1 

 

 

POSTGRADUATE OFFICIAL PROGRAM (POP) 

INTERNATIONAL MASTER IN PEACE, CONFLICTS AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES 

 

Open Circle: 

Open Society and Open Space the creation of new opportunities for a Social Change 

Fall Term 2009 – Module II 

18th May 2009 ‐12th June 2009  

Class Paper 

     

 

Dr. David Cortright 

Education for a Peaceful transformation of Conflict 

 

Student Name: Luigi Nicoletti

 

2 

 

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction p.3

2. Body Contents: Society and Social Network Meanings p.4

2.1. Open and Close Space: THE Solution or the Opportunities p.6

2.2. Open a Close Society through Nonviolence actions: General Dynamic p.10

3. Conclusion p.18

4. Bibliography p.20

 

3 

 

1. Introduction

This paper will try to explain trough a logic path how the creation particular Social network ,that I’ve

called Open Social Space, make more effective Nonviolent actions in order to produce Social Change.

The starting point will be a brief explanation about the creation of Society, of their Social Structure and

we will analyze better the concept of Space. After this small acknowledgement I’ll be able to explain

better the concept of Open and Close Society and in this section we will recognize that doesn’t exist an

absolute Open or Close Society but that’s concept is dependent from the hierarchical status that a

particular society give to a particular need in a particular event. Following this logic of thought we are

going to analyze better the concept of Open and Close Social Space.

Such Open and Close Spaces, the relation between people that create them and the importance that the

people give to the satisfaction of a particular need allow us to define if a Society is more or less Open

or Close in a particular dynamic of its structure. In this case we will see that the concept of Open and

Close are concepts that give to a particular society an adjective that configure its particular availability

to the change.

Hence a next step after this analysis is going to be the description of some dynamics that allow us to

transform a Close Social Space in an Open Social Space. These dynamics, following some of the

principles of the Nonviolent action, will be able to show us how they could produce Social Change.

This is a starting point to a real social change because in my opinion and as I’ll show, Open Society

that were Close means also make available a society to receive different input through different

channels of communication and in the end this mean change also the social structures and dynamics

that configure a society in a certain specific need.

 

4 

 

2 Society and Social Network Meanings:

In order to speak about Open and Close Society we have before to define which meaning we give to

society and which are the general goals of a society. In this case we can say that “[..]Society is

[..]viewed as an interconnected network of actors attempting to negotiate their social setting to

maximize gains and minimize losses while satisfying priority needs.”(De Witt M.Ross;2000:96).

Starting from this definition we can find two interconnected elements/dynamics that configure the

society (and allow us to speak about this) that are: first the fact that the most important goal of a

general society is the satisfaction of “priority needs” of the actors. Secondly, the fact that the process of

satisfaction of the “priority needs” is realized trough “interconnected network”.

Now we concentrate our effort in order to explain the first constituency process of a general society

that is the satisfaction of “priority needs”. From this starting point we can say that the actors or the

people act together in order to satisfy needs that is difficult or impossible for an individual to satisfy by

her/himself. This supposition is confirmed from several authors (Schlesinger R.; 2003:386-387) where

they find one of the most important factor of aggregation of individuals in societies in the process of

satisfaction of needs, and if a particular social structure doesn’t allow a group of member to satisfy

their needs these members are going to organize themselves in another more comfortable social

structure (Stryker S., Owens T.J, White R.W.; 2000:242). This phenomenon happen when we

recognize that the general differences between individuals exist and these determines in a specific

configuration of space and time a different importance of a specific needs (Prager K. J.;1997:229).

These process of recognition of different degree of importance of different needs between individuals

lead to configure the type of relation between the actors and the creation of a complex network of

 

5 

 

relationship that help each individual in the process of satisfaction of her/his own needs (Parvez H. and

Ollat H.;:44) .

Hence :”This functional and instrumental view of society implies that if social form do not satisfy

individual needs, they must be change” ( Väyrynen T.;2001:35) . Considering that the fulfill or not of a

need change the perception of the reality of individual “[..]the shift from one world to the next

represent quantum leaps[..].” (Caro M.J and Murphy J.W.;2002:72). That basically is what happens if

we consider that a “social form” for fulfilling a need it’s inadequate. The “social form” that we

consider could basically be represented by a social network where different kind of relationships have

developed.

Thus we move now to the second concept announced before: the social network. We assume now that

the social network is a function a tool in order to achieve a goal that is the satisfaction of a need. In this

case the net of different social relationships that each individual develop has basically the goal of fulfill

a need and it’s in this specific moment that start a process that lead to the creation of society. As the

picture below shown as, essentially, we can find two main dynamic that origin two different type of

networks that we are going to analyze in the next paragraph.

