On research 'representativeness' Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] LAUNCH of INTERNET GOVERNANCE PROJECT

[mclauglm at po.muohio.edu]

Thank you, Michael, for stating the issue so 
well. And may I add that the notion of 
"representativeness" should always be 
interrogated, certainly in our own research, 
whether or not this work is labeled "scientific 
research," and even if such queries appear to 
have the effect of raining on someone else's 
parade. I'm interested in--but, as a feminist 
scholar and activist, not amazed at--the notion 
that scientific research should be exempt from 
being questioned as to its representativeness. 
Meryem, what seems dangerous to me is the idea 
that attempts to achieve representativeness in 
research will result in nothing productive, just 
"fake research." Of course it will always fall 
short--all of us will always fall short in this 
respect--but at least one can make every effort 
to be as inclusive as possible (which doesn't 
entirely rest on the question of whether funding 
exists for the project).

My best wishes for the possibility that many 
internet governance projects will spring up all 
over the world, that all are as inclusive and 
transnational as possible, that all secure 
adequate funding, and that there is productive 
dialogue among them despite differences.

Best,

Lisa


>Without getting into the ins and outs of this particular research
>project it certainly goes in opposition to most of the recent
>discussion/analysis in the philosophy/sociology of science to ignore the
>broader (social, political, cultural) context of "research" and of the
>"researchers" and including their nationality, gender, intellectual
>history (what 'school' they belong to for example) and the
>representativeness of the perspectives that are "suggested" by these
>circumstances. 
>
>It should be surprising to no one that the more political/policy
>sensitive the subject matter the more these contextual circumstances are
>broadly (and politically) seen as being of relevance with respect to the
>research, its conduct, its outcome and its likely significance.
>
>So let's not be too outraged at having folks somewhat less than
>uniformly sympathetic (ie. somewhat suspicious) of a research project
>which appears to the outsider to be uniformly northern, Eurocentric, and
>male.
>
>MG
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org [mailto:plenary-admin at wsis-cs.org] On
>Behalf Of Meryem Marzouki
>Sent: July 20, 2004 2:19 AM
>To: plenary at wsis-cs.org
>Subject: On research 'representativeness' Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] LAUNCH
>of INTERNET GOVERNANCE PROJECT
>
>
>Hi all,
>
>Le mardi, 20 juil 2004, à 04:30 Europe/Paris, Milton Mueller a écrit :
>
>[...]
>>  Bottom line: If the research we produce is considered by others to be
>>  unrepresentative of South perspectives or other perspectives, then
>>  educate us - criticize it and reject it. Or, better yet,
>>  form a group that can do it better. IGP enjoys no
>>  special monopoly on the topic and anyone else can set up
>>  something similar. Thus, while longer term we do
>>  intend to expand if possible, I would have to reject
>>  the implication that no university can publish or do
>>  research on Internet governance unless it first
>>  sets up an apparatus of global representation
>>  (the representativeness of which could always be
>>  contested anyway).
>
>Let me add that I've been quite amazed to read the comments after the 
>announcement of this IG project: it has clearly been presented as a 
>scientific research project, and since when scientific research should 
>be considered or assessed against such criteria as 'representativeness'
>
>? There are many other criteria, scientific and non scientific (though 
>still relevant, like who's funding the research, the researchers' 
>perpectives, their personal positions, etc.), which do apply for such 
>assessment. But I never heard of (and would never accept, as both a 
>scientific researcher and an activist) something called 'representative
>
>research'. This would be nothing but a fake, and a very dangerous one. 
>Almost as dangerous as a so-called 'civil society representativeness' 
>:-)
>Although I have absolutely nothing against wearing both research and 
>activism hats - specially since this is also my own case - I feel very 
>concerned about what seems to be a totally inappropriate mix ('mélange 
>des genres', in French).
>
>What would be relevant, and very useful, however, is to keep track of 
>different research projets on this issue, to exchange information, 
>etc., and this list could be one of the means used for that. Although a
>
>formal collaboration and exchange process would indeed require funding,
>
>such a loose network and/or database of resources (existing projects, 
>people working on IG, papers, reports, study data and results, 
>comments, criticisms, etc.) may be started at very marginal costs. 
>Moreover, as a researcher working on IG issues in France (with other 
>colleagues), I would be pleased to contribute to the definition and set
>
>up of such a - multilingual - database, and provide tools for an 
>ongoing 'electronic colloquium' (starting only from September, I'm 
>afraid).
>
>I've been glad to learn that this IG project has been launched by our 
>colleagues in the US, and I would also be pleased to learn of any other
>
>similar project anywhere in the world : the more perspectives we can 
>show, the richer the research results would be. We could  use all the 
>opportunities to meet, like international conferences, etc., to discuss
>
>this scientific network setup possibility, if anyone is interested. I 
>hope that the session on 'Internet Political Governance and Technical 
>Government' I'm co-organizing during the next 4S/EASST Conference in 
>Paris (August 25-28, 2004) will provide such an opportunity (see 
>Session S7 at: 
>http://www.csi.ensmp.fr/csi/programme_4S/jour/
>programme_jour.php?jour=FRI).
>
>Best regards,
>Meryem
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