Asia Commons Deep Dive

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Regional preparatory workshop for a conference on commons-oriented economics.

Context via Proposal for a Conference on Commons-Oriented Economics

The Room and Date

The “ Asia Deep Dive on Commons” will be held at Heinrich Boell Foundation Office in Sukhumvit 53, which is about a ten minute walk from Salil Hotel.


Date: 13. and 14.10.2012

Arrival of participants during 12.10. to have a welcome dinner to together. Departure on 14. or 15.10. depending on flights

The Heinrich Boell Foudation will be hosting a get to know each other dinner for all participants on 12th October (Friday) at Curries & More by Bann Khanitha.


Venue

Office of Heinrich Böll Stiftung Bangkok

Full address:

Heinrich Boell Foundation , 75 Sukhumvit 53, Klongton Neua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110

T: 02-6625960-2 ext. 101l F: 02-6627576

Jost Pachaly, Directorm Mobile: ++66 -83-7555400


Hotel

Salil Hotel, Thonglor 1, near BTS Thonlor

Full address:

Salil Hotel Sukhumvit - Soi Thonglor 1 44/14-17 Soi Sukhumvit 53(Paidee-Madee),Sukhumvit Rd., Klongton Nua, Wattana Bangkok 10110 Thailand

Tel. 66 2 662 5480-3 Fax. 66 2 662 5484

URL = http://www.salilhotel.com

The Process / Schedule

Schedule for Asian Deep Dive on the Economics of the Commons

Bangkok, Thailand ; October 12-14, 2012


This is a general outline of our schedule of meetings. We are quite serious in wanting all participants, as a group, to influence the focus of our discussions as we move forward. That way, everyone’s perspective will not only be heard, but will be useful in formulating our agenda and outcomes. To help get the workshop going, we will have an opening “framing session” to give context to the commons today. At the beginning of each session, one participant will comment upon the ongoing flow of discussion and suggest new directions for the group according to the subject to be discussed. We have attached a suggestive (but incomplete) list of issues that may deserve discussion.


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12

Arrivals until 6 pm

18.30 Dinner, pick up from hotel by Jost Pachaly

Welcome (Heike and Jost for Hbf, Michel for CSG)

Introductions, overview of the weekend, socializing


SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13

8:30 am Framing session

- David Bollier, Commons Strategies Group, on the resurgence of the commons

- Roberto Verzola, Filipino social activist (SRI Phillipines) on the commons, economics, and the specific Asian context

10:15 Break

10:35 General discussion of the commons, its relationship to market economics and to the Asian context

12:00 Lunch

2:00 pm Afternoon Session

- The Commons and the Market, Part I: What would it mean if labor, money, land and culture were treated as commons?

3:45 pm Break

4:15 pm The Commons and the Market, Part II: What resources/domains should be outside the market?

5:30 pm Break

6:30 pm Dinner (Individually)

8:30 pm Informal socializing.


SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14

8:30 am Focused discussion based on conclusions from Saturday's talks.

10:15 am Break

10:35 am Focused discussion

12:00 Lunch

2:00 pm Missing Voices and Perspectives, and Recommendations for international conference on the Economics of the Commons, May 2013

3:45 pm Break

4:15 pm Synthesis & Concluding Thoughts

5:30 pm Goodbyes.

18.00pm Dinner Meeting with Katrin Altmeyer, Head of Asia Desk of Heinrich Böll Stiftung for those interested.


General Themes To Be Discussed

Prepared by Commons Strategies Group, October 4, 2012


In addressing the themes raised by economics and the commons, our workshop will deliberately use a flexible and open-ended format. We do not wish to present an fixed, structured agenda so much as elicit your special knowledge and perspectives on the topic. In previous gatherings on the commons, we have found this a highly effective way to surface ideas, identify major points of disagreement and consensus, and develop a more coherent understanding of the challenges we face.