 

2.1 Open and Close Space: THE Solution or the Opportunities

Fig.2.1.1

On the upper square on left we find a situation where the members create relation in order to find THE

solution to satisfy their particular need. In this case THE solution is only one and the members that

belong to the network cooperate between them in order consolidating their solution and their social

cohesion. This process is typical of conservative societies that are not really receptive to input that

came from outside. This case represent a inner negotiation between the member of the social network

and a inner self-regulation in the process of satisfaction of the need, where everybody is more or less

agree with THE solution and nobody search input from outside to change THE network’s

dynamic(Gallie D.:1983:135-136). This particular dynamic try to put as second goal the effective

satisfaction of the need indeed the first goal remain the perpetration of dynamic that allows the

members to achieve the second goal (Strasser H.,Randal S.C;1981:123). These dynamic is oriented to

stabilize the relation between the members in order to preserve the dynamic and in the end

institutionalize the social structure (Mayer D.S. and Tarrow S.G.; 1998:104) that allows to find THE

6 

 

 

satisfaction of a need. In the end these logic is oriented to the creation of a social environment or Close

“Social Space” that has two main characteristics: the security, based on two reason, first because the

need is satisfy (although with only ONE solution that could be not completely effective for all the

members) and secondly there is any risks of new inputs that came from outside and could destabilize

the dynamics. The other characteristic is the stability of the dynamic that allows to understand better

the society because once that the relations are stabile the social structure could be institutionalize and

work in a more mechanical way. In these cases the main core of the matter is that the members

negotiate their personal effective satisfaction of their needs in order to maintain a certain degree of

stability inside the social network’s dynamic. The following graphic schemes represent the “Close

Social Space” (on left) and the dynamic of this “Close Social Space” (on right):

1

Fig.2.1.2 Fig.2.1.3

On the other hand (Fig.2.1.1 left side beneath), more needs are effective fulfill by a network higher will

be the spirit of belong in a group structured in a network. In practical way the:”Cohesion refers to the

factors that cause a group member to remain in the group”, and in our case we can recognize one of

these factors in the effective fulfill of the needs. The fulfill of the need is the way for a member of a                                                             1 For this and the following schemes the red arrow represent the input of a individual (I)and the purple one the output of another when she/he has received the input from the first member. 

7 

 

 

network to feel safe and it is the contribution of each member in social network that increase the

opportunities effective fulfill of the need, so there is a interdependence between the share membership

and the satisfaction of needs that produce a certain degree of participation, confidence and security in

each member or “actor” inside a society (Smith E.R.,Mackie D. M,;2000:468) . Hence a social network

that can effectively satisfy the needs of its members we could imagine it as an ensemble of relations

between “actors” that create a social environment or better a “Social Space” where a member could feel

free to choice the opportunities of effectively satisfy her/his needs. In this case we have to assume that

is not only a matter of quality but also of quantity of the opportunities that a member has to satisfy

her/his needs. Then increasing the number of members inside a social network is one of the key-factors

that allow increasing the possible choice that an “actor” has to satisfy a specific need. Regarding this

last point we have to change our perception and image a social network that is open to new inputs from

outside where we identify these inputs as new opportunities to effectively fulfill a specific need. The

new logic is represented by the two graphic schemes below:

Fig.2.1.4 Fig2.1.5

In these schemes is repr Circle. In this case the

relations between members of the groups (or society) are not only internal of the group but are linked

esented the new logic through the figure of an Open

8 

 

 

9 

 

                                                           

with external members or with other groups. That allows the members to have different contributions

from outside and then increase the points of view of a particular situation. As we see in fig.2.1.5 the

structure developed allows giving inputs outside the group and at the same time receiving the output of

external members as input inside the group. This dynamic change completely the logic that lead to the

effective satisfaction of a particular need. If we have seen in the fig.2.1.2 and 2.1.3 the first goal of

those particular structures was the stabilization of THE dynamic in order to institutionalize the social

structures that allow finding THE satisfaction of a need. In those case, the stability and the opportunity

to reproduce THE dynamic of satisfaction is more important than the effective satisfaction of the needs.

