Communication Commons^™

Management Regimes And Its Impact On The Wetland Fisheries Management In Assam, Ganesh Chandra

Ganesh Chandra

Assam is endowed with copious aquatic wealth in the form of beels, swamps, ponds and rivers. The floodplain wetlands (beels) extending over one lakh hectare, constitute the most important fishery resource of the state. The beels are considered as one of the most productive ecosystems owing to their characteristic interactions between land and water system. These wetlands are the common property resource and under different management regimes. These wetlands are under various management regimes, i.e., private management (individuals and groups), fishermen cooperative management, Community-based fisheries management (decentralized management, Government works as facilitator) and open access. Most of the unregistered beels …

Residential And Business Broadband Prices Part 1: An Empirical Analysis Of Metering And Other Price Determinants, Scott J. Wallsten, James Riso

Scott J. Wallsten

For this project, we assemble a new dataset consisting of more than 25,000 residential and business broadband plans from all OECD countries from 2007–2009. We explore three issues: the relationship between plan components—such as metering—and consumer prices, price changes over time, and how broadband prices vary across countries.

This paper, part 1 of the project, discusses pricing for broadband plans and, specifically, the relationship between plan components and pricing. We find that residential broadband plans with data caps—plans in which consumers pay a base price for a set amount of data—cost less than plans with unlimited data, other things being …

Justice Stewart Meets The Press, Keith Bybee

Keith J. Bybee

Among the Supreme Court Justices who have articulated distinctive views of free expression, Justice Potter Stewart alone placed particular emphasis on the First Amendment's protection of a free press. Drawing upon the lessons of history, the plain language of the Constitution, the political events of his day, and his own personal experience, Stewart argued that the organized news media should be considered an essential part of the checks-and-balances competition between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the federal government. Stewart’s emphasis on the special structural function of the established press placed him at odds with most of his colleagues …

La Larga Marcha De Los Presidenciables, Augusto Reina, Maximo Reina

Augusto Reina

Tras el match electoral que supuso un revés para el gobierno nacional, ya circula la tentación de definir los candidatos presidenciales. Pero claro, todos las fuerzas que aspiren al poder en el 2015 tienen el desafío de ser sustentables por 18 meses. Esto es toda una panacea para la política argentina.

¿Cuántos de ellos tienen las capacidades para hacerlo? En este articulo, nos centramos en la larga marcha que deberán hacer los presidenciables. Haciendo un balance de su posición actual, sus ventajas comparativas y los desafíos a futuro.

Tweeting The Government: Preliminary Findings From A Genre Analysis Of Canadian Federal Government Tweets, Elizabeth M. Shaffer, Luanne Freund, Mackenzie Welch

Elizabeth M. Shaffer

Social media is rapidly becoming an integral part of the Canadian Federal Government’s communication plan. Its use has been institutionalized with the adoption of the Guidelines for External Use of Web 2.0, which provides policy guidelines for government agencies on using social media tools. Twitter, a microblogging site, has rapidly gained popularity with Canadian government agencies. The primary purpose of this research is to identify the communicative intents behind federal government agencies’ use of Twitter. A random set of 2,000 tweets were collected over a one month period in 2012 and were coded using a schema derived from both relevant …

Technology And Privacy (Editorial), Michael Friedewald, Ronald J. Pohoryles

Michael Friedewald

No abstract provided.

Reconciling Privacy And Security, Marc Van Lieshout, Michael Friedewald, David Wright, Serge Gutwirth

Michael Friedewald

This paper considers the relationship between privacy and security and, in particular, the traditional ‘‘trade-off’’ paradigm. The issue is this: how, in a democracy, can one reconcile the trend towards increasing security (for example, as manifested by increasing surveillance) with the fundamental right of privacy? Our political masters justify their intrusions upon our privacy with proclamations of the need to protect the citizenry against further terrorist attacks like those that have already marred the early twenty-first century. The surveillance industry has been quick to exploit this new market opportunity, supported as it is by inexorable technological ‘‘progress’’ in devising new …

Two Cheers For The Fcc's Mobility Fund Reverse Auction, Scott J. Wallsten

Scott J. Wallsten

The United States held its first competitive bidding, or “reverse auction,” for universal service subsidies in September 2012. While it is far too early to investigate whether this national auction generated improvements in mobile voice and broadband service in underserved areas, it is not too soon to evaluate the auction itself. This paper investigates the outcome of the Mobility Fund Phase 1 Auction (Auction 901) and considers what we could learn from it for universal service and for future planned reverse auctions, such as the upcoming incentive auction, which aims to reallocate spectrum from broadcasters to those who place a …

Seven Types Of Privacy, Rachel L. Finn, David Wright, Michael Friedewald

Michael Friedewald

No abstract provided.