Having said that, we have assembled below a series of themes and questions that may be useful in spurring discussion. This is an incomplete “discussion draft” of issues that will likely deserve attention (in this and further conversations). But this list should not be regarded as a comprehensive, prioritized or “correct”; it is merely as a springboard for discussion. We urge you to bring your own ideas, open questions and issues so that we can collectively decide how the discussions should proceed. We are confident that this process will help us highlight fundamental ideas and develop new narratives and projects.

We would like to start our workshop by addressing the basic questions: What does a commons-based economy consist of? What are its basic principles and how can we “know it when we see it”? Does it require specific (infra)structures, principles and policy approaches?

Some commons scholars suggest that a commons-based economy is one that combines production, consumption and governance into a unified needs-based system, such that it is impossible to distinguish among them. Another definition is that production cannot be distinguished from reproduction because everything contributes to the reproduction of livelihoods. Perhaps there are other salient features of a commons-based economy that we should identify and explore.

Some specific issues worth exploring:

THE ONTOLOGY AND THE VALUE PROPOSITION OF THE COMMONS

• Why and how does a commons generate value? Let’s get down to some basics of the human condition and relationships (ontology) and knowledge categories (epistemology) to understand the value-proposition of the commons.

• The very idea of “the economy” is a social construction, not a natural fact. Yet if we wish to transcend the familiar paradigm of “the economy” – i.e., the capitalist market and its logic – what are the handful of key principles that let us define a commons-based “economy”?

• What is the purpose of a commons-based economy? How can we starkly differentiate the commons worldview and provisioning model from that of market economics?

• How do the processes and social relationships of the commons differ from those of the market, and how does this matter? Can we consider this from an anthropological perspective?

• Are there identifiable typologies of commons? Do these conform to types of resources, cultural patterns, or something else? For political purposes, we may wish to assert a universal template of commoning (“principles of commoning”) and declare that the type of resource is a secondary matter. But is this entirely true?

• Can any general statement be made about the ontological power of the commons – i.e., how and why it self-organizes, generates value and innovates? Or is a commons destined always to be a subsidiary form that is necessarily embedded in markets and the state and dependent on them?

• How do commons protect themselves from free riders and abuse? What sorts of technological, legal or social innovations can work?

• How can the yearning for collective management and participation be “locked in” and secured?

• How do commons get started in the first place? Can we identify general differences between commons and commoning in the global North (which is “rediscovering” the commons) as opposed to the global South (where commoning has a long, deep and continuous history)?

CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE COMMONS

How does the debate on commons-based economy relate to those of…

--feminist economy, especially the care economy and the subsistence economy;

--the Solidarity economy;

--the Transition Town movement

--gift economies (academia, blood and organ banks, community groups)

--the degrowth-debate

--Buddhist economy or other discourses present in the region

What can we learn from these various economies? Where are the overlaps and where the differences?


THE COMMONS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

• What role can the commons play in arresting relentless economic growth, and how?

• What are some practical, incremental scenarios for using the commons to reduce growth and internalize externalities (without falling into the trap of market-based mechanisms that favor monetization of the value of nature or reproductive work)?

• Is a commons-based economy and peer production a force for “de-materializing” the economy? If so, how?


THE STATE AND THE COMMONS

• How can the personal engagement and informal nature of the commons (in its canonical form) be preserved if the state is involved with it?

• How might we conceptualize a State that “enables the commons”? What are the politics of such a scenario?

• Does the formalization of a commons and external legal/financial support for it undermine the social practices and relationships that lie at the heart of a commons? If so, how can commons design themselves to be quasi-autonomous while securing support (or at least, non-interference) from the market/state duopoly?

• Michel Bauwens has proposed the idea of the “partner state” and a triarchy of governance in which market, state and commons co-exist and support each other. Is this a realistic vision, and if so, how might this vision be advanced?


MARKETS AND COMMONS

Tell us about a particularly stable or popular commons in your country or region. Explain why it has succeeded and what impact it has.

• How does a commons interact with markets or not?

• If the commons is primarily a nonmarket form of provisioning, can it have any fruitful relationship with markets? If so, what sorts of limits or protections are needed to assure the long-term integrity of a commons? How can they be maintained?

