national coalition for dialogue and deliberation

Training Opportunity: Becoming a Measurement Guide

Yellow Wood Associates, Inc., of St. Albans, VT, has just announced a training that will enable professional facilitators to deliver a powerful planning and evaluation tool, called You Get What You Measure® to their own clients. In development for over ten years, You Get What You Measure® recognizes the importance of values in group work, incorporates systems thinking, and creates a culture of group learning. It explores in detail the connections between goals, indicators, measures, and the assumptions about how or whether specific actions will affect progress towards the goal. Ideal measurement guide candidates are community or organizational development professionals in a variety of fields seeking to build the capacity of their organizations or communities to make real and measurable progress towards their goals. After completing the three-day Becoming a Measurement Guide training, participants will be well on their way to becoming a licensed guide able to deliver You Get What You Measure® to clients of their choice. The training will be held at Yellow Wood Associates in St. Albans, VT, November 13-15, 2006. One or two of the available slots for this training will be available for smaller organizations at discounted rates. For more information, visit their website at www.yellowwood.org/BMG.htm, call 802-524-6141 or email [email protected].

Added by Amy Lang on July 30, 2006??-??Link to this entry

National Issues Forums Public Voice 2006 Program Now Available Online

The National Issues Forums (NIF) website (www.nifi.org) now has information (including a video clip to watch) about this year?’s ?“A Public Voice 2006?”?—an annually produced one-hour public affairs television program that examines how well the United States public is tackling an important public issue. The program for 2006 is titled: ?“People and Politics: Facing Democracy?’s Challenge?” and includes glimpses inside some of the National Issues Forums around the country where people have held deliberative discussions using the NIF issue book ?“Democracy?’s Challenge: Reclaiming the Public?’s Role.?” The television program also features a panel of office holders, experts, and members of the media as they view and discuss excerpts from forums held earlier this year. You can watch a clip from this new program and find more information about the ?“A Public Voice?” series, including a current listing of public television stations around the country that have made commitments to air this year?’s ?“A Public Voice 2006.?” Links to all this information and to a page that will let you watch a clip from this year?’s program (or from last year?’s program) can be found in the lower left hand side of the NIF homepage. To order a copy of this video, contact Ruffolo at , call 800-600-4060, or FAX: 937-435-7367.

Added by Amy Lang on July 29, 2006??-??Link to this entry

New Publications from Public Conversations Project

The Public Conversations Project (www.publicconversations.org) has two new publications. Fostering Dialogue Across Divides: A Nuts and Bolts Guide from the Public Conversations Project is an extensive resource describing PCP's core principles and practices, offering advice about working with conveners and planning committees, and providing step-by-step suggestions for multi-session as well as single-session dialogues. PCP's new guide also includes sample formats, sample invitations, and suggested questions on a range of topics. Second, Constructive Conversations About the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Guide for Convening and Facilitating Dialogue in Jewish Communities in the US was written in close collaboration with the Jewish Dialogue Group in Philadelphia, which has had extensive experience in the field using PCP's general approach and methods in Jewish communities on the topic of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It includes an appendix on Jewish texts and dialogue. Both guides are available at PCP's website as pdf downloads for a voluntary donation. Nicely printed and bound copies of both guides can be purchased at www.cafepress.com/pcp_press. The multi-issue dialogue guide is $21 plus shipping & handling and the intra-Jewish dialogue guide is $18 plus shipping & handling. The intra-Jewish dialogue guide also is available from the Jewish Dialogue Group, www.jewishdialogue.org. You can also take a workshop offered by the lead author of the guides this November - to learn more, click below.

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Added by Amy Lang on July 18, 2006??-??Link to this entry

New Resource for Bringing Social Change Leaders Together

Fran Korten from Yes! Magazine (www.yesmagazine.org) just let us know about a great resource. Over a five year period Yes! ran a series of retreats called the "State of the Possible" that were a form of dialogue and deliberation among very diverse social change leaders. The workshops attracted over 200 social change leaders, and inspired the publication of a booklet reviewing the lessons learned about how to bring diverse leaders together in ways that encourage heartfelt connection, create lasting friendships, and enable people to see themselves as part of a much larger movement for change in this country and beyond. That booklet, entitled "Movement Building for Transformational Change: Bringing Together Diverse Leaders for Connection and Vision" is now available for downloading for free from the Yes! website. It's in two forms -- an e-book for reading on line, and a downloadable version for printing. It's also available in hard copy for just $5.00. To download or order the book, go to http://yesmagazine.org/default.asp?ID=177.

Added by Amy Lang on July 04, 2006??-??Link to this entry

Common Ground Publishes New Conflict Transformation Evaluation Manual

Susan Partnow just let us know about a new evaluation manual from Search for Common Ground (www.sfcg.org). It's called "Designing for Results: Integrating Monitoring and Evaluation in Conflict Transformation Programs" and it can be downloaded for free at www.sfcg.org/programmes/ilr/ilt_manualpage.html.

To read more about what's in the manual, click below.

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Added by Amy Lang on June 14, 2006??-??Link to this entry

National Issues Forums Celebrates 25 Years With New Discussion Guide on Democracy

National Issues Forums is celebrating 25 years of convening forums to help put people's voices back into politics. As part of their celebrations they have extended an open invitation to become part of the National Issues Forums network and to use their newest issue book on "Democracy's Challenge: Reclaiming the Public's Role." This book tackles head-on the obstacles and issues people face in a democracy that appears to have nudged its citizens onto the sidelines. Democracy's Challenge forums encourage citizens to think about what they can do to strengthen the relationship that a democracy demands between the government and its people. The issue book presents three perspectives on the problem, each of which suggests a somewhat different course of action. Right now NIF has a limited time offer for free materials to use for convening a Democracy's Challenge forum. For information on how to order, and how to become part of the National Issues Forums networks, click on the link below.

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Added by Amy Lang on April 11, 2006??-??Link to this entry

New Discussion Guide On Poverty Available Onlinne

The Study Circles Resource Center and the Northwest Area Foundation have produced a new discussion guide called Thriving Communities?—Working together to move from poverty to prosperity for all. The guide is designed to help communities involve people in conversations that lead to community change. Field tested in 16 communities by more than 500 participants, the five-session discussion guide helps people look at poverty in their community and discuss what it looks like, why it exists, and what can and should be done about it. Jackson, Minn., a field-test site, already is seeing results. The community has acted on seven of the 15 ideas for change identified by participants in the study circles, including forming a new community foundation that already has contributions, and establishing a resource room where people can drop off items and pick up basic necessities such as dishes, pots, and pans. Thriving Communities is available for purchase from SCRC in English and Spanish. The publications can be downloaded for free at www.studycircles.org. SCRC is offering assistance to communities across the country that are using this guide.

Added by Amy Lang on April 06, 2006??-??Link to this entry

Food For Dialogue Coming Up on HBO

On March 18, HBO will feature the movie "Walkout". The movie is about the East Los Angeles Chicano student demonstrations in 1968. A young Mexican American high school teacher, Sal Castro, mentored a group of students in East Los Angeles and supported them when the students decided to stage a peaceful walkout to protest the injustices of the public school system. Tired of being treated unequally, students at five East Los Angeles high schools staged a walkout to protest educational conditions and anti-Mexican educational bias. This video should be great fuel for discussion on intergroup relations.

Added by Amy Lang on March 11, 2006??-??Link to this entry

ACT Publishes New Report on Careers in International Peace and Conflict Resolution

The Alliance for Conflict Transformation is pleased to announce the publication of a new report: ?“Skills, Networks & Knowledge: Developing a Career in International Peace and Conflict Resolution.?” This report helps to fill a critical gap in the field, as it is the first of its kind to survey employers regarding career opportunities within international peace and conflict resolution. We believe that it will be of interest to employers, and to students and professionals pursuing a career in this field and to the academic and professional organizations that seek to prepare them. For this report, ACT interviewed 55 employers involved in international and peace and conflict resolution work, from leading non-profit organizations, US government agencies, international organizations, foundations and universities. The report focuses on what skills and type of experience individuals need to develop a successful career in the field. In addition, a resource section for job seekers is included. This project is part of ACT?’s ongoing efforts to increase public knowledge and understanding of the field of conflict resolution and in particular provide information and resources regarding career and educational opportunities in the field. Dr. Craig Zelizer, Senior Partner, ACT, and Dr. Linda Johnston, Director, Conflict Management Program at Kennesaw State University co-led the project. The research was supported by a grant from the Alliance for International Conflict Prevention and Resolution (www.aicpr.org). The report is now available for free download on the ACT website, www.conflicttransformation.org. Paper copies of the report are available for $10 plus shipping and handling and can be ordered through ACT.

