The announcement of this years international conference: Problems of....
Participation and Connection, has given problems decoding (the
attachment) This became clear to us after several reactions.
Therefore I'd like to send to you the announcement once again aswell as
take the opportunity to introduce myself as the new conference
co-ordinator. If you would wish to participate presenting a paper, be sure
your abstract gets to us before the first of March.
Professor Gerard de Zeeuw and I are looking forward to meeting you in
Amsterdam,

sincerely,

Ilona Walraven
(conference co-ordinator)


***************
Announcement 1999

Problems of Participation and Connection

Conference to be held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Monday April 5 to
Friday April 9, 1999, inclusive

Supported by:
- UK Cybernetics Society
- Dutch Systems Group
- Center for Innovation and Co-operative Technology, University of Amsterdam
- RC51

>General
>Biannually, a conference is held in Amsterdam to consider, in a free and
>generous spirit, questions that emerge as fundamental to research. These
>prestigious meetings are entitled: "Problems of .....". The 11th meeting, in
>1999, aims to explore Problems of Participation and Connection.
>Participation as part and in support of research is not a new topic. There
>is a long history of efforts to allow various groups a larger voice in the
>process of research - as users, beneficiaries, or affected. There also is a
>long list of 'frameworks', 'new paradigms', etc. What is new is that the
>more this list is added to, the more each item appears in need of
>revision, and the less convincing. A jump or at least some fundamental
>rethinking seems required. Important concerns include the influence of the
>(scientific) observer on the observed, the adaptation of self-organising
>collectives to this and other influences, the need for individual entities
>to maintain sufficient space to shape local realities inside and outside
>such collectives. Traditional forms of research do not appear to provide
>sufficient variety to deal with these concerns. There have been arguments
>that the frameworks needed require continuous redefinition and learning
>over time. This raises the question why frameworks as old as 50 years (though
>still in use) haven't achieved what they aim for.
>
>Earlier meetings
>The topic takes a natural place in the series: Problems of Context
>(1979), Problems of Levels and Boundaries (1981), Problems of Actors and
>Actions (1983), Problems of (Dis)appearing Knowledge (1985), Problems of
>(Im) possible Worlds (1987), Problems of Support, Survival and Culture
>(1991), Problems of Values and (In)variants (1993), Problems of Excavating
>Cybernetics and Systems (1995), Problems of Action and Observation (1997).
>In 1989 a different theme was chosen: Mutual Uses of Cybernetics and
>Science. Copies of the proceedings of earlier conferences can be obtained
>from the conference coordinator.
>
>Topic/Theme
>Participation normally takes the form of one or more members (or
>representatives) of a community, a company, a committee or a group of
>deprived or deprivileged people, being invited to get together. The aim is
>becoming sufficiently connected to solve a problem, take a decision, or
>develop a set of action plans. The work of the group may take a few days
>or weeks, the effects of their plans are expected to persist for months,
>years or even decades. A large variety of approaches to improve on such
>participation is identified by rules on how to choose participants, get
>responses, combine and evaluate them and arrive at a final result. Some
>approaches aim to use observational variety among the participants, some
>to limit that variety. Usually, care is taken to compensate for any
>undemocratic and unethical effects the process of combination may have.
>Important questions have been raised but remain unanswered, at least in
>part. What kind of exchange among participants gives rise to socially
>acceptable participation as well as results? Can the desired effects be
>guaranteed to occur? How does the exchange among the participants relate
>to how they later participate in their organisations, networks and
>communities? Other questions concern the relation to research. Do these
>approaches constitute a form of research themselves, are they like
>research, are they the result of research, or can they be improved by
>research? Does their development require a new research paradigm, and if
>so, which one?
>
> "New" paradigms often are claimed to be "constructive". They ask how
>people participate in the (nowadays often computer supported) negotiations
>leading to 'constructed' social events. Alternatively, what is sought is
>the framework that helps people limit their horizons to the point where,
>as a collective, they perform tasks effectively. Others propose to study
>how the interactions guiding participation can be strengthened so they
>function as support systems, serving clients with a wide variety of aims.
>There also is an interest in what permits social and other horizons to
>continue to evolve and adapt. Reflecting on these issues seems opportune
>for at least two important reasons. The most pressing is the observation
>that research on social phenomena has not led to sufficiently transferable
>and useful knowledge to resolve collective problems such as pollution,
>conflict, misuse of power, or to achieve desired forms of change. 'Proper'
>forms of participation may provide what is needed. Another reason is the
>increasing awareness that research has reached a plateau and now must
>concentrate on the study of strongly connected collectives, and of the
>(technological or other) interfacing that is needed.
>