In the logic explain in the fig.2.1.4 and 2.1.5 the dynamic is switched and has as main goal the

effective satisfaction of a particular need and the structure of the group is not rigid as in the previous

example but is flexible. This flexibility is proportional to the quantity and quality of external relation

that the society has tie and this allow to modify the dynamic .This is the core to increase the

opportunities for the members, allowing to receive inputs from outside we permit at the same time that

these inputs modify the dynamic of group in order to find the most suitable and effective way to fulfill

a particular need. We find then a continue situation of “conflict”2 that if it’s manage in a peaceful way

allow to increase the opportunities for each member of choice their particular way to satisfy their

needs. This dynamic in the end create as the previous dynamic a Social Space, but a basic and

important difference (as the social network is ready to receive and give inputs outside) is that this

Social Space is open and then the Society is an Open Society and this explain the two previous

representations of fig.2.1.4 and 2.1.5.

 2 In this case the meaning of conflict has a neutral connotation and explain only a situation where two or more actor find one or more incompatibilities 

 

10 

 

ix between the two dynamics (Sharma A.; 2001:59). In the real

iolence actions: General Dynamic

In order to transform a Close Society in an Open Society and then transform the internal dynamic from

an Open Society has.

creativity

It’s extremely important remember that in the reality doesn’t exist society that are completely Open or

Close but we find in each situation m

world is all time a compromise between the stability and the institutionalization of the social structure

on one hand and on the other hand the research of new inputs and new tendencies that try to satisfy in a

more suitable and effective mood the needs of a group. At the same time inside each specific society

there are particular needs (that for the specific situation of the context) are satisfied through

institutionalized social structure in order to preserve the stability of the society(Sharma A.:2001:58-59).

On the other hand there are others needs that are satisfy through multiple inputs characteristic of Open

Social Space because the Close Society doesn’t satisfy at all (or effectively) the needs of some

members. In the next paragraph we are going to see how transform a Close Society in an Open Society

(referring to particular needs) through the change of the dynamic (from a Close Social Space to an

Open one) by Nonviolent action.

2.2 Open a Close Society through Nonv

a Close to an Open Social Space it’s useful to know the main characteristic that

For this reason we try know to list the most important variable that identifies an Open Society. First of

all the fundamental characteristic of an Open Society is the opportunity for the member to choice

their way to satisfy a particular need, there isn’t only one way but there is a lot of different way to

achieve the fulfill of a need, so the in this type of society is a second important element. This

creativity need to be trained trough a process of participation of each member and also trough the

participation of member of other society. At the same time the participation need the respect of the

 

11 

 

Through some graphical representations we’ll try to explain the process that Open a Social Space that

others voices and the mutual understanding that implies a process of listening, but on top of that the

most important dynamic that this type of society must possess is the mutual recognition between all

the members of the society but not only inside so this dynamic must be extended to the all the people

that participate in the Open Social Space that this society create. The mutual recognition and the

participation are the base also for another extremely important feature of an Open Society that is the

inclusiveness. The inclusiveness is the base through the society, when it give an input, receive an

output and that transforms the dynamic of the Open Social Space. Hence a society that recognize, listen

and understand the others’ needs or the others’ ways to satisfy a needs (and participate to give different

opportunities is a society) has to decentralize the power and redistribute it to all the member but

has to, first of all, be interdependent and also ready to activate dynamic of cooperation in order to

have an effective satisfaction of the needs for each one of its member (Kukathas C.; 2003:4).

The next step is analyze the process that lead to Open a Society that is Close, that means create the

condition for the members to choice their way to satisfy effectively a particular need, without follow

THE solution that is proposed from the internal dynamic of an Close Society.

was Close and as result of this process lead to change the dynamic of a Close in a Open Society

through the change of the Social Structure that are reproduction of the internal dynamic of the Society.

In order to start this process of Social Change the first step must be the recognition from a group inside

the society that their needs are not satisfy or are satisfy in a not effective way (Etzioni-Halevy E.;

1981:254). This process has as end the recognition from the group that there is a situation where the

group feel unsafe or threat. These feelings are symptoms of not really satisfaction of the needs because

THE solution proposed from the Close Society is not in accordance with the real need of some

 

members inside it. So, the next step consist in the claim of a part of the members for a new way in

order to really fulfill their needs (Roemer J.E.; 1993:30), as we seen in the fig. 2.2.1 the red arrow

represent the claim of a group as an input that try to overpass the border of a Close Society in order to

find some solution.

Fig.2.2.1.

In order to really satisfy the needs of part of the members of a society they claim the necessity of

choice the way of satisfy this need, in a practica group of member that is not satisfy try to find l way the

new opportunities trough the change of the dynamic. This change of dynamic is a quantum leap

because the group must through a process change the order of the goal. If a Society is Close in respect

of same need and prefers to maintain the stability than an effective satisfaction of the need the quantum

leap is the change of logic and put as first goal the effective satisfaction of the need. This process of

fulfill of a need could be reach increasing the number of opportunities or ways) that are more

comfortable for the members. This process doesn’t mean find another ways and impose it but offer a

larger range of opportunities and give the opportunity to choice directly to each member. In order to

increase the opportunities the members that are not satisfy have to find new contribution from outside

12 

 

 

and it’s in this moment that a contribution from another society that is Open is really helpful as

represented in fig.2.2.2.