• What are the patterns by which commons and market activity can interact constructively? Or are they necessarily hostile and adversarial?

• Given the structural economic and policy biases against recognizing the value of infrastructure-as-commons, how can commoners secure necessary infrastructure – roads, telecom, water, land, Internet – as commons?

LABOR AND MONEY IN THE COMMONS

• What does work, productive activity and labor mean in the context of a commons?

• Can money be converted into a commons?

• Is it possible (and desirable) to de-commodify them? If so, why?

• What are the viable alternative models?"


SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF A COMMONS-BASED ECONOMY

• Does a commons necessarily reduce inequality or what circumstances are needed to do so?

• What can make a commons socially regressive?

• What about people who do not have the education or basic resources to participate in commons (e.g., Internet commons)?

• Why and how does a commons foster social justice, stability and sustainability?

• Doesn’t a commons reduce incentives to work hard and innovate?

• Does the commons promote unsustainable live-styles? (e.g., a 3D printer for everyone!)

• How can the social solidarity and cooperation of a commons persist as it scales (i.e, as coordination and communication becomes more difficult)? Or perhaps there are different “tiers” of commons that should be regarded differently – much as a “state trustee commons” will differ from a small-scale tribal commons for water?

ALTERNATIVE ECONOMIC MOVEMENTS AND STRATEGIES FOR MOVING FORWARD

• Who are the key thinkers and activists involved in developing alternative economic paradigms that work and are philosophically coherent?

• What are some of the key alternative economic organizations and movements?

• How to “bridge” with them?

• How do we begin to develop actual projects to advance a commons-based economy?

• What sorts of knowledge, networks of people and organizations, and experiences are needed?

Miscellaneous

On the Internet:

• Can we make any useful generalizations about the differences and commonalities between open platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) and digital commons (Wikipedia, open-access journals, collaborative archives)?

• Are open platforms helpful to a commons-based economy or mostly a means for corporate co-optation of social sharing and collaboration?

• Should we consider “open business models” a form of commoning (where open networked platforms are used to leverage social sharing) – or are they mostly a capitalistic form that seeks to exploit open networks?

• Should commoners welcome open business models or regard them with suspicion? What factors might affect a determination?

• If inalienability is important to preserving a commons – i.e., a community-managed resource that may not be monetized – then how can this be accomplished in reliable, lasting ways? How can we link inalienability with the value proposition of the commons?

Localism and commons:

• Is a commons necessarily local? And if a commons can work at larger scales, how does subsidiarity actually work?


The commons and a theory of power and hierarchy:

We should not succumb to romanticized visions of happy egalitarianism within commons. Issues of power relations must be addressed.

• Do commons empower people to break down predatory or hierarchical power relationships?

• Are there certain structures of power and governance within a commons that are essential?

• Can we imagine a typology of commons-based governance structures?

Workable commons seem to imply a different sort of culture than those associated with markets. But how and why do commons produce a different sort of culture?

Does a commons-based society entail a different form of spirituality or religion? Is institutionalized religion (which implies hierarchies and imposed norms) part of the problem today?




Participants

Here is a cleaned out list: List of Invitees to the Asia Deep Dive Preparatory Workshop on the Commons and Economics

after vetting by MB / Heike / Silke and the skype discussion on 5/7/12

1) Roberto Verzola, Philippine economist, agri-activist, green party, studies abundance/scarcity issues and has a particular focus on both natural and digital commons; rverzola@gn.apc.org

2) Isaac Mao, sharing and digital commons activist in China, well-known internationally ; isaac.mao@gmail.com

3) Mr. Luo Shihong ,Guizhou, around 40, speaks very good English, pretty independent NGO activist affiliated with Chengdu Shuguang Community Development Capacity Building Center which is supported by Ford Foundation, his email: gzexplor@gmail.com ; we would then have a digital and a natural resource commoner from China

4) Pablo Solon, Executive Director of Focus on the Global South, from Bangkok ; (@pablosolon)