Added by Amy Lang on March 02, 2006??-??Link to this entry

New Discussion Guide on End-Of-Life Decisions Published by NIF

National Issues Forums (NIF) has just published a new discussion guide about end-of-life decisions. The discussion guide, titled Life and Death Decisions: Who Decides? presents information about aspects of end-of-life decisions that are currently at issue in the country, and three possible approaches for consideration. The approaches are "Preserving Life," which states that as long as there is the ability to maintain life, our skills should be employed in sustaining it; "Maintaning Quality of Life" which states that sometimes withdrawing life support is appropriate even when further treatment would help the patient live longer; and "My Choice, My Right" which states that People should all have the right to decide whether they want to live or die. To download or order the guide, visit www.nifi.org/discussion_guides/guides.aspx?catID=12.

Added by Amy Lang on February 26, 2006??-??Link to this entry

Update on SFU's Dialogue Activities

Simon Fraser University's Centre for Dialogue has announced a new training session and a video. First, the workshop Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach is an intensive, interactive four-day workshop that will transform your approach to teaching. The goal of the workshop is to learn a structured and accountable method of organizing, designing and facilitating and to create engaging and participatory learning events. Opportunities to design and teach short lessons and receive feedback and coaching will unlock the power of dialogue in educating adult learners. The workshop takes place from Monday, May 1 - Thursday, May 4, 2006, 9-5 pm. The fee is $1400 for the four-day program (text, course materials and refreshments provided), and the workshop will be held at SFU's Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, 580 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC (entrance on Seymour St). For more information or to register, email , see www.sfu.ca/dialogue/Learning_to_Listen_flyer.pdf or call 604.268.7925

Second, SFU has also put together a video of their Dialogue Maker's Network activities. SFU's Dialogue Maker's Network began in 2003 as a space for those interested in the creative potential of dialogue to learn about shared values and pre-conceived understandings in a spirit of non-judgmental curiosity. Monthly gatherings give participants the opportunity to cultivate the core capacities of dialogue: listening to understand, suspending judgment, surfacing assumptions, and demonstrating empathy and respect. Watch the Quicktime video as some of the participants comment on the Dialogue Maker's Network here: www.sfu.ca/dialogue/previous.htm#network

Added by Amy Lang on February 21, 2006??-??Link to this entry

Participants Sought for Dialogue on Religion and the Academy

NCDD member Nancy Thomas sent us a call for participants for a dialogue project on religion in the academy. The origins of this project lie in a meeting convened last July by the Society for Values in Higher Education (SVHE) and the Johnson Foundation. They invited scholars from both public and private colleges and universities and who represented diverse disciplines, geographic regions, and faith perspectives to come together at the historic Wingspread Conference Center in Racine, Wisconsin. The purpose of this gathering, entitled Religion and Public Life: Engaging Higher Education, was to discuss growing concerns over the intersection between religion and public life and higher education's response to the concerns. It was a wild ride and a sometimes difficult dialogue, but eventually they concluded that the issues raised at Wingspread call for study, dialogue, critique, and action. The academy must examine how and what it teaches about religion; how welcoming it is to students?’ diverse religious views and spiritual interests; and how it will factor religion into its educational programs and initiatives to strengthen deliberative democracy, all the while preserving standards of intellectual inquiry, public reason, and academic freedom.

As a result of this work, the group crafted a draft Wingspread Declaration, which is available on the SVHE website (www.svhe.org). They are hoping that people will download the declaration, convene campus groups (particularly faculty) to talk about it, and submit comments on it. There is also a forum space on the website for public comments. Also available at SVHE's website is a framing paper, entitled A More Perfect Union and additional discussion questions for campus conversations. All three documents are available in PDF form. And campuses that would like to engage these issues broadly and need a jump start can contact Nancy at .

Added by Amy Lang on February 19, 2006??-??Link to this entry

Taos Institute Publishes New Book on Appreciative Inquiry

Taos Institute Publishers (www.taosinstitute.net) has just announced the publication of Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Approach to Building Cooperative Capacity by Frank J. Barrett and Ronald E. Fry. The book provides a concise introduction to and overview of the growing discipline and practice of Appreciative Inquiry (AI). While the literature on AI is expanding rapidly with texts, handbooks, and case studies, the authors, Drs. Barrett and Fry feel there is a strong call for a "quick read" that will assist curious change agents or leaders in determining if they are interested in learning more about this rapidly expanding field of theory and practice. If you are intrigued by the prospect of mobilizing rapid, positive change with multiple stakeholders in a human system that is important to you, this book is for you.

Added by Amy Lang on February 12, 2006??-??Link to this entry

New Manager's Guide to Public Deliberation Released by IBM

Carolyn J. Lukensmeyer and Lars Hasselblad Torres of AmericaSpeaks just completed an exciting report for IBM called "Public Deliberation: A Manager?’s Guide to Citizen Engagement.?” The report documents a spectrum of tools and techniques developed largely in the nonprofit world in recent years to increase citizens?’ involvement in their communities and government. It also highlights ways in which public managers can develop an active approach to increasing citizens?’ involvement in government at all levels. This report will be useful and informative to managers across the nation seeking new, innovative ways to engage citizens. Click here to download the report for free.

Added by Sandy on February 11, 2006??-??Link to this entry

2006 Season for Nonviolence Starts January 30

The 2006 Season for Nonviolence is upon us. As you may know, this 64-day event runs from January 30-April 4, and was founded to celebrate the visions of nonviolent activists Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and Mahatma Gandhi. To celebrate, PuddleDancer press will be offering the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) Starter book package at a 50% discount. The package includes great seasonal activity ideas, information on NVC workshops and trainers in your area, a free, inspiring Speak Peace postcard or eCard, and more. To learn more, visit www.nonviolentcommunication.com/snv/index.htm. Or contact Tiffany Meyer at PuddleDancer Press at 503-880-5308 or at [email protected]. For more information on the Season of Nonviolence movement, go to www.agnt.org/snv02.htm.

Added by Amy Lang on January 22, 2006??-??Link to this entry

Contributers Sought for Violence Prevention E-Book

The International Peace and Prosperity Project (IPPP) and the International Academy for the Reduction of Political Violence are looking for volunteer authors and collaborators to to write short non-academic articles or provide editorial feedback for a new violence prevention book scheduled for release in the Spring of 2006. For more info or to participate please visit the online blog at iarpv.blogspirit.com or contact Ben Hoffman at [email protected]

Added by Amy Lang on January 19, 2006??-??Link to this entry

New Resource on White Privilege and Community Building Available Online

Flipping the Script is a monograph designed for people who work in communities to identify and address issues of white privilege, oppression, racism and power as they play out in this work. It is for community builders, grant makers, technical assistance providers and others who are trying to develop more equitable and thoughtful partnerships with community residents and organizations. The monograph is in four major sections. The first section defines key terms, reviews the monograph?’s premises, and analyzes early responses to Hurricane Katrina to illustrate white privilege and racism in action at multiple levels. The second section goes into depth about four key concepts: community building, racism, internalized racism, and white privilege. The third section applies these concepts to community/foundations partnerships specifically. It addresses interventions, evaluation, and multiracial coalitions and partnerships. The fourth section includes a chapter about doing one?’s own work on white privilege, written primarily for white people, and a summary chapter with recommendations for the field.

Flipping the Script is written by Maggie Potapchuk - MP Associates, Sally Leiderman- Center for Assessment and Policy Development and with Donna Bivens - Women?’s Theological Center and Barbara Major - St. Thomas Health Clinic. An analysis of community building through the lens of white privilege suggests many places in which we might do our work differently. It also questions the most basic premises of this work. This monograph is available at www.capd.org. Please feel free to contact the authors to discuss the ideas in their monograph!

