civic media: communities making change

Civic Media: Communities Making ChangeNext Library 2015

Erhardt GraeffMIT Center for Civic Media@erhardt

Civic Media:Communities Making Change

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Debt refusal as a mechanism of social and political change

Debtors Assembly in Oakland

There are countless ways to strike debt: demanding a peoples bailout and an end to corporate welfare; collectively refusing to pay illegitimate loans; targeting and shutting down collections agencies, payday lenders, or for-profit colleges; regulating loan speculators out of business; reinstating limits on usurious interest rates; defending foreclosed homes; fighting tuition hikes and school budget cuts; resisting austerity policies; fighting militarism, which accounts for half of our nations discretionary spending; organizing debtors associations and unions; and more. On the constructive side, building an alternative economy run for mutual benefits is a long-term goal. (213)

rollingjubilee.org



Creating / Sharing a Political Meme:Binders Full of Women

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And I said, Well, gosh, cant we cant we find some some women that are also qualified? I went to a number of womens groups and said, Can you help us find folks, and they brought us whole binders full of women."



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Pillars of Civic Media

Open & Accessible

Participatory & Community-building

Fosters or Enhances Civic Engagement

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Participatory Civics demands Participatory Design



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betweenthebars.org

Grassroots Mapping: publiclab.org



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Promise Tracker: promisetracker.org



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Data Murals: datamurals.org



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Step 1: Story Finding



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Step 2: Visual Design



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Step 3: Painting



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Your Library is already engaged in Civic Media



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Core Values of Dokk1

The citizen as key factor

Lifelong learning and community

Diversity, cooperation and network

Culture and experiences

Bridging citizens, technology and knowledge

Flexible and professional organisation

Sustainable icon for Aarhus

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Connected Messagesin five Free Library branches in Philadelphia



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Orkan Telhan, Yasmin B. Kafai, Richard Lee Davis, K-Fai Steele, and Barrie M. Adleberghttp://civicmediaproject.org/works/civic-media-project/connectedmessages

Nashville: Building Blocksin the Nashville Public Library



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Ty Holletthttp://civicmediaproject.org/works/civic-media-project/nashville-building-blocks



Pitfalls of Civic Media

Resource, Skill & Participation Gaps

Homophily & Apathy

Efficacy

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Pitfalls of Civic Media: Libraries Promise

Resource, Skill & Participation GapsLibraries democratize access to tools and learning

Homophily & ApathyLibraries convene diversity & cultivate exploration

EfficacyLibraries emphasize the local & the possible

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Gordon Welters for The New York Times



Pitfalls of Civic Media: Libraries Promise

Resource, Skill & Participation GapsLibraries democratize access to tools and learning

Homophily & ApathyLibraries convene diversity & cultivate exploration

EfficacyLibraries emphasize the local & possible

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Building up Resources Building a Community



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MIT Center for Civic Media



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Thank you.


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Describe a project your library is already doing that is civic media related.

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Pair & Share #1: 5min



Describe a civic media project you would like your library to do in the future.

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Pair & Share #2: 5min



Briefly write down your ideas from the Pair & Shares on separate Post-It notes and put on the flip charts on your way out.

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Report to the Community

civic media: communities making change

Technology