5) Surat Horachaikul, Chulalongkorn University (it is extremely hard to find ppl familiar with the discourse in Thailand; Michel tries to arrange a talk with Anan G. from RCSD or with Attachak to find out for himself whether or not to involve one of them,) surat.h@chula.ac.th ; 0-2218-7286 / 0-2218-7308

6) Ms. Soma Parthasarathy: New Delhi woman and commons scholar who studies women and subsistence commons because we need to strenghten female representation; somakp@gmail.com

6-2, Mr. Shiv Visvanathan, author in the Indian Common Voices journal crucial magazine with commons insights in India Comment Silke: Is there any additional argument? ; commonvoices@fes.org.in

SECOND ROUND: 6-3 Lawrence Liang: commons and rights scholar/activist at the Alternative Law Forum in Bangalore, India. ; lawrence@altlawforum.org


7) Prabir Purkayashta Prabkant ***,(has been working with us on thePeople's Science Network Forum, Statement on the commons in the Porto Alegre/Rio process ; prabirp@gmail.com

SECOND ROUND: or 7a) Vinod Raina, People's Science Network Forum, International Forum Science and Democracy, co-author of our book - if Prabir cannot, we should invite Vinod or vice-versa

8-1) Mina Ramirez: Michel met her at PASS, she's a Philippino catholic social movement activist working with fishermen and created a wonderful integrated curriculum for engaged social change activists Marina and Nina are both from the Philippines and would bring in very different experiences. Comment Silke: very convincing arguments. *** ; mina_ramirez@yahoo.com, president@mc.edu.ph

8-2) Marina Durano***, feminist economist, good brain, but not familiar with the discourse, but I am sure she can get into it fast...and we need somebody like her (will invite both, but check with Roberto) video ; marina@dawnnet.org

9) Prue Taylor is indisputably a good choice, but she does not stand for an "Asian" discourse, she could be invited to any of the Deep Dives, though she belongs to the Asia Pacific Region, Comment: She would not be invited to ANY of the deep dives, simply for the ticket-price, Solon does not stand for an "Asian" discourse neither. It is also about networking. She get's *** from Silke :-) Further arguments from Silke: she is an excellent writer, intererested in joining the network, not a strong candidated for the Berlin conference, she is a lawyer and looking more into the legal side of global commons governance... SHE WILL BE INVITED IN THE FIRST ROUND ; prue.taylor@auckland.ac.nz

10) José Ramos is an Australian, but will be in Singapore at the time of the meeting; wrote a PhD on the nine schools of thought in the alterglobalization movement; is preparing a global documentary on commoners; is very specifically thinking about the connections between social change and p2p/commons issues; IMHO - very convincing arguments: *** ; prue.taylor@auckland.ac.nz

11) Ramaswamy Sudarshan, the UNDP from the BKK conference, Silke and Michel found him to be an interesting contributor, he should not go under India, but under UNDP or international organisations*** ; sudarshan@undp.org , sudarshan@undp.org

12) Hendro Sangkoyo***, School of Democratic Economics, he came higly recommended from Larry Lohmann who I met again in Rio recently , not much in the net on him, check this: http://www.ted.com/tedx/events/199 ; hendro.sangkoyo@gmail.com

+ 13. WE NEED SBD: FROM BUTHAN (Happiness Index), we are looking for a younger generation researcher, Jost is checking through Hans W. CORRECTION: In our skype we decided that Michel would call Hans and ask for potential participants from Bhutan and for the contact to Ramaswamy.

+ 14. Malaysia (as currently discussed

+ 15. Myanmar

During skype discussion on 05/07/2012 decided and furhter to dos:

open questions: do we need somebody from Islamic economics? Do we need somebody from Indegenous ppls politics, such as Vicky Corpus from the Philippines? These questions and review of other ppl in the wiki but currently off the list will be reviewed through sykpe discussion after the deadline for reply from the invitees. Michel sents out the invitations asap, but before sents out request to review the listed ppl to Martin Khor, Nicola Bullard and Takayoshi. Michel will also consult Roberto over Nina and Marina. Vicky Corpus would be a good alternative if we want an IP rep, but not an economist. Reply expected from invitees 2 weeks from the day they receive the invitation letter with the following reading material attached: intro of the book by Silke and David, Gustavo Estevas contribution, Silvia Federicis and christian Siefkes.