Added by Amy Lang on January 19, 2006??-??Link to this entry

Proceedings on "Learning from the Citizens Assembly" Available Online

At a November 21, 2005 public dialogue, Jack Blaney, SFU President Emeritus and Chair of the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform, discussed the workings of the Assembly and the applicability of this model to future public initiatives. "Nowhere else in the world, ever, have voters themselves designed the voting system," noted Blaney. He highlighted two major causes for the Assembly's success: focus and ownership. View the proceedings from this event here: www.sfu.ca/dialogue/Learning_CitizensAssembly_proceedings.pdf

Added by Amy Lang on January 17, 2006??-??Link to this entry

News and Resources on Participatory Budgeting

Participatory Budgeting, or the process by which citizens deliberate and negotiate over the allocation of public resources, is growing into a world-wide movement. PB programs are implemented at the behest of governments, citizens, NGOs, and civil society, organizations to give citizens a direct role in deciding how and where public resources should be spent. Most citizens who participate in PB are low-income and have low levels of formal education. Historically, these groups have been excluded from budget decisions, but PB programs enable them to make choices that affect how their government acts. Participatory Budgeting was initially implemented in twelve Brazilian cities in 1989/1990. By 2005 it had spread to well over 300 municipalities in more than 40 countries, including China, Dominican Republic (see article below), Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, and Uruguay. To share information and resources on participatory budgeting projects around the world, the International Bugeting Project (www.internationalbudget.org) has put together a website full of resources on participatory budgeting and a monthly newsletter. This month's newsletter includes stories about new trends in budgeting, the impact of participatory budgeting on health outcomes and the relation of budgeting to the Paris riots, among other stories. To read this newsletter (and past issues), visit www.internationalbudget.org/resources/newsletter30.htm

Added by Amy Lang on December 29, 2005??-??Link to this entry

New Civic Engagement Opportunity: Join the Potluck Action Network

The Potluck Action Network (www.potluckactionnetwork.org), is building a network of thousands of potluck groups across Canada and the US, meeting in each other's homes on a regular basis for the long term, to plan and experience active civic engagement. Each person in each potluck group of twelve commits to doing one progressive action of their own choosing per month, while discussing it and getting feedback from the other members of the group at the potlucks. Designed for members of every age, from ten through college through retirement, these groups have no leader but instead are guided by a "Chef" in the group, whose action focus is to ensure group continuity, inform the network of the group's progress, and keep everyone meeting regularly, happy, engaged, and well fed. Each potluck group purposely works on a self-chosen set of topics, ensuring that each member stays interested and able to influence the directions and successes of the potluck group. Members of the Potluck Action Network believe that through learning about and acting on the issues we choose, we create experienced specialists on a variety of topics, guard against burnout, have fun, make lifelong friends, and create a network of people learning to create constructive changes, all while enjoying dessert.

Anyone can start a new group by visiting the website above and clicking on "start new group." When you start a new Potluck group, you'll become what is referred to as a "Chef". You're the person who makes sure the meetings happen, makes sure the group is working on multiple issues, and makes sure each meeting has a healthy dose of Food, Fun, and Action! Many groups use a pair of Co-Chefs, and the person who's Chef can change over time. The ideal group size in the Potluck Action Network is 12. If you don't have 12 members in mind right now (that's usually the case), you probably have two. If they can each bring two, and those folks can bring two, you're all set. Several groups have begun with meetings of 4 or 6 for several months till the word gets out, then they suddenly get to 12 members. Or your first meeting may have more than 12, and that's ok too. The point is to have that first meeting and work to make it a good one. As a Chef, you will be supported and mentored by the Chefs of two other groups in the Potluck Action Network.

Added by Amy Lang on December 27, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Glenna Gerard Launches New Website

Glenna Gerard, co-author of the landmark 1998 book ?“DIALOGUE: Rediscover the Transforming Power of Conversation,?” has just launched a new website at www.glennagerard.net. Inviting all to check out her new site, Glenna writes, "This site is my personal offering, born of my listening for ?“what is mine to do and be at this time?”. I hope you will enter, breathe deeply, and allow yourself to rest into your own unique listening of what this site evokes and nurtures in you."

Added by Amy Lang on December 15, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Free Discussion Materials on "Privacy, Security and Community Concerns"

The Fall 2005 Preview Forum (www.previewforum.com) still has discussion kits available on the topic of "Privacy, Security and Community Concerns." Four years after 9/11, four years after the Patriot Act, and several years into a data-industry revolution how can communities respond to the changing balance of privacy, security and freedom of information? And how can journalists help us to better assess the tradeoffs? In local discussions throughout the country, communities will consider these issues. Preview Forum offers a free, multimedia kit of materials to participating communities, featuring excerpts from the following films and television programs: ?“Peter Jennings Reporting: No Place to Hide,?” ?“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,?” ?“Frontline: The Persuaders,?” ?“The Cost of Freedom,?” ?“ Secrecy,?” ?“ NOW on PBS: Whistleblowers,?” and ?“Democracy on Deadline.?” If you are interested in one of the remaining information kits, please contact Julia John, as soon as possible at Roundtable, Inc.; 8 Common Street, Suite 1A; Waltham, MA 02451; telephone 781.893.3336 x24; fax 781.893.7772; email . For more information on this issue, click on the link below.

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Added by Amy Lang on December 09, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Dialogue Mapping Book Now Available

Recently published by John Wiley and Sons is Dialogue Mapping: Building Shared Understanding of Wicked Problems. Written by Jeff Conklin of the CogNexus Institute (www.cognexus.org), the book lays out a theoretical foundation and then describes the mechanics of Dialogue Mapping in detail. It is filled with stories, examples, illustrations and screen shots, and is a practical guide for consultants, managers, project leaders, and facilitators. To order a copy or for more information see http://cognexus.org/dm_book.htm. There will be a book signing event in the Washington DC area at Touchstone Consulting from 4 PM to 7 PM on Monday, December 12, with a brief talk at 5 PM. See the CogNexus website for details, including RSVP instructions. Copies of the book will be available at 25% discount (cash and checks only, please).

Added by Amy Lang on December 04, 2005??-??Link to this entry

New Recipe Book for Peace Available Online

PALESTINIAN AND JEWISH RECIPES FOR PEACE is a delightful 100-page volume of recipes for the table and for relationship-building at home, on campus and around the world. Generous illustrations accompany the 25 human stories behind 71 of the best ancestral dishes of participants in the 13-year-old Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Group in San Mateo, California. More description and many reviews are at: http://traubman.igc.org/recipes.htm

Added by Amy Lang on November 20, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Grants and Assistance Available for Community Smart Growth Development

The American Institute of Architects (AIA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are now offering technical assistance opportunities to communities across the country. Local governments are confronted daily by growth pressures and the challenge to develop in ways that improve the tax base, provide housing and transportation choices, and minimize environmental impacts. Community demand for tools and assistance to address these issues has increased dramatically. In response, AIA, EPA, and NOAA have developed technical assistance programs to assist communities in meeting their individual development-related challenges and to help create examples that can serve as models for others. To streamline the process for local communities, AIA, EPA, and NOAA are releasing their requests for applications (RFA) together, with the same deadlines. All three requests are attached here. Applicants are welcome to apply to one or all three of these programs, depending on their ability to meet the requirements for each program. Please note that each program has a specific application that must be completed. All applications are due to the sponsoring organization on Friday, January 6, 2006. For more information on each program, visit www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/techasst.htm

Added by Amy Lang on November 13, 2005??-??Link to this entry

IAP2 Launches Online Knowledge Network

The Public Participation (P2) Knowledge Network at www.iap2.civicore.com, has been launched by the International Association for Public Participation in partnership with Portland State University's Center for Public Participation. The P2 Knowledge Network is an interactive resource for academics and practitioners alike who are interested in sharing knowledge and research on public participation. The Network contains a database of over 300 books, articles and websites drawn from IAP2's original bibliographies, which were refined and updated in 2005. Records include papers, abstracts, web links, and other information, all in a searchable and exportable format. Visitors are encouraged to recommend and add new material to the database. The Knowledge Network also contains an Online Discussion forum. The Forum is a place to engage in discussion on your choice of topic, for example: opinions on current papers, new research initiatives, teaching materials, debating the "big questions", etc. The P2 Knowledge Network was created in response to requests from IAP2's members for a way to share new ideas about public participation, enhance the research field and improve the practice. It is free and accessible to all.

Added by Amy Lang on November 06, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Presentations on Technology and Facilitation Sought for IAF Conference

The International Association of Facilitators (IAF) Conference (www.iaf-world.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3365), which will be held in Baltimore on June 15 ?– 17, 2006, is currently recruiting presenters who use technology in their facilitation practice. They hope to set up break-outs for presentations using collaborative technology, web conferencing, teleconferencing, etc. Visit the conference website for more information, to submit a proposal for this part of the conference or to register. Proposals are due October 21, 2005. If you have any questions about this panel, contact organizer J. R. Holt at JRH Associates, Inc.; P O Box 11244, Alexandria, VA 22312-0244; Telephone 703.931.0930; Fax: 703.354.8558; Cell: 703.470.9800 or Email: [email protected].

