VALEDICTORY ADDRESSProf. Dr. Alan Fowler

Civic Driven Change: Where From? Where Now? Where Next?

The Address

Civic Driven Change

Is about designing and wearing better spectacles to see, understand, think about

and act on socio-political processes.

The Flow

• Where From? – Motivation, process, lessons

• Where Now?– The CDC spectacles

• Where Next? – Moving CDC to Civic Innovation

Where From? CDC Motivations

Where From? CDC Trajectory 2007-2013

Where From? CDC Theory

At a certain moment CDC needed more theoretical embedding. Drawing on the work of many others, two ‘families’ were identified:– Foundational theories, including the ontology of

‘civic’– Action theories related to citizens and

empowerment.

Both required a (long) historical view.

Where From? Locating CDC in Theories

CDC Where From? Lessons

Where Now? The CDC Spectacles

Where Now? Domains

A domain:

- sets out the terrain of interest.

- has ‘root’ and proximate causes.

- has system boundaries.

- needs meaningful time frames.

- Invites attention to scale(s).

Where Now? The PropositionsFour propositions provide the ‘materials’ that

make up the a CDC domain frame.Societies are political projects – all people’s behaviours

contribute to political effectsCivic is understood as pro-social behaviours that

respect differences between people with a concern beyond self

Dreams or unfulfilled imagined futures are sources of civic energy

Socio-political change is complex, requiring a non-deterministic view

Where Now? Lenses - Politics

Frames hold lenses. In CDC these are the made up by four types of politics:The politics of belongingThe politics of actionThe politics of scaleThe politics of knowledge with communication

Where Now? Focal Points - PowerLenses have focal points. For CDC these are categories of power from a citizen’s perspective , experience and aspiration.

Power Expressions/Power Processes Power Within Power With Power To Power Over

Socio-psychological forming

Self-empowering acculturation and

socialisation(Bourdieu and Biko)

Associating for public action

Select and live a self-determined identity

Assertion in society as a personal and joint political

project

Controlling Language

Applying critical interpretation

Creating a shared vocabulary

(Chomsky)

Promote or challenge discourses

Diversifying and gaining access to information

Controlling Rules Knowing and asserting rights and interests

Negotiating collective purposes and outcomes

Challenge exclusion(Marx and Rawls)

(Co-)determining conventions, laws and

policies

Applying coercion Questioning expectations of self-compliance

Adopting protective collaboration

Opposing unaccountable authority

The application of public instruments

for compliance(Weber)

Where Next? CDC to CIRI #1The Civic Innovation Research Initiative (CIRI) is a

coming together of three research strands:- markets- sexuality- politics

Institutions are a shared point of reference as is a commitment to multi and inter-disciplinarity.

The forthcoming CIRI forum will be an important event to help build a house with these qualities.

Where Next? CDC to CIRI #2

In Conclusion

CDC has many parents! Literally hundreds of people have shaped what CDC is today and will continue to do so. To them, my thanks.

And CDC has a home at ISS amongst many people who have made my time as an affiliate professor so personally rewarding. To them my appreciation.

An Ending is a Beginning

An Aspiring Pracademic Towards a Retiring Pracademic