Designing for Civil Society

The well-connected community

Kevin Harris reports on his Neighbourhoods blog publication of The Well-Connect Community by Alison Gilchrist. This is very much about networks - but the non-tech local type, based on Alison's time as a community worker, activist, and later researcher in the field. Kevin writes "Alison's sensitive understanding of the nature of community development work at neighbourhood level, her experience and insights into networking, and her profound appreciation of the principles and values of equality and social justice, all make this a must-read."... and knowing Alison I'll certainly trust his judgement, and expand when I get my copy.

Cybercities - the cyberlinks

Stephen Graham emails helpfully to point out that there is a weblist of links to complement his Cybercities Reader, after I had suggested a little cheekily that some blog-size bites of content would help communicate the comprehensive content to busy planners and others trying to steer our cities to the future.
The links cover everything from the the geography of cyberspace through digital culture to 3D electronic simulations, telecommuting and congestion charging. There's a site listed devoted entirely to Gated Communities. I know that I (and others) will spend many happy hours cybercity surfing. I'm already tempted by Are cars Cyborgs? "The car-garden hybrid, formerly known as the suburb, is a machine-to-green cyborg, but nevertheless it is wrong" writes Dutch urbanist Paul Treanor. More, more... no, less, less or I'll never get into town.

Understanding cybercities - by books or games

On the technology-place front Keith Hampton alerts us to a new book from Stephen Graham, Professor of Urban Technology, University of Newcastle, UK. The Cybercities Reader looks as if it has anyone that's anyone in this field contributing a chapter....Philip Agre, Anne Beamish, Manuel Castells, Martin Dodge, Mark Gottdeiner, David Holmes, David Lyon, William Mitchell, Harvey Molotch, Saskia Sassen, and Nina Wakeford. Wouldn't it be great if they would chunk their chapters down into blog-size pieces.... I know I should get the book but would I read it? Will other non-academics? If not, how will these ideas get into circulation rapidly and usefully? As I wrote recently non-academic planners aren't usually well briefed in this field.
Maybe it's time to try again an approach we tested a few years back, when the RICS Foundation supported some scenario development with a group of professionals playing through the changes technology might bring to our towns and cities. We ran a workshop - reported here - but despite the enthusiastic support of the Foundation's chief executive David Fitzpatrick we didn't get a more substantial programme going. David has an unusual background as an early advocate of community technology and sustainable development, now influencing the suits at events like the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Nothing on technology in current Foundation research themes, that I could see though. Were we just too early in our scenario playing, or have built environment professionals decided it doesn't matter much anyway?
Update: David emails to say that he has left RICS Foundation and is off to new pastures. I'm sure it will be something interesting when (or at least after) he arrives.

Early news of two civil technology books

Doug Schuler based in Seattle (US) , and Peter Day In Brighton (UK), have managed over recent years to combine both academic and practical work on community and social uses of new technologies. Doug has just posted to an number of mailing lists the contents of two books forthcoming next year.