Added by Amy Lang on October 16, 2005??-??Link to this entry

PCI and NPCC Launching a "Public Solutions System"

For the past several years, the Policy Consensus Initiative (PCI) and the National Policy Consensus Center (NPCC) have been developing an approach to collaborative governance for states that can be adapted and applied to complex policy issues in which multiple sectors have a stake in the outcomes, and no single entity can produce a solution on its own. The model is based on lessons from the past 30 years about what makes collaborative processes legitimate and effective. This ?“Public Solutions System?” is not intended to replace existing, traditional systems of state decision making. Rather, it serves as an option for state leaders to use on a more routine basis when difficult public issues ?– issues that cannot be resolved by government alone ?– need to be approached collaboratively. A fundamental component of the Public Solutions System is the new role it offers leaders ?– that of convener. Unlike a policymaker, the role of convener involves bringing together all the key sectors ?– public, private and civic ?– to develop effective, lasting solutions to public problems that go beyond what any sector could achieve on its own. Rather than deciding for people, leaders in the convener role make decisions with people, giving all impacted stakeholders a key role in problem solving and strategy implementation. The Public Solutions System involves a set of core principles that ensure democratic practices are followed; an ?“Operating System?” that ensures best practices are employed; and a network of leaders as conveners, along with sponsors, practitioners, and neutral forums to carry out the collaborative processes. More information about the Public Solutions System should be available on PCI's updated website, which will be launched in the coming month (www.PolicyConsensus.org).

Added by Amy Lang on October 06, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Harwood Institute Launches New Website

The Harwood Institute has just launched a newly redesigned website at www.theharwoodinstitute.org. Highlights from the new site include the history and values that helped to shape the Harwood Institute, stories from individuals who have worked with the Institute in creating change in their own communities, opportunities to bring The Harwood Institute to your community, and upcoming events. And be sure to check out Rich Harwood's book tour blog at www.theharwoodinstitute.org/rcharwood/weblog/index

Added by Amy Lang on September 22, 2005??-??Link to this entry

E-CIVICUS Online Newsletter Now Available

CIVICUS (www.civicus.org) is an international alliance established in 1993 to nurture the foundation, growth and protection of citizen action throughout the world, particularly in areas where participatory democracy and citizen's freedom of association are threatened. They are currently offering free subscriptions to their newsletter, e-CIVICUS. This weekly publication is keeping tens of thousands of people, organisations and programmes informed of the many developments that are taking place in civil society organisations around the world, the many factors that are affecting them and the impact they are having on creating a more just world. The newsletter has recently changed in character, format and frequency and is now reaching over 35 000 people and organisations working on civil society issues. To subscribe to their e-newsletter list, please contact Eric Muragana at and inform them whether you would like to receive the newsletter in HTML, PDF, WORD or plain-text formats.

Added by Amy Lang on September 18, 2005??-??Link to this entry

New Weblinks to Particpatory Budgeting in Germany

We heard through Matthias Trenel of Humboldt University Berlin about an interesting e-democracy project going on in Berlin. Zebralog is currently doing the online segment (information and dialogue) of a participatory budgeting project in the Berlin borough of Lichtenberg which also has many face-to-face events. The project was inspired by the Porto Allegre model. For those of you who speak German, or know how to use google's translator and can interpret the results, here are two links: the project website at www.buergerhaushalt-lichtenberg.de; and Zebralog blog at www.zebralog.de/de/000125.html.

Added by Amy Lang on September 18, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Excellent Resource For Peace Building and Conflict Resolution

We recently heard about Accord: an international review of peace initiatives -- an internationally acclaimed publication series produced by Conciliation Resources?’ Accord programme that provides measured and detailed documentation of peace processes around the world. The series aims to increase understanding of peace processes and promote learning from peacemaking experiences. ?“Choosing to engage: armed groups and peace processes?” and ?“Public participation in peacemaking?” are two best-selling editions in a publication series that has documented peace initiatives in Liberia, Guatemala, Mozambique, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, the Philippines ?– Mindanao, Georgia ?– Abkhazia, Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan, Northern Uganda, Papua New Guinea ?– Bougainville, Colombia, and Angola. To learn about the full range of issues, visit www.c-r.org/accord.

Added by Amy Lang on September 15, 2005??-??Link to this entry

New Article on Mediating Political Conflicts

The most recent issue of Mediate.com's conflict resolution newsletter has just arrived and has several interesting stories and resources for the D&D community. In this issue, Ken Cloke writes about strategies for mediating political disputes (www.mediate.com/articles/cloke5.cfm?nl=85), The Association for Conflict Resolution writes about the new standards of practice they have adopted (www.mediate.com/articles/acrpress1.cfm), and Jon Linden reviews the book The Conflict Resolution Toolbox by Gary Furlong (www.mediate.com/articles/linden27.cfm?nl=85). Mediate.com has thousands of other relevant articles archived - simply go to the main website to browse through, or to subscribe to their newsletter.

Added by Amy Lang on September 07, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Online Resource for Discussing Impact of Katrina

NCDD member Carrie Stewart recently sent us a resource for discussing the the recent events in Louisiana and Mississippi, as well as for other traumatic events. Jo Nelson, the originator of the conversation had this to say about it: "This conversation is based on one I had created for Art of Focused Conversation for Schools, and was adapted after 9/11. I used it in a facilitator network meeting, and it was helpful to articulate and work through the trauma we were all experiencing." See the conversation model here:
ica-associates.ca/Education/satw/satwdebriefing.cfm.

Added by Amy Lang on September 07, 2005??-??Link to this entry

New International Listserv for Participatory Budgeting Invites Participants

The Participatory Budgeting Network Listserv is an email discussion list about participatory budgeting experiences and issues. It is being developed as a result of discussions at the 2005 World Social Forum. The purpose of the list is to facilitate information exchange, discussion, networking, and collaboration between people working with participatory budgeting in different cities and countries. The listserv is open to anyone interested in or involved with participatory budgeting. The primary language is English. The listserv is currently managed by The Transformative Learning Centre (University of Toronto) and linked to a new international network organizing around schools of citizenship, participatory democracy and participatory budgeting experiences.
To subscribe to the listserv, send a blank email to

Added by Amy Lang on September 01, 2005??-??Link to this entry

EPA Adds New Engagement Resources to Website

The US Environmental Protection Agency's public involvement web pages (www.epa.gov/publicinvolvement) have recently been expanded to include new materials and links to useful information about tools and techniques in use all over the world. The site also includes a new Feedback section with ready-to-use surveys for activities such as hearings, meetings, listening sessions, FACA groups, community advisory groups, small group discussions and stakeholder negotiations. (Visit www.epa.gov/publicinvolvement/feedback). In addition, the Public Involvement Resources and Training (PIRT) database, previously on EPA's intranet, is now publicly available. Check it out at www.epa.gov/publicinvolvement/pirtdatabase. Not only can you use the information it contains, you can suggest additional resources, conferences and trainings.

Added by Amy Lang on August 22, 2005??-??Link to this entry

SCRC Invites Exhibits at National Conference

Study Circles Resource Center is now inviting exhibits for its National Conference from Oct. 7-8 in Northbrook, IL. This is an opportunity to showcase your program's work in our exhibit hall by displaying photos, discussion guides, promotional fliers, and more. To learn more about the conference visit www.studycircles.org/scrcconference/. Contact Jill Kornrumpf at 860-928-2616, ext.11, or email to reserve your space.

Added by Amy Lang on August 05, 2005??-??Link to this entry

SCRC Introduces New Guide on Civil Liberties and Homeland Security

As Congress debates rewriting provisions of the PATRIOT Act this fall, many people want to know what they can do locally to strike a balance between civil liberties and homeland security. The Study Circles Resource Center has put together a discussion tool called Local Voices: Citizen Conversations on Civil Liberties and Secure Communities, developed as part of a project of the League of Women Voters Education Fund. This discussion guide gives everyday people a chance to talk about ways they can keep their community safe while protecting people's individual rights. Download the guide free of charge at www.studycircles.org/pages/issues/civilliberties.

Added by Amy Lang on August 05, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Two New Online Spaces for Discussion About Deliberation

The Journal of Public Deliberation (JPD) is a new online resource providing insights into deliberative democracy from multiple views, research efforts practices. The inaugural edition is now available online - visit the journal and sign up to receive content alerts at services.bepress.com.

And the Deliberative Democracy Consortium (www.deliberative-democracy.net) is now inviting practitioners and researchers to contribute up to 2,000 word "think pieces" for publication to the website. Got a burning question, case study, or thesis about the evolution of public discourse and empowered participation in a democratic society? These periodic commentaries are intended to provoke debate and stimulate inquiry into the broadening fields of practice and research. Please send your enquiries to .

Added by Amy Lang on August 05, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Mary Robinson DVD Now Available

The Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue has just produced a DVD that documents Mary Robinson's April 2005 visit to Simon Fraser University's Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue. The DVD commences with a brief biography of her remarkable accomplishments as Ireland's president and Human Rights Commissioner for the UN. It continues with the Dialogue with Mary Robinson, and culminates with the sold-out Power of Dialogue-Jack P. Blaney Award for Dialogue Luncheon. To view the DVD or to order a copy, visit www.sfu.ca/blaneyaward.