Fig.2.2.2

In a first moment as represent in the fig.2.2.3. as the Society has a conservative configuration and is not

oriented to the change (but on contrary it try t e the rigid inner-dynamic), the answer will be o preserv

negative and it tries to block the construction of a link between the member not satisfied and the Open

Society because there is the risk of collapsing of the social structures that are build to satisfy this

particular needs.

13 

 

 

14 

 

Fig.2.2.3.

At this point we find the core of the problem of the Social Change. How we could produce Peaceful

Social Change trough nonviolent actions and create an Open Social Space? The answer is not easy

because the type of actions and tactics depend on the particular context and time that the desire of

change (or satisfaction) emerge. However, there are some general guide-line that could help in the

analysis and organization of same Nonviolent action oriented to the social change. I’ll try to list these

general guide-line and principles, in a chronological order, in the following lines:

1. Analysis:3

ame members to feel

ciety doesn’t allow the social change in a

specific moment and context.

                                                           

1.1. Analyze the social and cultural context

1.2. Analyze the need of the not satisfied members, and analyze the interest from both parts:

why the society doesn’t allow satisfying in an effective way the needs to same members? And

why same members are not completely satisfy from the why that the society indicates? Which

are the interests of the Society to maintain structures that don’t allow at s

safe?

1.3. Find the most important reasons why a so

1.4. Analyze the inner–dynamic of the Close Society and how it reproduces itself. Analyze the

Close Space and how it work in order to maintain stability inside the society, which are the

 3 Class Lesson at International master in Peace Conflict and Development studies  University Jaume I Catellon de la Plana(Spain) Professor David Cortright Castellon 25‐05‐2009  and Personal contribution 

 

15 

 

y?

me need in order to increase the number of member of

2.3. Find common values that each member is agree with them.

2.4. Structure a Unite and Effective Leadership

ower share system that encourage the participation and cooperation

bution from several different

points of view of different members (also trough E-Membership).

2.8. Organize the Human, Material and Financial Resources in accordance with the Objective

2.9. Gain the attention of the media

3.1. The Objective must be clear

Social Structures institutionalized that propone THE solution to satisfy the needs of the Close

Societ

2. Organize:

2.1. Find different interest inside the sa

the network

2.2. Build several relations in-out (between Close Society and Open Societies) based on the

different interest on the same need and try to interconnect these relations.

2.5. Structure a p

2.6. Try all time to increase the number of members that are agreeing with the common

values previously determinate.

2.7. Structure the Open Social Space in order to receive contri

3. Define an Objective:

 

16 

 

ce with the Human, Material and Financial

possible to understand in a specific context.

action

decide also during the action

members to plan the tactics.

                                                           

3.2. Achievable in a limited time

3.3. Achieved from different tactics

3.4. The objective must be easily to understand and Supported

3.5. The objective must be reasonable in accordan

resource but also

4. Tactics:4

4.1. Be fair and organize a polite

4.2. Never forget the common values

4.3. Use the experience, the creativity and the knowledge of the

4.4. Be visible in front of the media during the action

4.5. Use the surprise factor during the action

4.6. Create momentum and action that could be easily replicated and understand from the

member of a Close Social Space

4.7. Use the humor to propose constructive alternatives

4.8. Build Courage in all the network in order to create unity and confidence in the action

4.9. Be ready to every reaction from the other part

 4 Same of these tactics are take from”Strategic nonviolent conflict: the dynamics of people power in the twentieth 

century” by Peter Ackerman, Christopher Kruegler Published by Greenwood Publishing Group, 1994 other are my personal contributions.

 

17 

 

lication and be ready to suffer in the action

ransportation ,Communication, Security Support etc)

ned.

4.10. Calculate the risk, the possible imp

4.11. Organize all the type of support that the member could need before, during and

after the action( Law, Medical, T

4.12. Block every individual initiative that is not pla

4.13. Be ready to dialogue all time but remember your goal.

Fig.2.2.4.

After the actions if the members achieve their objective the situation is like the one represent on

fig.2.2.4 where the pressure from inside and outside disaggregate and show how useless are the social

structure institutionalized and in this case there is the opportunity to show how the need could be

satisfy in several different ways that are more effective that THE solution proposed from a Close

Society. On this way the next step is change the dynamic from a stable dynamic to a more multi-

receptive that stop to put the accent on the rigidity and on THE solution, but allows the individual to

take in account different opportunities to satisfy the same needs. In this case the Circle will be opened

and an Open Social created.

