From: David Fryer <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] The CP Community
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Thursday, 29 January, 2009, 2:05 PM

Dear Grant,

 

I very much like the idea of an online hub which would facilitate new ways to interact and develop community critical psychology, am keen to help develop opportunities for sustained focused critical e-discussion under this umbrella and have a specific idea in mind (Elaine Douglas and I had already raised the possibility on this list of our collaborating on facilitating critical participatory e-discussion via Face book but had not been enthusiastic about Face book but the hub seems to offer a more promising home  - more of this from us separately) and I would be happy to make a financial contribution from a small budget I have to get hub things going.

 

However, I think we need to address some other issues before moving on since whether we use snail mail, email, JISCmail, wiki or whatever e-medium, unless we are critically reflexively alert we will reproduce between us oppressive practices found in the society in which we are located and oppressive behaviour will still occur.In my view problematic list behaviour occurred in relation to the issuing of the 'Gaza statement', when single issue politics took precedence over emancipatory process and procedural justice. Not only was the process problematic but, as far as I am aware, neither the final amended statement issued on behalf of this list's members nor the names of organisations and people to whom it was sent on our behalf has even been circulated on the list, which is disrespectful. These issues seem to be in danger of being brushed under the e-carpet as we move on to other issues and surely as members of a community psychology list, with its alertness to issues of power, marginalisation, social justice etc. we should engage with the issues raised. It seems too soon to me to consider wiki starter material emphasising participatory democracy when contempt for respectful participatory democracy has just been demonstrated between us on the list and not since been named let alone addressed. 

 

I want to make clear that I am not objecting to the contents of the statement and do not want to get diverted into discussing that. I also want to make it clear that I think we need to engage in critical reflexivity about recent list events without resorting to individualism and psychologism and with constructive intentions.

 

Finally I want to say that I notice Rebekah's name and email details have disappeared from the information (inserted automatically at the bottom of posts) about the moderators of this list. I have not seen an announcement that Rebekah has stepped down as moderator but assume that is the case. If so I want to take this opportunity to thank Rebekah for founding this list and keeping it going as a resource for us. 

 

David

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: The UK Community Psychology Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Jeffrey, Grant
Sent: 27 January 2009 19:32
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] The CP Community

In response to comments from Alison, Annie and many other voices interested in developing a more organised CP Network:

 

Like Annie I would like to be part of a more participatory, inclusive, collective/ co-operative, one that might complement a BPS section.  We CAN create a community that prefers the positive, the multiple, difference over uniformity, and that emphasises proliferation, juxtaposition and disjunction over pyramidal hierarchy,

 

With the best will in the world, the list is a very limited medium and is not sufficiently robust to allow rapid development and evolution of CP ideas and action. It has also shown itself to be, on occasions at least, dominated by bad tempered voices which alienate some list members, and vulnerable to appropriation by anyone who feels they have the authority or 'right' to represent the entire list.  I think we can work much more effectively by moving from relying solely on what amounts to a broadcast media (one to many), to networked media (many to many). I think this kind of email list is already a little bit 'old fashioned', and having been involved in email lists since the inception of Jisc-Mail, it seems to me that this kind of communication is often plagued by flame wars, or by a just a few voices dominating the entire scene.

 

We can easily and quickly establish an online hub for the community psychology network.  All that is needed is a suitable domain name and some web space. Within that domain there can be a wide range of levels of interaction and activity (including critical and political activity etc). Once a static front page with a modest amount of dynamic content (probably using blog software to allow for posting announcements etc) is established it can then support a mass of more sophisticated dynamic content (developed by any interested parties) which might include:-

 

:   The list!

 

:  Discussion software for conventional web based threaded discussion (which functions in quite a different way from the list – the list is, practically, un-threaded, just check the subject headings and content of postings). 

 

:  A wiki – which, if carefully organised is ideal for us in a number ways (it is an extremely collective way to work) but in particular because of the diversity of information and stable content it can sustain.  I have some experience with Wikis and am an enthusiast.

 

:  A social networking function (not easy to choose the right software for this kind of thing but there is a lot of potential for the people on the list to get to know one another much better).

 

:  Web pages….which might in the long term include resources, book reviews, articles, campaign activity etc. basically anything people want.  It would be important to link to the excellent static web pages already out there.

 

:  Perhaps also the kind of survey/consultation software that Paul was suggesting in earlier postings and which might provide a framework for us to make collective decisions.

 

 There are many other terrific tools available online now, Twitter, Deli.icio.us etc

 

A web site that is a networking resource for us all and a public face for CP would add credibility to the movement as a whole and may help it develop and grow, providing a first stop for interested members if the public, students, the press etc.

I could help in terms of organising and maintaining the domain and coding a basic starter site, or just by setting up one of the above services, but the whole task would require a few volunteers to set up properly..  There would be lots of opportunities for interested individuals to use our collective space in ways that they personally prefer. The 'hub' would need some form of 'management' eventually were it to be successful, but at least to begin with there is nothing to stop an enthusiastic group of us trying something out and seeing how it goes. There is much to gain and little to lose in trying, and no shame if it fails!.

 

Would love to know what people think, either pro or con the suggestion.

 

Best wishes, Grant

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