Added by Amy Lang on July 08, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Public Voice Program Available on the Web

The National Issues Forums (NIF) website has a new feature. You can now watch a clip from the Public Voice 2005 program that has been distributed to public television stations around the country. A Public Voice is a public television series now in its second decade. Developed in cooperation with the National Issues Forums Institute, the series consists of one-hour public affairs television programs, produced annually, to examine how well we, as a nation, are tackling crucial public issues. At the center of each program are American citizens, in serious deliberation in National Issues Forums around the nation, and a distinguished panel of nationally known political leaders and commentators who reflect on what this "public voice" may mean in setting a direction for America. This year's Public Voice program focuses on the issue of Immigration. There is a link to view the clip in the Public Voice information section on the lower left side of the NIF homepage (www.nifi.org) or you can go directly to this feature at www.nifi.org/about/publicvoice.aspx.

Added by Amy Lang on June 30, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Report on Peace Camps Available Online

We just heard from Libby and Len Traubman about a new report about Middle-East Peace Camps that is now available online. In January 2005 26 camp leaders -- Palestinians, Israelis, Americans, Canadians -- met in Kalamazoo, Michigan for the first time as guests of the Fetzer Institute. Their shared experiences were distilled into a report that will hopefully improve peace camps and energize relationship-building activities everywhere. To learn more about the meeting, and to download the report visit traubman.igc.org/campconf.htm

Added by Amy Lang on June 30, 2005??-??Link to this entry

New Resource for Encouraging ESL Students to Participate in Study Circles

We just heard from the Study Circle Resources Center about a new resource for recruiting ESL students into Study Circle programs. To prepare adult students in the English as a Second Language program for a study circle summit on education, the communications department of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board in Hamilton, Ontario, developed a curriculum titled ?“Prepare to Participate.?” The curriculum package includes a series of classroom activities to help students increase their self-confidence, group discussion experience, and decision-making skills. With minimal adaptation, this curriculum can be used in any community. Download it from SCRC?’s web site: www.studycircles.org/pages/hap.html#esl

Added by Amy Lang on June 28, 2005??-??Link to this entry

New Book on Complex Problem Solving Available

NCDD member Adam Kahane has recently published a book entitled Solving Tough Problems: An Open Way of Talking, Listening, and Creating New Realities, published by Berrett-Koehler. Based on Adam's extensive experience solving complex problems in conflictual and changing environments all over the world, he offers a "simple but not easy" approach to problem-solving. Using examples from families, corporations, governments, and nonprofits, Kahane explores the connection between individual and systemic transformation, and shows how to move beyond politeness and formal statements, beyond routine debate and defensiveness, towards deeper and more productive dialogue and action. To contact Adam, visit his website: www.generonconsulting.com email: or call (978) 232-3500 ext. 30.

Added by Amy Lang on June 28, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Public Agenda Honored by Time, Continues to Expand Site

Time.com has just announced its annual list of 50 Coolest Websites, and Public Agenda (www.publicagenda.org)made it onto the list for 2005. Public Agenda is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that surveys the American public on crucial current issues of the day. Earlier this year Public Agenda Online was also nominated for a Webby Award - the online Oscars. They've also just launched a new public engagement section of the site with lots of tools and resources. Check it out at http://publicagenda.org/pubengage/pe_home.cfm.

Added by Amy Lang on June 26, 2005??-??Link to this entry

NCDD Leader Publishes New Book for the College-Bound

David Schoem, University of Michigan Professor and member of the NCDD Steering Committee, has published a new book, "College Knowledge: 101 Tips for the College-Bound Student.?” Unlike most books of this type, David emphasizes dialogue, diversity, civic involvement, and engagement with learning. Through lively tips and compelling student stories about life at college, the book offers thoughtful, practical information for every student who wants to make a successful transition from high school to college. Examples of tips include: Expand your comfort zone; Be a thinker and an activist, Take responsibility for the world around you, Participate in Intergroup Dialogue, Think about social justice, Take democracy seriously, and Be a boundary-crosser.

Search for this and other books by David Schoem at www.press.umich.edu, or click here to go straight to the page about College Knowledge.

Added by Sandy Heierbacher on June 24, 2005??-??Link to this entry

New Interactive Feature on the Harwood Institute Website

We just heard about an interesting experiment being run by the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation (www.theharwoodinstitute.org). Richard C. Harwood, President and Founder of The Harwood Institute has often claimed, "When I'm talking with a group of citizens, and I close my eyes and listen, I find it impossible to tell whether the person speaking is a Republican or a Democrat, where they live, or what socioeconomic class they belong to." A new interactive feature on The Harwood Institute's website puts this claim to the test. Take a look at quotes from recently conducted focus groups, one in a heavily Republican suburban district, and one in an urban Democratic stronghold, and see if you can tell Red from Blue. Click here to try it out!

Added by Amy Lang on June 16, 2005??-??Link to this entry

New Tools for Evaluating Racial Equity Programs Now Available On the Web

The Center for Assessment and Policy Development and MP Associates, Inc., has just launched ?“Evaluation Tools for Racial Equity?” (www.evaluationtoolsforracialequity.org), a new web site that offers resources and advice on evaluating a program?’s effectiveness in bridging racial divides. The site includes all kinds of tools and resources on how to organize and carry out an evaluation, what kinds of questions to ask and outcomes to measure, and also some guidelines for thinking about and using results.

Added by Amy Lang on June 13, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Call for Proposals for New Edition of the Change Handbook

Peggy Holman, Tom Devane, & Steve Cady are inviting proposals for a second edition of The Change Handbook: Group Methods for Shaping the Future. This is a great opportunity to share your methods for bringing people together to develop collective plans, decisions and action!

Based on the highly successful first edition of the book, this new edition will be a reference book for leaders, change agents, and students of change. The objective of this project is to update The Change Handbook so that it continues to be a convenient, readable, accurate one-stop reference guide for people who are considering systematic organizational or community change. Proposals are due by June 30, 2005. Go to www.stevecady.com/change_handbook.htm to download the call for proposals, or click below for more details.

Read the rest of "Call for Proposals for New Edition of the Change Handbook"

Added by Amy Lang on June 07, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Democracy Lab Offers New Online Deliberation Opportunities

Democracy Lab has recently announced three new opportunities to incorporate online deliberation into your classroom. First, From June 29 to July 1, they're holding a workshop on Using Deliberation in the High School Classroom in State College, PA. Inquire regarding online possibilities, including enrolling in the workshop for graduate credit, at . Second, it's time to reserve space for your classes in Democracy Lab's Fall 2005 online issues forums. Details are here. Third, Democracy Lab is now conducting a second round of Request for Proposals with funding for first-time partnerships and for continuation of existing partnerships --a July 1 deadline for 2005-2006 projects. Visit this link for more details. You can also check out their website (www.teachingdemocracy.org/dl) for more information about all of these opportunities.

Added by Amy Lang on June 04, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Video Captures Quiet Revolution in Haiti

We recently heard about an intriguing new video documentary Circles of Change: a quiet revolution in Haiti - a 20 minute DVD/VHS video about the grassroots movement that is transforming notions and practices in education and leadership in Haiti and beyond. To learn more about it go to www.circlesofchange.com.

Added by Amy Lang on May 27, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Listening to the City Special Issue Now Available in Print

The special issue of IAF's Group Facilitation journal entitled "Listening to the City: Public Participation and Group Facilitation in Redeveloping the WTC" is now available in print for $14.95 at Amazon.com and virtualbookworm.com. The size and visibility of "Listening to the City," the largest face-to-face public participation event ever held, and the political, social, and emotional needs that it responded to, provide an attractive opportunity to draw attention to broader issues regarding public engagement, group facilitation, and the future of democracy. This issue provides an in-depth case study of "Listening to the City" and uses it as a departure point for broader discussions of the practice of public participation. Reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experience of the 25 contributing authors, which include both academics and practitioners, the content is descriptive, evaluative, and speculative. Click below for more details.

Read the rest of "Listening to the City Special Issue Now Available in Print"

Added by Sandy on May 26, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Shambhala Institute Newsletter Available Online

The Shambhala Institute is now posting its newsletter Fieldnotes online. Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, The Shambhala Institute is dedicated to promoting positive change through leadership courses, partnerships and community-building, using principles of the Shambhala wisdom tradition. Check out their most recent newsletters at www.shambhalainstitute.org/Fieldnotes.

Added by Amy Lang on April 27, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Joint Center Releases New Guide for Race Relations

The Joint Center for Political & Economic Studies recently published "Cultivating Interdependence: A Guide for Race Relations and Racial Justice Organizations." Maggie Potapchuk authored the guide, which is based on work in four communities and shares insights on ways race relations and racial justice organizations from across the spectrum of approaches can collaborate to address community issues of common concern. The publication includes workshop design and handouts, replication tips and lessons learned, and identifies stages of readiness for organizations to work together interdependently. Click here to purchase the book for $15 (or download it for free). You can also email Maggie Potapchuk at for more info.