Silke sents Crottof letter to Michel. He will put his draft invitation letter based on the Crottof letter into the wiki for editing by others. He will mention that flight costs and accomodation will be taken care of. So far we have three female participants out of 12 fixed names, this is 1/4 against the aim of 1/3.


ACCEPTED


Declined:

  1. Surat can not attend.
  2. No reply from Mina Ramirez
  3. Isaac Mao cannot attend
  4. Sudarshan could not attend, replace by Taimur
  5. Kaisan
  6. Ko Tar


Second Round:

  • Khusi Kabir
  • Richa Auchidaya
  • Joy Tang
  • Kasian Tejapira, a political scientiest from Dhammasatra University, who is a good brain and potentially eager to read the book and get inspired BEFORE coming to such a meeting. I used to have a very good rapport with him, but it is some time back that I last worked with him. His email is: kasiantj@hotmail.com
  • Natalie Pang
  • Ko Tar <kotargnh@gmail.com>, Dr. Thant Lwin Maung)

--

IASC, go to org website to identify japanese commons scholar or activist hosting next conference

write jon philips for recommendation on chinese

heike's recommendation


Suggested by Nicolas: Ben Quinones? It is a longtime FPH partner in the Filipinas. He is one of the organizers of the Asian Social Economy Forum (see here the Forum's program for 2011 http://www.scribd.com/doc/70481939/Asef-Kl-2011-Programme).

Recommended by Soma:

"one is Richa Auchidaya who is the founder-Director of an organization called "Jan Chetna Sansthan" (peoples awareness organization) in South Rajasthan region of Western India. They work with tribal communities on issues of forest rights and lvielihoods organization based on collective and common sharing principles. The other is Khushi Kabir who heads an organizatino in Bangladesh called "Nijera Kori"(self enablement) who have been organizing landless people into mass based organizations to claim rights to commons or "Khas Lands" for the poorest sections. She is located in Dhaka but their work is spread in several parts of Bangladesh"

Reactions: Silk

Heike recommends for Thailand

The only other recommendation I can make is Kasian Tejapira, a political scientiest from Dhammasatra University, who is a good brain and potentially eager to read the book and get inspired BEFORE coming to such a meeting. I used to have a very good rapport with him, but it is some time back that I last worked with him. His email is: kasiantj@hotmail.com

Comments from David

I have not heard back from Jagdeesh Rao of Foundation for Ecological Security yet, where is a shame. My thought is that we should give serious consideration to inviting key institutional players in commons work -- in India and elsewhere. FES may not be as cutting-edge in its commons vision as others, but it's "footprint" in Indian public policy on commons issues is big. It's a player. For that reason, I'd like to consider FES or other important institutional players. It could help amplify our work and help us network more broadly.

Shiv Visvanathan wrote a brilliant essay on knowledge commons in Common Voices, but I would feel a bit more comfortable getting someone's endorsement or personal account of him. E.g., from Jagdeesh Rao. I will persist on that front.

If we want to explore other Indians, the Deccan Development Society in Andhra Pradesh may have someone appropriate. I can investigate if we want to make the effort. (Silke, you may recall that PV Satheesh of DDS wrote a piece on GMOs for our book. He may or may not be an appropriate person for the Deep Dive.)

Lawrence Liang of the Alternative Law Forum in India is one of the smartest, most committed commons-oriented activist/theorists I've encountered. He works with (is the boss of) Prashant Iyengar, the young Indian attorney who attended Crottorf. I would very much like to see him invited, if possible. He has a very deep, sophisticated understanding of politics, law, activism and the commons, as seen in his 2008 essay, "How Does An Asian Commons Mean?" Some amazing analysis about "piracy" from the perspective of the poorest of the poor.

