programming Interface)\u00a0 for Collaborative Research on Knowledge, Technology and Democracy<\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
                                        <\/div>\n
                                        \n
                                          \n
                                        1. This\u00a0 is intended to be a web-based resource for documenting existing and\u00a0 emergent case studies on research and practices that illustrate aspects\u00a0 of “Scholarly API” and their implications for collarative research on\u00a0 networked activism and citizenship<\/li>\n
                                        2. A\u00a0 concept paper on the idea of “Scholarly API” will be developed by the\u00a0 core members of this group, and the paper will be open to other CORD\u00a0 members for input. It willl also be circulated widely to other\u00a0 interested communities as the paper takes shape.<\/li>\n
                                        3. The\u00a0 site will also link to existing tools and potential tools that would\u00a0 enable the kind of collaborative engagements outlined above.<\/li>\n
                                        4. An extensive literature review of research on the areas identified – Openness, Big Data, Networked Social Movements – in order to identify recent theoretical developments and the empirical data that are currently available<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n
                                          \n
                                            \n
                                              \n
                                            • This should also include a review of the literature on classifications of types and forms of knowledge.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                                              \n
                                                \n
                                                  \n
                                                • The literature review will serve as a foundation for creating a conceptual map of key areas of research and approaches of existing or proposed CORD projects\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                                                  \n
                                                    \n
                                                      \n
                                                    • A\u00a0 Living Literature Landscape: a visual output that layers the\u00a0 concentration of approaches\/ideas, geographical location and work that\u00a0 is being done on thematic issues (possibly using ManyEyes or other data\u00a0 visualisation software); using OpenAccess buttons; using open API to\u00a0 incorporate data from other relevant sources<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                                                      \n
                                                        \n
                                                          \n
                                                        • [practically\u00a0 this will involve creating a template with appropriate categories that\u00a0 will be completed through crowdsourcing and then aggregated]<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
                                                          \n
                                                            \n
                                                              \n
                                                            • All group members to conduct one or two\u00a0 maps with activists (on how they gain awareness or consciousness about\u00a0 their\u00a0 rights, and what they need to act on this awareness. This would\u00a0 also\u00a0 involve the mapping of more fully the actors involved in\u00a0\u00a0 knowledge\u00a0 production on democracy). The purpose of doing this would be to pilot these methods and potentially narrow down our focus, if necessary.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

                                                              Expected Timeline:<\/h4>\n
                                                                \n
                                                              • Web site setup and concept paper: Draft completed by end of July<\/li>\n
                                                              • Living literature review: Ongoing and to be completed by the next CORD meeting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                                                                <\/div>\n
                                                                <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                                                                Work Plan for 2014-15 Key words: Openness, Knowledege, Collaboration, Networked Activism, Commons based production Group Coordinators: Leslie Chan, Hani Morsi Group Members: Andrew Charman, Joanna Wheeler, Ronald Naluwairo, Laura Waisbich, Becky Hillyer Context: In the past few years, there has been an explosion of citizen contestation against\u00a0 prevailing power structures, both political and economic.\u00a0 Historically, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":200,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/epress.utsc.utoronto.ca\/cord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/206"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/epress.utsc.utoronto.ca\/cord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/epress.utsc.utoronto.ca\/cord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epress.utsc.utoronto.ca\/cord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epress.utsc.utoronto.ca\/cord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=206"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/epress.utsc.utoronto.ca\/cord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/206\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":525,"href":"https:\/\/epress.utsc.utoronto.ca\/cord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/206\/revisions\/525"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/epress.utsc.utoronto.ca\/cord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/200"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/epress.utsc.utoronto.ca\/cord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=206"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}