Added by Sandy on March 20, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Taos Institute Publishes 2 New Books

The Taos Institute just announced two new publications: Appreciative Sharing of Knowledge: Leveraging Knowledge Management for Strategic Change (2005)
by Tojo Thatchenkery, and Experiential Learning Exercises In Social Construction: A Field Book for Creating Change (2004) by various authors at the Institute for Creative Change. Click below for more details on these books.

Read the rest of "Taos Institute Publishes 2 New Books"

Added by Sandy on March 15, 2005??-??Link to this entry

IAF's Handbook of Group Facilitation is on the Shelves!

Sandy Schuman of the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) sent me a copy of the brand new "IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation" and I encourage all of you to go out and get a copy for yourselves! Edited by Schuman and sponsored by the IAF, the Handbook is not only an overview of the facilitation field but also a reliable reference for experience group facilitators. Written by 50 leading practitioners and scholars, the chapters cover such things as building trust and improving communications, developing a collaborative environment, designing and facilitating dialogue (by NCDD member Steve Pyser!), working with multicultural groups, and assessing group decision processes. You also get a CD-ROM with the complete collection of articles published in the first five issues of Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal. You can buy it at Amazon.com.

Added by Sandy on March 14, 2005??-??Link to this entry

New Deliberation Guide on HIV/AIDS in Africa

"As Africa enters the twenty-first century, finding more practical approaches to the HIV/AIDS situation in the countries in sub-Saharan Africa now seems to be one of the greatest promises and greatest challenges for the future. How do we make use of resources in our countries to tackle this health problem without losing sight of other national problems?"

This is an excerpt from a new guide for deliberation about the AIDS pandemic entitled "HIV/AIDS in Africa: What Should Be Done?" The guide was written by former Kettering Foundation international fellows, Mpho Putu of South Africa and Tokunbo Awoshakin of Nigeria. Learn more and download a free copy on the NIFI website.

Added by Sandy on March 04, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Taos Institute Publishes Two New Books on Appreciative Inquiry

Taos Institute (www.taosinstitute.net), a longtime supporter of Appreciative Inquiry techniques, has announced the publication of two new books that will be of interest to Happenings readers. Experiential Learning Exercises In Social Construction: A Field Book for Creating Change (2004) presents exercises that have been organized into Learning Labs that will invite innovative thinking and practice with those familiar with social construction theory as well as those who are newcomers to constructionist thinking. In Appreciative Sharing of Knowledge: Leveraging Knowledge Management for Strategic Change (2005) Tojo Thatchenkery describes a brand new methodology for change management called Appreciate Sharing of Knowledge [ASK] and provides a step-by-step tool kit for anyone interested in knowledge management. For more information on the books, or to place an order, visit www.taosinstitute.net/publishing/publishing

Added by Amy Lang on February 27, 2005??-??Link to this entry

Choices Program Offers Discussion Materials on North Korea

Discussion materials about North Korea and Nuclear Weapons-Policy Options are now available online from the Choices Program. The downloadable materials include background reading and four policy options to consider. Each of the four policy options includes: an overview of the option, goals, U.S. policies, underlying beliefs, and criticisms. Go to www.choices.edu/twtn.cfm?id=40 to learn more.

The Choices for the 21st Century program is a project of the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University. A listing of other topics for discussion available from the Choices Program can be found at www.choices.edu/curriculum_twtn.cfm.

Added by Sandy on February 25, 2005??-??Link to this entry

AmericaSpeaks Releases Blueprint for Engaging the Public in National Policy-Making

AmericaSpeaks recently released Millions of Voices: A Blueprint for Engaging the American Public in National Policy-Making, a detailed report outlining a comprehensive strategy to engage millions of Americans in solving the nation?’s most critical problems.

The report reflects the collaborative thinking of 12 leaders in the citizen engagement field, convened by AmericaSpeaks over nine months. Millions of Voices is based on the premise that if we are to reinvigorate American democratic institutions, new structures and processes are needed to engage citizens in the nation?’s policy-making process. The report offers a plan for National Discussions that will engage at least one million Americans in substantive deliberations about public issues designed to inform and influence decision-making in Washington.

The report recommends National Discussions be convened regularly to address the most pressing national issues facing the country such as health care, foreign policy, and the economy. Development and production of the report were funded by The Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Click here for a free PDF version of this excellent report.

Added by Sandy on January 25, 2005??-??Link to this entry

IAF to Publish Book Next Month on Best Practices in Facilitation

Next month, the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) will be publishing an exciting (to us, anyway!) book edited by Sandy Schuman titled "The IAF Handbook of Group Facilitation: Best Practices from the Leading Organization in Facilitation." Published by Jossey-Bass, the 720-page book will be available in February for $75 for non-members of IAF and $52.50 for IAF members. This will be quite the resource!

The book covers a range of viewpoints on methods and techniques, issues, competencies, and resources. It includes a CD featuring the complete collection of articles published in the first five issues of Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal. This collection will serve as an introduction to the field for the new practitioner and as a reference for experienced group facilitators who encounter new situations. Click below for the full table of contents (you may recognize some of the authors!), or go to IAF's online store to purchase the book.

Read the rest of "IAF to Publish Book Next Month on Best Practices in Facilitation"

Added by Sandy on January 10, 2005??-??Link to this entry

AmericaSpeaks Seeks Input on Matrix of Approaches to Online Public Deliberation

Lars Torres (NCDD Steering Committee member and Researcher for AmericaSpeaks) sent some emails out yesterday announcing the latest iteration of AmericaSpeaks' matrix of approaches to online public deliberation. You can view a PDF of the document at www.deliberative-democracy.net/resources/library/online_matrix_041004.pdf.

Lars would love your input at this point. If you see something that is incorrect, or know of a project that is missing, email him at to let him know.

Listed, described and linked to on the chart are: Ascentum, ByDesign/eLab, CitizenScape, Community People, DELIB,
Denmark National IT and Telecom Agency, Dialogue by Design, Fraunhofer Institut Autonome Intelligente Systeme, Human Sciences, Information Renaissance, Partnership for Internet Equity and Community Engagement (PIECE), Public Voice Lab, Regulations.gov, ParTecs, Bodies Electric, Web Lab, and Wornex WorldDirector.

Added by Sandy on January 05, 2005??-??Link to this entry

News from the Public Conversations Project...

The Public Conversations Project's December E-News focuses on "Talking About Politics across Divides." The e-newsletter announces some great resources designed to help those who with to engage in respectful, meaningful conversations with people who have vast political differences. PCP's Executive Director, Laura Chasin, recently wrote an article for the Christian Science Monitor's "Talking with the Enemy" series, and PCP has created some resources around that series. Click below to learn more about all of this, and to check the dates for PCP's highly acclaimed trainings this spring.

Read the rest of "News from the Public Conversations Project..."

Added by Sandy on December 09, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Public Agenda's Issue Guide on Social Security Available for Your Use

Today's Public Agenda Alert announced that President Bush "ruled out increating Social Security payroll taxes to bail our the program and repeated his call to create private retirement accounts instead." Public Agenda reminds us about their issue guide on Social Security, stating that their 'Choicework' discussion guides lay out the different alternatives to reform.

"With Choicework, we're not claiming to have the "correct" solution to a problem. What you'll find are four different points of view about how to address the issue. The broad choices we present are designed to be discussion starters, not a political program. Each point of view comes with the arguments for and against, along with some potential costs and tradeoffs, because choosing a course of action should include honestly facing its drawbacks."

Added by Sandy on December 09, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Resources on Community Intelligence Posted on CII Website

Tom Atlee announced a few days ago that he just posted three interrelated resources on the Co-Intelligence Institute website. The resources are called "Functions that Make Up Community Intelligence", "Approaches to Community Engagement and the Generation of Community Wisdom", and "A map of Community Intelligence and some of its important constituents", and you can read more details by clicking below.

Read the rest of "New Resources on Community Intelligence Posted on CII Website"

Added by Sandy on August 24, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Choices Program Offers Free Resources for Teachers on the U.S.'s Role in the World

Choices for the 21st Century Education Program invites teachers to engage their students in the national dialogue on the role of the U.S. in the world. The Choices Program is working with The People Speak to bring this topic to high school students this fall....

Read the rest of "Choices Program Offers Free Resources for Teachers on the U.S.'s Role in the World"

Added by Sandy on August 23, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Report on Evaluating Collaborative Policymaking Processes

I received an email today from my friend Tonya Gonzalez, Director of the Deliberative Democracy Consortium, announcing that the Center for Collaborative Policy just released a Hewlett-funded report called "Is Devolution Democratic? Assessing Collaborative Environmental Management." The report proposes a normative framework for evaluating the democratic merits of collaborative policymaking processes in terms of six criteria: inclusiveness, representativeness, procedural fairness, lawfulness, deliberativeness, and empowerment. The framework is then applied to random sample of 76 watershed-based stakeholder partnerships in California and Washington State. You can download the report at www.csus.edu/ccp/publications.htm.