Let me again endorse Soma Parthasartha of New Delhi as a good choice. I met her at the IASC conference & FES workshop in January 2011, and found her to be a very knowledgeable, cosmopolitan and politically smart feminist who appears to have personal connections with prominent Indian activists such as Vandana Shiva, Arundhati Roy and others. She also has down firsthand academic research about women commoners & Nepali forests.

Prue Taylor is a wonderful choice. because of her legal depth on common heritage of mankind issues, property law & environment, among other legal themes. She also seems eager to become more engaged with activist networks.

Introductory Letter

  • ask them to read 3 essays: 1) the introduction 2) ??? ; 3) a digital essay
  • look for Crottorf letter as example
  • ask nicola bullard, takayoshi, Martin Khor for opinion


Draft Letter


Dear _________________:


The commons as a focus of productive work, political activism and public policy is gaining momentum with each passing month. But it is less clear how commoners should engage – theoretically and practically – with mainstream economics. Since this is such a core question in advancing the commons paradigm, we believe that it is time for some of the world’s most serious, creative and internationally minded commoners to meet each other and begin a shared dialogue about this topic.


We therefore would like to invite you to participate in a retreat to discuss the linkages between the commons and the field of economics, with particular attention to the Asian context. The event is co-organized by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Commons Strategies Group, and will be held from October 12-14 at the Böll Foundation’s office in Bangkok, Thailand. (We appreciate you arrive on the 12th by mid-day/early afternoon to be present fo an evening round to socialise and get to know each other and to leave any time on the 15th thus making time for two full working days).

We see this event as a logical next step following the first International Conference on the Commons held in Berlin on October 31-November 2, 2010, an event that brought together a wide variety of commoners from both the physical and digital commons in more than 30 countries. Now that the commons is gaining currency/momentum in countries from India to Austria, Germany to Brazil, and Mexico to the United States and beyond, we believe that it is imperative to examine in greater depth whether and how we can transform the political economy with commons principles in mind.


This conversation is also becoming more urgent as interest in a major new book of essays about the commons attracts attention. In April, the Böll Foundation and Commons Strategies Group published the German edition of “Commons: Für eine neue Politik jenseits von Markt und Staat” [“Commons – For a New Politics Beyond Market and State”] in Germany in April (http://www.transcript-verlag.de/ts2036/ ts2036.php. The English edition, “The Wealth of the Commons: A World Beyond Market and State,” will be published in English in the US in September (http://www.levellerspress.com/newreleases/ newreleases.htm).


We are currently planning three focused, intense gatherings – we call them “Deep Dives” – on economics and the commons. The two-day meetings will be held in Mexico City, near Paris and Bangkok in October, and November and December as a way to draw upon knowledge and expertise on three different continents and to help in the planning of a major international conference, “The Economics of the Commons,” to be held in Berlin on May 22-24, 2013.


At each Deep Dive, we will be convening about 15 to 20 thinkers, activists and writers who have a demonstrated expertise in and commitment to the commons or related fields of study and activism. Our goal is to develop more sophisticated understandings about the commons as seen through the lens of economics – and vice-versa, to re-imagine economics through the lens of the commons. How does economics need to change and grow? What kind of society would emerge if land, money and labour, and other crucial commons, would no longer be considered as commodities, but as inalienable commons belonging to humanity?


We want to pull together a wide range of knowledge, creativity, contacts and resources to discuss these questions, and identify promising avenues for future research, writing and political action. This will be a retreat, not a conference, i.e. the focus will be on the free flow of deep discussions among peers.


The Commons Strategies Group consists of Silke Helfrich of Germany, an commons-activist and blogger formerly associated with the Heinrich Böll Foundation; David Bollier, an American author, activist and blogger at Bollier.org; and Michel Bauwens, a political scientist, economist a researcher into the emergent practices of commons-based peer production, peer governance and peer property.


Jost Pachaly, director of the Böll Foundation’s Bangkok Office, and Heike Löschmann, Head of International Politics Department at the Foundation’s headquarters in Berlin, are our partners in organizing this event.