 

Fig.2.2.5

3. Conclusion

The path that we have followed starts from the definition of the society and we have analyzed how the

people organizing between them, in several ways, in order to satisfy their needs those they couldn’t

fulfill by themselves.

After have understood that the satisfaction of the needs is one of the main goals of the society, we have

moved to analyze better how a society could satisfy the needs of its members. In this section we have

showed that in general we have two main dynamics that is completely different between them.

ic is the self-inner organization, in order to satisfy the needs the relations is stable but at

the same time rigid and difficult to change. These type of dynamic going to institutionalize the social

bers and as second goal the effective satisfaction,

The first dynam

structure that are designed to the satisfaction of the needs of the members but at the same time it going

to suggest THE solution to fulfill a need. This Dynamic is typical of a Close Society that has as first

goal the stabilization of the relation between mem

these two goal of a Close society define also the network that this society create and we could identify

it in a Close Social Space where it is not possible to give input from outside because they risk to

modify the dynamic and so the stability of the Society.

18 

 

 

19 

 

an Open Social Space where the participation

flexible one and that is the essence of a social change.

ACKERMAN P., KREGLER C. (1994)”Strategic nonviolent conflict: the dynamics of people power in the

On the other hand we find the opposite dynamic, that one in order to satisfy the needs of the members

is ready to create also in-out relations that allow creating new opportunities in order to have an

effective satisfaction of the needs. This dynamic is oriented as first goal to the effective fulfillment of

the needs of the members and the social structure could be easily be modify because they are flexible

and on top of that they are receptive to the input from outside. This type of dynamic configure also a

type society the Open Society that is a concept that identify a Society ready to change and to accept

input from different part in order to build effective alternatives to fulfill the needs of the members. This

type of Society with its relation and dynamic configure

and effort of each member help to extend the range of opportunities to an effective satisfaction of the

needs of the members.

In the following step this work shows how trough nonviolent actions a Close Society and then a Close

Social Space could became Open. In this stage we have found the dynamic that allow us to transform a

Close Social Space in a Open ones and in the same time we show how organize Nonviolent actions

that starting from a situation where the needs of same member of a Close society is not really satisfy

and trough this process of Nonviolent actions lead to transform the dynamic of the Close society in

order to increase the opportunities to choice the ways to fulfill the need and then make effective the

satisfaction of the need of each members. This process has as goal transform the institutionalized

social structure in more

4. Bibliography

twentieth century” Published by Greenwood Publishing Group

 

20 

 

C

GALLIE

C. (2003)“The liberal archipelago: a theory of diversity and freedom” Published by

v

M ciety: contentious politics for a new

century” Published by Rowman & Littlefield

O

PRAGER

ROEMER J.E.(1993) ”Interpersonal comparisons of well-being” Maison des sciences de l'homme (Paris,

France) Collaboration with John E

Press

OSS DE ITT M., (200

tion” by University Press of America

CHLESINGER R. (2003)“Marx His T

ern Society” Published

by Mittal Publications,

ARO M.J. , MURPHY J. W. (2002)“The world of quantum culture” Published by Greenwood Publishing

GroupEtzioni-Halevey E. (1981) ”Social change: the advent and maturation of modern society”

Published by Taylor & Francis

D. (1983)“Social inequality and class radicalism in France and Britain” Published by CUP

ArchiveKukathas

Oxford Uni ersity Press

AYER D.S., TARROW S.G., (1998) “The social movement so

WENS T.J, WHITE R.W.,(2000)“Self, identity, and social movements” by Published by University of

Minnesota Press, 2000 p.242

PARVEZ H., OLLAT H.(1990) “Alcohol and behaviour: basic and clinical aspects” Published by VSP

K.J.,(1997)“ The psychology of intimacy” Published by Guilford Press,

. Roemer, Gudmund Hernes Published by Cambridge University

R W 0)”Beyond equilibrium theory: theories of social action and social change applied

to a study of power sharing in transi

S imes and Ours: International Library of Sociology A: Social Theory

and Methodology” Published by RoutledgeSharma A. (2001) “Changing Mod

 

21 

 

VÄYRYNEN T. (2001)“Culture and international conflict resolution: a critical analysis of the work of John

SMITH E.R., MACKIE D. (2000)“Social psychology” Published by Psychology Press, Strasser H., Randall

S.C (1981) “An introduction to theories of social change” Published by Taylor & Francis,

Burton”Published by Manchester University