Added by Sandy on August 13, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Opportunity to Address Obesity in your Community this Fall in Partnership with Preview Forum

Preview Forum is recruiting local partners for their fall Forum on "Growing Pains: Community Responses to Obesity" and is hoping some folks from the D&D community will be interested. Roundtable will provide FREE RESOURCES (including videos, planning guides, and publicity materials) to the first 150 organizations that sign on as partners by August 31, 2004.

?“Preview Forum?” is a national media and dialogue initiative that brings together news professionals and the public in local forums to discuss social issues relevant to the community. This fall, Preview Forum will focus on the growing problem of obesity from an environmental, economic, and public health perspective. How are communities responding to this problem? What can your community do? Preview Forum invites organizations of all sizes to become local partners and host forums in their communities. For more info, contact [email protected] or 781-893-3336 x24.

Added by Sandy on August 12, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Richard Harwood Launches New "Redeeming Hope" Blog

Rich Harwood, the President of the highly respected Harwood Institute for Public Innovation, launched a web log last month aimed at encouraging people to imagine and act for the public good. The blog, called "Redeeming Hope," will allow Rich to share his ideas about where we are as a nation and how to get to where we want to be. Each week, Rich will write about public life and how we can place it on an alternative path. Rich believes public life is about the relationships between and among people and how we individually and collectively can act to overcome divisions facing our society. You are invited to not only read the blog, but to post comments on the blog.

Added by Sandy on June 29, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Tom Atlee Writes about Mapping, Democracy & Collective Intelligence

My friend Tom Atlee, President of the Co-Intelligence Institute, emailed his list today with descriptions of four maps of transformational realms, plus some questions about this whole approach to mapping. According to Tom, "mapping domains of knowledge, inquiry and activity is an important aspect of our developing collective intelligence." This message expands on an earlier piece about knowledge mapping currently posted here on the NCDD wiki (collaborative workspace). Click below to read his message.

Read the rest of "Tom Atlee Writes about Mapping, Democracy & Collective Intelligence"

Added by Sandy on June 27, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Have You Subscribed to The Collaborative Edge Yet?

David Booher, Senior Policy Advisor at the Center for Collaborative Policy, asked me to spread the word about the Center's stellar e-newsletter, The Collaborative Edge. This free quarterly newsletter provides timely information on collaborative strategies and methods to public agencies, civic organizations, and the public. Click below for more details.

Read the rest of "Have You Subscribed to The Collaborative Edge Yet?"

Added by Sandy on June 17, 2004??-??Link to this entry

As a Field, Collective Intelligence Takes Off: A Tom Atlee Commentary

Here's a summary of a long, fascinating email I found in my inbox this morning from Tom Atlee, President of the Co-Intelligence Institute (to be added to Tom's e-mailing list, email :

Collective intelligence, as a field of study and practice, is taking off. Some really interesting work is being done, quite beyond the dialogue and deliberative democracy realms we focus on at the Co-Intelligence Institute. It turns out that even when thousands of people don't talk to each other at all, they can still be (somewhat mysteriously) collectively brilliant in solving problems. All told, there seem to be at least eight different -- and often mutually reinforcing -- types of collective intelligence, which are briefly described here. Some of the most interesting explorations of this field come from five sources we've recently bumped into?…

Read the rest of "As a Field, Collective Intelligence Takes Off: A Tom Atlee Commentary"

Added by Sandy on June 07, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Walking the Collaboration Talk: Ten Lessons Learned

Here's an announcement from Bill Potapchuk's Collaborative Communities e-Newsletter.... Walking the Collaboration Talk: Ten Lessons Learned outlines some of the major lessons learned by Jacquelyn McCroskey and her colleagues who have tried to "walk the talk" of public/private cross-sector collaboration over the last twenty years working on the very complicated challenges of engaging communities and leveraging public and private resources to improve the lives of children and families in L.A. Download the PDF.

Added by Sandy on May 28, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Managing Diversity eCoach Book

Dr. Billy Vaughn's Managing Diversity eCoach Book is available at www.globalsoftskills.net - the first 500 to purchase this ebook will receive a 69% discount. According to Vaughn, the book provides you with everything you need to avoid mistakes and disastrous interpersonal situations, develop high impact newsletters and training, offer expert consultation, manage both a national and international workforce, and learn the secrets that separate those who walk the walk from those who merely talk the talk. Click below for his full message.

Read the rest of "Managing Diversity eCoach Book"

Added by Sandy on May 28, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Book by Harry Boyt to be Published in September

Harry Boyte recently sent me some info about his forthcoming book, "Everyday Politics: Reconnecting Citizens and Public Life." A pioneer in our field, Boyte is founder and co-director of the Center for Democracy and Citizenship at the University of Minnesota (www.publicwork.org). In Everyday Politics, Boyte transcends partisan politics to offer an alternative. He demonstrates how community-rooted activities reconnect citizens to engaged, responsible public life, not just on election day but throughout the year. Boyte demonstrates that this type of activism has a rich history and strong philosophical foundations. It rests on the stubborn faith that the talents and insights of ordinary citizens?—from nursery school to nursing home?—are crucial elements in public life and everyday politics. Click below for the full announcement.

Read the rest of "New Book by Harry Boyt to be Published in September"

Added by Sandy on May 27, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Book on "Civic Revolutionaries"

I received an email this morning from Senator Les Ihara, Hawaii State Senator, NCDD member and Board member of the National Issues Forums Institute. He attached an interesting article entitled "The Rise of the New Civic
Revolutionaries: Answering the Call to Stewardship in Our Times," which was published recently in the National Civic Review. This article, by Douglas Menton, John Melville and Kim Walesh, is adapted from their recently-published book, Civic Revolutionaries: Igniting the Passion for Change in America's Communities.

Here's a compelling quote from the article: "A new grassroots movement is underway in the regions of the United States today. Once again, a movement is beginning in communities across the nation, urged ahead by leaders who see the need for fundamental change in how their regions define and solve problems and ultimately how they are governed. They represent a new kind of regional civic leadership attuned to the economic and social realities of our times. Traditional top-down leadership styles and stovepipe government models simply do not work in the fast-paced, global economy and diverse societies of today." Email me () if you'd like a copy of the article.

Added by Sandy on May 26, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Public Agenda Offers Discussion Guide on Same-Sex Marriage

A choicework guide about same-sex marriage, titled Gay Rights: Which Way to the Altar? is available on the Public Agenda First Choice 2004 website. The guide presents three approaches: 1. Extend equal rights to all our citizens, including gay people; 2. Let states and communities choose their own solutions; 3. Protect traditional institutions and values. Each approach is accompanied by arguments for and against the approach. The guide also includes a section titled Status Report: Where are we Now? and a listing of additional resources.

In addition to the downloadable issue guide, there is a link to "create your own choicework" that allows users to modify a framework of the issue by selecting from a list of actions under three broad approaches, or adding other actions. Other issue guides in Public Agenda's First Choice 2004 program include: Terrorism, Health Care, Race and Affirmative Action, Paying for College, The Environment, Jobs and the Economy, Taxes and the Deficit, and Immigration.

Added by Sandy on May 25, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Book Shares Learnings from Pew Partnership for Civic Change Research

A new book called "Smart Communities: How Citizens and Local Leaders Can Use Strategic Thinking to Build a Brighter Future," offers community leaders teh information they need to build a civic infrastructure and to create community readiness that will help avert problems before they begin. Written by Susan W. Morse, executive director of the Pew Partnership for Civic Change and member of the Board of Trustees of the Kettering Foundation, the $34 book is based on the results of over a decade of research by the Pew Partnership, and includes a chapter on "Doing Democracy" which features the Kettering Foundation's work in Owensboro, Kentucky, as well as National Issues Forums in general.

Added by Sandy on April 20, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Report Released on Youth Civic Engagement

Someone forwarded an email to me today from Barbara Gottlieb, in which she announced a just-released research report called ?“Youth as E-Citizens: Engaging the Digital Generation.?” This study, by Kathryn Montgomery, Gary Larson and Barbara, is the first to ?“map?” and analyze the rich but little-known terrain of websites that promote youth civic engagement. According to Barbara, the study "brings to light an online youth civic culture, largely unnoticed by the general public, that has taken hold on the Internet and is fostering Generation Y?’s participation in U.S. politics and community affairs." Click below for Barbara's entire announcement.