In cooperation with the Böll Foundation, both International and the South-East-Asia Office, we will be able to cover your travel expenses (economy class) and lodging. Please find in attachment a list of invited participants (attendance not yet confirmed).


We hope you are as excited about this retreat as we are, and would appreciate any first reactions and hopes you may have for the gathering. To accept this invitation or ask any questions about the retreat, please contact Michel Bauwens at Michel@p2pfoundation.net.

In case you need to apply for an entry visa for Thailand, please let us know. The Bangkok office will sent you a formal invitation letter to start the visa application process.


If you cannot accept this invitation now, please let us know your inclinations and give us a more definitive commitment by July 20.


Sincerely,



Michel Bauwens Silke Helfrich David Bollier Jost Pachaly Heike Löschmann

Proposed names

Australia

  • Tasmanian founder of Nutrient Dense Project

NDS is an exemplary global cooperation from citizen scientist and farmers around agriculture

  • Jose Ramos, Peer Productions documentary, based in Singapore during that weekend ***

JR is the author of a really interesting PhD thesis on the nine worldviews underlying the alterglobalisation movement, very commons oriented, and initiator of a coop for documentary film-making. He also proposes, if possible, a filming of the event for $1,600

  • Brian Fitzgerald, Creative Commons, Australia


Bhutan

  • ask via Hans van Willewaard GNH movement

should be sbd from the Centre for Bhutan Studies; but perhaps not necessarily Dasho Karma Ura but sbd. younger / Gross National Happiness

China

  • Isaac Mao, Sharism ***

Well-known digital activist from China. Share 

   Print
  • Mr. Luo Shihong,Guizhou** , around 40, speaks very good English, pretty independent NGO activist affiliated with

Chengdu Shuguang Community Development Capacity Building Center which is supported by Ford Foundation, his email: gzexplor@gmail.com

we would then have a digital and a natural recource commoner from China

  • Yang Fuquan von der Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences - Naxi from Lijiang... he is a cultural anthropoligist; email: <yfuquan@hotmail.com

India

  • UNEP, Ramaswamy Sudarshan**, UNDP Asia Pacific Regional Center ; gave a remarkable speech in Bkk last year, I tried to find out if he is still with UNDP but could not yet find the information.
  • Jagdeesh Rao FES OR sbd. else from FES (a women?) ** ask David (I suggest a conversation with Jagdeesh --David)

FES is a prominent commons org in India

  • Soma Parthasarthy***: New Delhi woman and commons scholar who studies women and subsistence commons

because we need to strenghten female representation

  • Shiv Visvanathan***, wrote excellent piece on known commons in Common Voices journal

crucial magazine with commons insights in India

  • Lawrence Liang, Alternative Law Forum, Bangalore** (or Prashant Iyengar, who attended Crottorf?)
  • Frederick Noronha, Goa, Bytes4All
  • Vinod Raina, People's Science and Democracy Forum***
  • Sunita Narain * (has a brilliant mind when it comes to thinking)

MORE WOMEN?? sbd. related to Vandana Shiva's group?? There is lots of suggestions from India, we need probably to choose?

Indonesia

Hendro Sangkoyo***, School of Democratic Economics, hendro.sangkoyo@gmail.com ; he came higly recommended from Larry Lohmann who I met again in Rio recently , not much in the net on him, check this: http://www.ted.com/tedx/events/199


New Zealand

Malaysia

  • write to Martin Khor or Joma Kwame Sundaram, for advice on right Malaysian
  • Balai Pillai, check him out

Myanmar

Mister Win Myo Thu, EcoDev, works among others on collective forestry, winmyothu@gmail.com

Miss Pyi Pyi Thant, hbs alumni, lives and works in Bangkok, did economics of sustainability, she is young and a good brain with local experience we can also check via Nwet Kay Khine, also hbs Alumni and our local affiliate in Yangon to the Bangkok office to suggest names.

I have asked Nwet Kay Khine today, she will come up with suggestions in the following days.