>Aim of the meeting
>The meeting is convened to explore ways of studying participation and its
>role in research where it can be improved upon. Results and outcomes will
>be important to many areas of contemporary interest, and stimulate new
>studies.
>
>Suggestions
>Contributors to the meeting are expected to present research - both
>empirical and theoretical - in which the notion of participation is
>explored. Contributions should deal with participation as a tool in
>research, or consider its practical effects. Areas of interest include
>community development, innovation, adaptive systems, health and social
>care, Internet use, managing strong social actors. Another important area
>is information technology and its use in constructing interfaces. The
>meetings on 'Problems of .....' aim to provide opportunities to reflect on
>general concerns of research rather than on special and particular cases.
>The organisers aim to facilitate high quality discussions and thought.
>
>Timing and structure
>To facilitate productive interaction at all levels among participants, the
>Conference organisers intend to provide - as will be familiar from previous
>meetings - a special and appropriate milieu and ambience, organised around,
>and embodied in, four constituents.
>
>o ways and means of discovering the pleasures and disappointments of
>meeting.
>o paper and discussion sessions, where proper led by a distinguished
>thinker/contributor.
>o a social milieu - culminating in frequent social events (supported by free
> drinks).
>o no parallel sessions.
>
>Participation
>Abstracts of proposed contributions, as well as reactions and suggestions
>on how to deal with the topic, should be received by the first of March, 1999,
>(draft) full papers by March 15, 1999. Acceptance is based on the quality
>of the abstracts. Final (revised) versions of papers must be received by
>May 31, 1999 (style sheets will be issued during the conference).
>
>Presentation in the conference should stimulate improvement of the papers
>and is part of the refereeing procedure! Draft papers will be made
>available on CD, final papers will be published in Systemica, a refereed
>journal. Participants not wishing to present a paper, but only to
>contribute to the discussions, are, of course, also welcome.
>
>Further information
>Please make arrangements for your stay well in advance: the Easter period
>is a busy time in Amsterdam. The conference organisers cannot undertake to
>help with these arrangements. Hotels in Amsterdam suit all tastes and
>pockets (http://demon.co.uk/hotel-uk/amindex.html). Information may be
>obtained from the Dutch Tourist Office (http://www.nbt.nl/NBT-Welcome.html),
>or any travel agent.
>
>Schiphol Amsterdam is one of the world's best connected airports
>(http://www.schiphol.nl). Alternatively, participants might consider using
>the excellent train network throughout Europe (special tourist tickets
>exist). Note that the Conference venue is in the centre of central
>Amsterdam (the conference room has been in use for lectures since 1648).
>
>Correspondence
>Co-ordinator PPC (Drs.Ilona Walraven)
>Center for Innovation and Cooperative Technology
>Faculty for Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics and Astronomy
>Valckenierstraat 65
>1018 XE AMSTERDAM
>The Netherlands
>The PPC Co-ordinator may also be reached through:
>[log in to unmask] (e-mail)
>+31 20 525 5788 (fax).
>In urgent cases you may wish to phone:
>+31 20 627 8072
>+44 1522 546711
>
>Costs
>Conference Fee: Dfl 550, or $(US) 275. Please pay to Postal Giro
>("Postbank"), account
>4535134, "Problems of ..." (no cheques, please!).
>
>Conference Committee
>Prof. Gerard de Zeeuw (University of Amsterdam)
>Mrs. Joop Muller (University of Amsterdam)
>Dr. Felix Geyer (University of Amsterdam)
>Prof. Raul Espejo (University of Lincoln)
>>Prof. Ranulph Glanville (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University)
>Dr. Martha Vahl (University of Nijenrode)
>Prof. Robbin Hough (Oakland University)
>Dr. Jan Kooistra (University of Utrecht)
>Drs. Ilona Walraven (PPC Coordinator)
>_________________________________________________________
>
>Frontside of form to be returned, if you want to use airmail. Preferably,
>please fill out the backside, and email it to <[log in to unmask]>.
>_________________________________________________________
>
>Conference Problems of Participation and Connection
>Monday April 5 - Friday April 9, 1999
>
>To: Co-ordinator PPC
>Center for Innovation and Co-operative Technology
>Valckenierstraat 65
>1018 XE Amsterdam
>The Netherlands
>
>_______________________________________________________
>
>Backside of form:
>_______________________________________________________
>
>Conference Problems of Participation and Connection, April 5 - April 9,
>1999
>
>
>- I plan to attend the conference yes - 1 no - 2

- I am interested; please send further information yes - 1 no - 2
>
>- I intend to submit a paper, entitled:
>............................................................................
>....
>
>- I enclose an abstract, entitled:
>............................................................................
>....
>
>
>Name: Prof. | Dr. | Ms | Mr:
>......................................................................
>
>
>>Address:
>............................................................................
>....
>
>
>Tel., fax:
>..........................................................................
>
>
>E-mail:
>............................................................................
>
>
>Date: .........................................................
>
>
>
>______________________________________________________________




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