[Laurence's notes] Ireland from Below? ---------------------------- Namegame -> later round -> agenda-setting Focus -> later orientation (organisational) Intro ----- _Why_ IFB? _What_ is IFB? _How_ to do IFB? Why --- IFB collective project: discussed with activists and academics for 6 months organised with help of about a dozen other people ultimately consists in what we do with it this weekend Personal explanation: active in peace movement, Green Party etc., alternative press academic specialist in social movements increasingly urgent _questions_ - without answers Changes since 1970s / 80s: loss of an agreed sense of diretion transformation in nature of activism pressures in daily life of activists Space for rethinking: outside day-to-day organisational contexts people interested in thinking and talking about what they do academic, facilitatory etc. skills to contribute Theme for 1st IFB: changing shape of movement organisations and direction relationship "partnershipping" processes and structures context of near-consensus in politics Open question: what is happening from below? What ---- Get-together across movements: ecological, feminist, community, left, third world, adult ed.... North and South, different countries, minority and majority difficulty of communicating Large questions: what would _our_ future be like? do problems relate, how do we act, shared visions? attempt to get beyond partial points of view Open questions: no _one_ can have a full view holding open widest possible space success in range and quality of participants! Determinedly communicative: not organisational get-together! "outsiders", not power-holders greatest possible variety of forms of communication Holding a space open: between different experiences and perspectives common ground uncertain, to be created, but possible corresponds to openness of question Hence: Ireland from Below? How --- Participation: speakers / audience split -> nothing learnt, info not communication everyone participating actively -> huddles! Communicative, creative attempting to work forwards to answers of our own Cross-movement: thematic sessions, not movement ghettoes time out is good - but don't privatise! try to _communicate_ with people who've had different experiences Practicalities: no funding -> independence, but everyone pays same! Hat! cooking, cleaning -> scope for decent contact sleeping, fires, gurus -> who to talk to Sessions: facilitators needed! presenters please huddle! rapporteurs and notes -> publication Thanks: SE organisers: Maeve, Richard, Monica, Shane Dublin practicalities: Isolde, Anna, (Caitriona), Donal Heroes! all of us Outro ----- We have an idea We have some open questions: problems, movements, solutions Let's see what happens!