In what will be the first in a sequence of papers on the concept of network-centric advocacy, I will try to spell out more effectively what has happened to our culture, where things are goings with advocacy in this new context and what strategies social change leaders should be adopting in the connected age.
In this paper, Jillane Smith, Allison Fine and I look at the state of the field of civic engagement enabled by technology, changes in our culture and the impact that these changes have for the community. The paper is really geared to explore and explain some of changes that folks (who read blogs get but traditional planners are struggling with) who plan campaigns seem to be missing. As the "online action" moves on land and energy and story built across the Internet is channeled into community action, we need to spend time digging into the implications to advocacy work.
The paper stays away from the most controversial ideas, direct and clear directions, and many of the other hot headed attitudes I normally like to promote. It is designed for a wide audience and should not be very controversial. The paper should serve as a good introduction to key concepts and is backed with interviews and case studies to strengthen the story.
Future papers I want to work on include a guide to network-centric advocacy and finally a collection of essays exploring the key concepts of building networks, measuring network performance, leadership in networks and a list of recommended pilot projects.
I will clip out a few sections for feedbacks, trackbacks and comments.
In the face of a decades-long pattern of low voter turnout, declining membership in associations, decreases in volunteerism and drops in percentages of individual donations to political parties and political campaigns, it seemed an unlikely time for the beginning of a revolution. Yet that is what has occurred online in the past few years.
The time for change was ripe for many reasons, chief among them:
* As the cost of technology and access continues to drop, and although a digital divide persists, it is closing and will continue to close over the next decade. Internet usage continues to broaden both in terms of who is online as well as what they’re doing online.
* The coming of age of a new generation of tech-savvy people has created a tipping point in the use of the Internet for commerce, conversations and group association.
* The “organization-centric” model that has traditionally dominated the civic engagement landscape has begun to show cracks. Often organizations serve as the primary intermediary through which citizen engagement occurs. The pressure that these organizations experience to build membership and revenue in order to sustain their activities ultimately competes with the organization’s ability to engage and listen to the very individuals they need in order to accomplish their mission.
* A growing tide of frustrated individuals is tired of being talked at and only asked for funds by political parties and organizations. With the Internet’s ability to create and sustain many-to-many conversations, more people are seeking authentic engagements and opportunities to be more fully a part of campaigns and causes, not just check writers or names on a membership list.
* People increasingly express a willingness and enthusiasm to connect online to others around an issue of mutual interest, with 84% of individual Internet users having joined at least one online group. The rise of Friendster and other social networking sites demonstrate the interest that people have in becoming more connected with others across geographic, economic, racial and social divides.
* The growing popularity of open source software, and its increased application to online activism and citizen engagement, is a natural fit with the values and leveling effect of Internet –based organizing.
To better understand the implications these new approaches have for civic engagement organizations and those who support them, we will first examine Internet usage across several sectors, and provide an overview of the different approaches to online civic engagement.
