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Social Science Brokering Between Academia Localities Policy. Hazel Ashton BRCSS Post Doctoral Research Locally Grounded Civic Cosmopolitan Transdisciplinary Methodology In contexts of application. Social Futures for Aotearoa/New Zealand in a Global Era.
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Social Science Brokering Between Academia Localities Policy Hazel Ashton BRCSS Post Doctoral Research Locally Grounded Civic Cosmopolitan Transdisciplinary Methodology In contexts of application
Social Futures for Aotearoa/New Zealand in a Global Era • Post Doctoral Research: contexts of application • Theme: New wealth creation and distribution systems in a globalised context – linking also to: • Sustainability of diverse households, communities and settlements • Building e-research networks in the social sciences.
Robust Policymaking for Wealth Creation/Distribution in a Global Era • Blending vision & reality: • We need to “engage grass roots organisations and communities in debate about the kind of future we want for our country” (former PM Helen Clark Oct 2005) • “The world has moved very quickly from the best of times to the worst of times” Minister of Finance, Bill English
The Old Ways are Not Working • “British food-basket” a reality 1881-1973 • 1973 Britain into EU and First Oil Crisis • 1973-2008 (“elephant in room”) “Borrow and Hope” • Now “NZ is facing a perfect [global] storm” with $166 billion net debt (Don Brash, Feb 2009) • 2009 “Asian food-basket” mantra • No environmental limits?
Top-down global screens and networking fragment national/local
When in a big hole shovels and ladders need to be distinguished • A ladder gets us out, a shovel digs us deeper (village-connections.com) • New ideas needed – possibly including some “. . .the government hasn’t thought of, that we don’t really quite understand” (Bill English 27 Feb 09) • Job and entrepreneurial summits • Engaging localities? Creative (R Florida) and Weightless economies? • Can social science help to differentiate ladders from shovels?
Methodology available as created and piloted in doctoral thesis • Social science solutions brokering (transdisciplinary) via ground-up networking • Via screen interfaces for local-through-to-global communication/networking (= “civic cosmopolitan”) • = creating communicative networking nodes within and between locality policy and academia
Web research/networking portal www.village-connections.com • For “Village-Square” conversationsbetween locality, academia and policy about co-creating places where local inhabitants identify local-through-to-global aspirational opportunities, obstacles and practical solutions • Village-connections Blogs: Soap Box, Brokering Solutions, Ladder and Shovel Awards, Theory Café • Information Pages: methodology, development, resources, events calendar
Presentation @ Sussex University EU Social Theory Conferenceand interview @ Goldsmiths Showed DVD and discussed methodology Presentation on applying social science theory to social development • Social theory: from local fragmentation to civic cosmopolitan networking (Delanty). Paralleled in: • Narrative theory: reconfiguring discordant social heterogeneities in concordant narrative (Ricoeur) • Inclusive local film-makingnarratives of local aspirations, obstacles and practical attainment • Accessible to academia/policy on DVD
NZ in world via Cairo Context of application NZ to recognize opportunities and build connections: • Peace brokering & high-level connection-building • Also intercultural/Interfaith local-global communication building • Can international students (e.g. big Saudi intakes) come into supportive locality and university nodes? • Met first secretary of NZ embassy, and Egypt Telecom head in Smart Village gave a personal tour
Christchurch - Localities and university research/scoping NZ locality & university nodes to build national capacity • Create locality, & university, F2f-&-ICT (web +) nodes 2 kinds of university node: • Campus local-cosmopolitan student networking • Social science-led nodes from (at least) locality-academia-policy networking Collaborative local-to-global networking: • Locality, & university, collaborations - on international projects • Including innovative & inclusive wealth creation and distribution
Thanks to BRCSS Network • For funding support to complete my PhD and for this Post Doctoral Award. • To those with the vision to “foster innovative and new research” and to contribute “to the development of new and emerging researchers” and to encourage “networking via the Access Grid Nodes.” • To those whose energy has helped implement and sustain this vision.