Here are the proposals by Kay. Please have a look at let us discuss:

Dr. Thant Lwin Maung (Ko Tar) ( Writer, Mass Educator, Founder of Socially Engaged Monastery Empowerment)

Ko Tar is 61 years old and his influence as a multiplicator is strong. He has written several books and series of articles about the resource management and the justice for the Commons. He owns a publishing house " Mon yway" and Editor of Chindwin Monthly magazine. He is also involving in many of Grassroot organization activities for common issues. Simplicity Circle ( A local Civil Society group) and Social Engaged Buddhism for Environment ( It deals with transforming monastery as social change agent and raising awareness for environment and resource governance) are his own initiatives. His email is kotargnh@gmail.com.

Dr.Tin Tin Win (Ju) ( Environmentalist, Writer, and mass educator)

She is one of the top female writers in Myanmar and her facebook fan page has nearly 30000 followers. She has been discussing issues on Climate Change and Development issues including resource governance for more than a decade.She is around 55. Her email address is wintintin@gmail.com. For many years, she has been a leading actor in environment sector and running her own Foundation as Chair person. Her organization was a leading part of social movement against Dam building in Myit Sone. Her recent book published in Burmese last year was " The Green Heritage".

Philippines

  1. Roberto Verzola: works specifically around the Commons, and the abundance/scarcity/sufficiency angle***
  2. Nina Ramirez: phillipino social-christian activist, works with local communities and created integrated education for grassroots leaders*
  3. Nicolas Perlas: theory of 3 forces*
  • Marina Durano**,marina.durano@gmail.com ; Development Alternatives with Women for a new Era; a feminist economist who could bring in the link to care economy and its potential to be organised through commons based approaches instead of market based pricing as it starts being the case here in Germany, just contacted her through facebook to find out about her whereabouts... in 2008 I worked with her as course leader for the Asia Summer school in Manila on Engendering Macroeconomics, she previously worked with UNIFEM, but returned to Miriam College in Summer 2008, here a link to her CV: http://www.wide-network.ch/en/activities/wide_conference_2009/speakers/speakers_day_3.php

She has a feminist approach but is not necesarily familiar with commons based economics, she chould quicky learn this though

Singapore

  1. Michael Heng, michael.heng@energycorp-global.com ("Sustainability consulting and value integrator for renewal energy". [1]
  • Chandran Nair, Singapore, anti-consumption economy in Asia

Thailand

  • Prof. Surat Hongla?? Chulalongkorn Uni.**/**, Jost should have the address through Pui or Wanan> Surat Horachaikul: surat.h@chula.ac.th or surat247@hotmail.com
  • michel MEET WITH Prof. Anan Ganjanapan**, Regional Center for Sustainable Development, Sopida had given you this contact some time ago for your CNX contacts, his address: anan.g@cmu.ac.th
  • Nicolas Mendoza, Colombian, based in Chiang Mai, undertakes research on Buddhist Eonomics from commons perspective for Hong Kong uni***
  • Richard Hames, Asian Foresight Institute ***
  • Pablo Solon***/*** Why the Green Economy is a wrong path to restore the equilibrium with nature and what alternatives do we have?: ex-UN-Embassador of Bolivia and now (again) working within civil society. Executive director of Focus on the Global South in Bangkok; contact: <pablosolon@gmail.com> ; bridges commons and Mother Earth debate *** (For Jost: see my text on the debate with Steiner in Rio where Pablo challenged him strongly on boell.de in the Rio plus 20 section)

Vietnam

so clearly IP representative from the region...

Miscellaneous

  • Asia Commons conference participants?

I suggest: Takayoshi Kusago, Kansai University, Japan - I am not sure ...

  • Liz Alden Wily, Kenya ? ** yes, would be great, depends on where she currently is ... might be also interesting for the European deep dive
  • check Right Livelihood Award winners, we have Sulak Sivaraksa in Thailand, but he might be too old, not sure, Pracha
  • Charles Eisenstein, USA

Organizers and assistants

Assistant for logistics is Pui from the hbs offic in Bangkok: Suthisa.Pee-artit@th.boell.org

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