Resources (in preparation)

Government educ-sci.gov.html)

Parliament (educ-sci.parl.html)

Public organisations, administration (educ-sci.admin.html)

Experts, alternative organisations, non-governmental organisations (educ-sci.exp.html)

Literature, information sources (educ-sci.lit.html)
 
 

Suggested focus-areas, each with fora:
Debates, Exchange, Information, Specialised resources, Announcements, Activities, Campaigns, Policy, Politics.

Site in development. Here instead of presenting a list of suggested sub-topics for focus areas (compare HEALTH and PEACE, CONFLICT, HUMAN RIGHTS), a short passage derived from an earlier version of the Open Forum proposal is reproduced.

Citizens set up multiple fora which cover the briefs (areas of
responsibility) of existing ministries or departments of government and
administration but are not limited to those conventional areas and concepts. (Socio-technical suggestions are made below.) By building fora which overlap with these established thematic areas, we aim to connect into (local and regional etc.) real-life structures ... Themes and agendas of existing movements and lobbies may (perhaps in cooperation) be adopted, e.g. environmental, labour, gender issues. ... Comments and discussion on all proposals are welcome, indeed essential (some have already arrived). For example, "umbrella" or "root" fora could be designated as follows: forum.educ(ation), forum.fin(ance), forum.ecol-econ (ecology-economy), forum.noconf (conflict avoidance). Specialisation can be easily shown in a branching system of sub-group names, e.g forum.educ.pr_t (professional training), for.fin.tax.i_t (taxation of international transactions). All fora will not immediately become active but their inclusion is important to show that citizens are going beyond "single issue" thinking, are adopting a holistic, integrating approach to governing, are preparing themselves for and beginning to rehearse the assumption of greater responsiblity for their own affairs (...) To make a start, there is no need to have government cooperation or support of politicians, although anyone can join in or read the debates (...) Nor, to get Open Forum/Citizens Resolve going, are any changes of law, constitutional reform or official permission required. Assuming that active debate develop, that public problems are identified and citizens want to influence the pertaining policy, then the groups will collect required information (much of which may be formally available but unknown, unorganised or inaccessible), they will demand and struggle for what they additionally need from official sources. Information collected by each forum can be made accessible to all citizens by referencing, much can be provided easily in computers, even on-line (computer memory has become very cheap), in de-centralised and mirrored data banks. Political educational resources and others may be added. Real social or political influence may be exerted by focussing on a controversial issue, making the debate publicly known, cooperating with other public media, mixing up in parliamentary or extra-parliamentary politics.