Track 7c. Advocacy and public participation

 

Track Chairs:

Simon Bell. Department of Engineering and Innovation, Maths, Computing and Technology Faculty, Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, UK.

Nuno Videira. Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research, Dep. of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal.

 

Contacts: simon.bell@open.ac.uk and nmvc@fct.unl.pt

 

Goals and objectives of the track

You are warmly invited to submit abstracts for this track on advocacy and public participation.

Issues of sustainability remain of key concern to global civics. Frustration with conventional processes for engagement remains as keenly experienced. Recent political events in Europe and elsewhere have demonstrated the disconnect between many forms of established democratic decision making and the frustrations of populations. Global civics have often demonstrated their frustration with what is experienced as bureaucratic and even cynical decision making on matters which are the objects of genuine concern. Advocacy and participation are clearly seen to be hard wired into public discourse but are often discouraged by established channels. Participation too often degenerates into low value form filling and box ticking. It is urgent to advance deliberative platforms through which societal actors (e.g., citizens and civil society organizations, policy makers, business, researchers) may effectively communicate and interact in exchange and co-production of knowledge. This will enrich monitoring, planning and policy-making processes and promote transparent learning spaces that enable and encourage meaningful debates.

This Track is concerned with assessing the current re-think evident in the public engagement with sustainability models and practices as they are innovated in the new civics emerging in all parts of the world.

Contributions from the followings areas are sought-after.

Key themes we would seek to explore include:

  • How do bottom up initiatives for public participation gain traction in established agencies?
  • What are the current challenges and opportunities for improving the effectiveness of participation in decision-making processes dealing with sustainability matters?
  • What new models, methods and tools for participation are emerging?
  • How can and does technology advance citizen engagement in sustainability modelling?
  • How have major civic events (e.g. the Arab Spring, political movements in Greece and Spain) impacted on established sustainability thinking and practice?
  • What lessons in civic engagement are emerging in the old and new world contexts?

You may submit your abstract by visiting the Ex Ordo abstract submission system (you will be required to setup an account first): http://isdrs2016.exordo.com/

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