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Added by Sandy on April 07, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Resource for NVC Research

With the help of the Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC), Tom Caruso has created a resource that includes files of interest to anyone wanting to do research with NVC. Click here to see this resource of files. Within this file you will find links to the actual files described. Tom welcomes folks to send him anything they would like included in this resource for Nonviolent Communication researchers. This includes the reference for any relevant journal, book, or other media that could be referred to in a research paper. Tom is the Director of Research Initiatives at Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech. His phone number is 540-231-6771 and his email is .

Added by Sandy on April 07, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Inaugural Issue of AmericaSpeaks' Newsletter

I received an email today from Carolyn Lukensmeyer, announcing the the inaugural issue of the AmericaSpeaks e-newsletter. This online newsletter is available on at www.americaspeaks.org/newsletter. This issue is comprised of highlights of AmericaSpeaks?’ work in 2003, as well as information on speaking engagements, readings in the field, and some of the organization?’s plans for 2004. Also included is a letter from Carolyn, providing additional background on AmericaSpeaks. To receive emails announcing when this quarterly newsletter is available online, email Erzulie Coquillon at .

Added by Sandy on April 05, 2004??-??Link to this entry

A New Form of Online Deliberation - Meaning Map is Now Online

Meaning Map is a new, web-based form of discussion designed to make collective decision-making more democratic and efficient by democratizing framing and agenda setting, emphasizing reasons and principles, and removing the need for any stable group of elites to act as gatekeepers. Meaning Map creator Ray Pingree encourages you to experiment with Meaning Map at www.meaningmap.com (click on "Try Meaning Map now!"). Ray also says that groups of 50 to 500 who want their own Meaning Map should contact him at . He may be able to host it on his server for you for free. Also email Ray if you have constructive feedback on the tool.

Added by Sandy on April 03, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Rogue Valley Wisdom Council Video Available Online

You know that amazing picture that's posted on NCDD's main page right now? The one with the people holding up a banner that says "We the People"? Well, that's the Rogue Valley Wisdom Coucil, an important democratic experiment that's been going on in Oregon. I just received an email letting me know that the video footage of the first Rogue Valley Wisdom Council, which took place in November, has been incorporated into a 22-minute video. If you're curious about Wisdom Councils or Dynamic Facilitation, this video allows you to watch the process unfold, as the panelists grapple with issues and find common ground. Click below for more info.

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Added by Sandy on April 03, 2004??-??Link to this entry

NIF Launches Gorgeous New Website

The National Issues Forums (NIF) website has been redesigned, updated, and launched, and can now be seen at www.nifi.org. NIF encourages you to visit the site, tell others about it, and when you have news about National Issues Forums-related projects, events, or news, send them to Patty Dineen at or Fax: 724-443-5942. National Issues Forums bring people together to talk about important issues. They range from small study circles held in peoples?’ homes to large community gatherings modeled on New England town meetings. Each forum focuses on a specific issues such as illegal drugs, Social Security, or juvenile crime.

Added by Sandy on April 01, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Preview Forum Invites You to Address Globalization in your Community - and Offers Free Resources

NCDD has just become a National Partner of Preview Forum, which is a national media and dialogue initiative that brings together news professionals and the public in local forums to discuss social issues relevant to the community. This spring, Preview Forum will focus on the sweeping changes of globalization and what those changes mean at the local level. We invite organizations of all sizes to become local partners and host forums in their communities. Roundtable will provide FREE RESOURCES (including videos, planning guides, and publicity materials) to the first 100 organizations that sign on as partners. For more information, contact or 781-893-3336 x24. Visit the Preview Forum website at www.previewforum.com.

Added by Sandy on March 30, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Resource Binder Available from ADI's National Exchange

The fabulous resource/program binder that Animating Democracy compiled for participants in their October 2003 National Exchange on Art & Civic Dialogue is now available for purchase. Drawing together participants from across disciplines, this 2003 conference offered a lively exploration of the philosophical, practical, and aesthetic aspects of arts and humanities activities that seek to stimulate civic dialogue on important contemporary issues. This resource includes session notes and descriptions, participant biographies, essays and case studies about arts-based civic dialogue work, and a list of resources (including some great stuff taken directly from NCDD's website, with permission of course). The binder is $25. Go to www.AmericansForTheArts.org and click on the bookstore icon.

Added by Sandy on March 24, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Monograph on Public Art

Public Art: An Essential Component of Creating Communities, a new Monograph by Jack Becker, is a must-read for advocacy tool everyone involved in public art - from elected officials and community members to artists and arts administrators. This Monograph provides a comprehensive overview of the field and presents responses to important questions: What is public art? Why is public art beneficial to the health of a community? What are the critical issues in the field? $9.25. Go to www.AmericansForTheArts.org and click on the bookstore icon.

Added by Sandy on March 24, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Tolerance.org Seeks Stories of People Tackling Everyday Bigotry

Your father tells an anti-Semitic joke at the dinner table. A mid-level manager in your company refers to female employees as "girls." As a young black or Hispanic man, you find yourself routinely followed by security guards in department stores. How do you handle such moments? What can you say or do? This Fall, Tolerance.org will release a new guidebook dealing with such issues. You are encouraged to email with your everyday moments of bias and bigotry, including how (or if) you respond. They?’ll let you know if they plan to use your story in the book.

Added by Sandy on March 20, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Book on Deliberative Democracy in America

Ethan Leib sent me the following details about his new book "Deliberative Democracy in America" today.

"We are taught in civics class that the Constitution provides for three basic branches of government, executive, judicial, and legislative. While the President and Congress as elected by popular vote are representative, can they really reflect accurately the will and sentiment of the populace? Or do money and power dominate everyday politics to the detriment of true self-governance? Is there a way to put "We the people" back into government? Ethan Leib thinks there is and offers this blueprint for a fourth branch of government as a way of giving the people a voice of their own."

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Added by Sandy on March 18, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Book on Civil Society

From the March 16 DD-net eBulletin: Is civil society the big idea for the 21st century? Or will the idea of civil society - confused, conflated and co-opted by elites - prove another false horizon in the search for a better world? By illuminating the uses and abuses of different theories and traditions in clear and engaging prose, Michael Edwards, author and Governance and Civil Society Program Director at the Ford Foundation, will guide readers of all persuasions to answer this question for themselves.

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Added by Sandy on March 17, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Trial Version of a New Website on Participation Launches

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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Added by Sandy on March 08, 2004??-??Link to this entry

CIRCLE Fact Sheet on the Role of Mass Media in Civic Development

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.

Added by Sandy on February 27, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New CHOICES Unit for Teachers

?“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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Added by Sandy on February 27, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Higher Ed ?“Community of Practice?” Created on Democratic Dialogue

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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Added by Sandy on February 26, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Newly Published Works of the late Mary Parker Follett

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).

Added by Sandy on February 26, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Book about Fishkin & Ackerman?’s National ?“Deliberation Day?” Idea

Bruce Ackerman and James Fishkin argue that Americans can revitalize their democracy and break the cycle of cynical media manipulation that is crippling public life. They propose a new national holiday?—Deliberation Day?—for each presidential election year. On this day people throughout the country will meet in public spaces and engage in structured debates about issues that divide the candidates in the upcoming presidential election. Order from http://yale.edu/yup/books/101015.htm or amazon.com.

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Added by Sandy on February 17, 2004??-??Link to this entry

Creative America Launches New Website

Creative America, a new project developed to encourage creative workers to contribute to transforming American civic life, launched its new site in January 2004. The project invites creative workers to access the site and upload their personal vision for what a Creative America looks like. As a result, Creative America will present the major presidential candidates, with a collective statement about what a Creative America looks like and needs for every citizen to express their creative potential. www.creativeamerica.us

Added by Sandy on February 14, 2004??-??Link to this entry

New Resource on Media Coverage of the War in Iraq

The Institute for Philosophy & Public Policy publishes a quarterly journal to stimulate and inform debate about important current issues. Members of the Institute recently created a special website (www.puaf.umd.edu/IPPP/iraq/) about one particular issue of major international importance: media coverage of the war in Iraq. The website poses fundamental questions about the role of the press in wartime. As background, it collects and organizes some of the best relevant writing from philosophy, political science, and journalism. It also provides an opportunity for you to speak out. There is a discussion forum, and your comments and questions are welcome. If you would like to send additional references for the site or ask any questions, please contact Institute Research Scholar Peter Levine at .

Added by Sandy on February 13, 2004??-??Link to this entry

The Peace Company Celebrates the Season for Nonviolence

Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi are the 20th century saints of nonviolence. They showed us that the moral force of love is indeed stronger than the coercive force of oppression. Every year, for 64 days between the anniversaries of the deaths of these two great men (January 30 and April 4), we celebrate the Season for Nonviolence, when individuals and groups all over the world are encouraged to re-commit themselves to nonviolence as a way of life and as a road to peace and social change.

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Added by Sandy on February 01, 2004??-??Link to this entry