Research: The Governance Lab (The GovLab) at New York University announced the formation of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Opening Governance, which will seek to develop blueprints for more effective and legitimate democratic institutions to help improve people’s lives. It is made possible by a three-year grant of $5 million from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation as well as a gift from Google.org, which will allow the Network to tap the latest technological advances to further its work. The announcement said in part:
Combining empirical research with real-world experiments, the Research Network will study what happens when governments and institutions open themselves to diverse participation, pursue collaborative problem-solving, and seek input and expertise from a range of people. Network members include twelve experts in computer science, political science, policy informatics, social psychology and philosophy, law, and communications. This core group is supported by an advisory network of academics, technologists, and current and former government officials. Together, they will assess existing innovations in governing and experiment with new practices and how institutions make decisions at the local, national, and international levels.
A Network official told FreedomIbnfo.org that the new network is interested in hearing ideas. The Network’s Kick-Off Meeting was held in New York City on Jan 20-21. See the meeting agenda here.
Honesty Oscars: An online contest sponsored by One and Accountability Lab. Virtually all the voting was generated for one category, “Best Activist Anthem.” The results:
Best Visual Effects: Open Budget by the International Budget Partnership. “More than 3,500 people voted in the Best Visual Effects category, and the International Budget Partnership’s “Open Budget Survey 2012? infographics took 54 percent of the votes.”
Best Activist in a Leading Role: Sely Martini, Indonesia Corruption Watch. The deputy director of Indonesia’s anti-corruption watchdog group Indonesia Corruption Watch took 54 percent of the more than 6,700 votes in the Best Activist in a Leading Role category.
Best Activist Anthem: “Down By the Riverside,” Dr Sley and Da Green Soljas. “Out of an incredible 80,000 votes, Dr. Sley and Da Green Soljas of Cameroon got 40 percent of the votes for the category of Best Activist Anthem.”
Best Director: Rakesh Rajani. “Rajani, a Tanzanian civil-society leader whose contributions include Twaweza, won the category of Best Director with 54 percent of 727 total votes.”
Best Picture: Open Development Explained, Open for Change. “Open for Change does a great job in this film explaining the scope and importance of the global Open Development movement – and they deserve the 61 percent out of 727 votes for the Best Picture category.”
OGP: The OGP Support Unit and Civil Society Coordination team facilitated two webinars on getting consultation and co-creation right and on drafting stronger National Action Plans. The recorded webinars here:
Getting Consultation and Action Plan Co-creation Right
English, with Simon Burall (UK), Emmanuel Kuyole (Ghana) and Paul Maassen: http://worldbankva.adobeconnect.com/p4p4f1zix3a/
Spanish, with Maikol Porras (Costa Rica), Eduardo Bohórquez (Mexico) and Emilene Martinez: https://worldbankva.adobeconnect.com/_a833642795/p8pqvn0hcv7/
Drafting Stronger Action Plans
English, with Joe Foti (IRM), Abhinav Bahl (Support Unit) and Maya Forstater (Open Government Guide): http://worldbankva.adobeconnect.com/p16xj20gwkc/
Spanish, with Alonso Cerdan (Support Unit), Emilene Martínez, and Preston Whitt (IRM) http://worldbankva.adobeconnect.com/p82pf9sp2en/
There have also been webinars in several subjects that might be helpful to develop individual commitments. For a full list of recorded webinars visit http://www.opengovpartnership.org/topics?f[0]=type%3Awebinar
Open Data: Highlights from Open Data Day.
Video: A presentation promoting RTI in Karnataka, a state in southwest India.
Open Data: The 2013 Open Reader – Stories and articles inspired by OKCon2013: Open Data – Broad, Deep, Connected – is available for free until 16th March 2014. It includes blogposts, white papers, slides, journal articles and other types of texts from 45 speakers, workshop coordinators of this event and other contributors. Grab your copy now or read the content online at: http://books.buchundnetz.com/
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