Constraints In Adoption Of Moongbean Production Technology In Sundarban, West Bengal, Ganesh Chandra

Ganesh Chandra

The new agricultural technologies are considered to be the prime mover to the process of agricultural development in India. Understanding farmers’ perceptions of a given technology is crucial in the generation and diffusion of new technologies and farm household information dissemination. Pulses in India have long been considered as the poor man’s only source of protein. Moongbean (green gram) is one of the important pulse crop in India, plays a major role in augmenting the income of small and marginal farmers of Sundarban. Constraints are the circumstances or causes, which prohibit farmer to adopt improved farm technology. This constraint study …

Wie Verändert Das Internet Die Demokratie?, Ralf Lindner

Ralf Lindner

Obwohl seit dem Aufstieg des Internets zum Massenmedium in den 1990er Jahren Ernüchterung über die Demokratisierungswirkung der neuen Medien eingetreten ist, werden regelmäßig weitreichende Erwartungen über der politische Transformationspotenzial des Internets formuliert. So wird häufig postuliert, dass das Internet demokratische Politik über kurz oder lang fundamental verändern werde, indem universeller Informationszugang ermöglicht, etablierte Machtstrukturen unterminiert und politische Partizipation gesteigert werde. Der Beitrag erörtert zunächst die Hintergründe für populäre Fehlschlüsse, die die Debatte um elektronische Demokratie begleiten. Auf der Grundlage einer kritischen Reflexion mit den ideologisch-normativ imprägnierten Erwartungen an das Internet werden theoretisch wie empirisch robustere Überlegungen zum Beitrag der neuen …

Governance In Nigerian Universities: The Position Of The University Internal Auditor, Professor Ben C Osisioma

Prof Ben Chuka Osisioma

The University system is committed to the principles of good governance which ensure that the Institution is ‚fit for its purpose‛ as an organization put in place for teaching, research and consultancy and professional services to the community. The principles demand a response to the challenge of operational dexterity, technical ingenuity, strategic relevance, African persona and political deftness as part of the task of modernization of the governance of higher education. The task of the Internal Auditor is five-fold – to provide transparency and act as an advisory body to senior management, to identify underperforming areas and opportunities for improvement …

Citizens’ Perceptions Of Data Protection And Privacy In Europe, Dara Hallinan, Michael Friedewald, Paul Mccarthy

Michael Friedewald

Data protection and privacy gain social importance as technology and data flows play an ever greater role in shaping social structure. Despite this, understanding of public opinion on these issues is conspicuously lacking. This article is a meta-analysis of public opinion surveys on data protection and privacy focussed on EU citizens. The article firstly considers the understanding and awareness of the legal framework for protection as a solid manifestation of the complex concepts of data protection and privacy. This is followed by a consideration of perceptions of privacy and data protection in relation to other social goals, focussing on the …

Winning The Story War: Strategic Communication And The Conflict In Afghanistan, George Dimitriu

George Dimitriu

In conflicts of the information age success in the application of force depends less on the outcome of tactical operations on the battlefields but more on how the war's purpose, course and conduct is viewed by public opinion at home as well as within the theatre of operations. Therefore western allies in Iraq and Afghanistan are not only involved in a physical struggle but also in a struggle over perceptions, for no long-term engagement of troops is possible without support from home, nor can a counterinsurgency succeed without the support of the local population. While the ability to exert influence …

Press Release 3rd Intl Symposium On Cross Sector Social Interactions: Making A Diffeence: Enhancing The Impact Of Partnerships For The Social Good, Maria May Seitanidi

Maria May Seitanidi

Leading academics from around the world including The Netherlands, France, the UK, the US and Canada, discussed at the Rotterdam School of Management-Erasmus University, on 24th and 25th May 2012, how to enhance the impact of partnerships while contributing to the social good by delivering policies, programmes and actions and encouraging the collaboration between business, nonprofits, governements and citizens.

Designing An Information-Experience Using Creativity Science & Tools, Stephanie Belhomme

Stephanie Belhomme

An “information-experience” encapsulated by a technological/digital audio-visual tool presents data and potentially meaningful information to prompt actionable knowledge concerning: “unspoken creative process elements;” their profound impacts on both how well our “physiology of creativity” functions but also; how well foundational creative thinking and behavioral prerequisites (energy, motivation, imagination, and ownership) are leveraged.

The product: 1) introduces the user to one component of the CPS (Creative Problem Solving) Facilitation Process - Exploring the Challenge; 2) features a content specific component which prompts exploration of the many correlations between societal, organizational / community, human physiological / behavioral data, and the direct relationships …

The Next Wave Of Volunteers: Vtc's, Valerie Lucus-Mcewen Cem, Cbcp

Valerie Lucus-McEwen CEM CBCP

No abstract provided.

BüRgersicht Auf Sicherheit Und Privatheit, Michael Friedewald, Johann Cas

Michael Friedewald

Moderne Sicherheitstechniken sollen die Bürger besser vor Terrorismus und organisierter Kriminali- tät schützen. Mittlerweile wird aber angezweifelt, ob ein realer oder gefühlter Sicherheitsgewinn nur durch Einschnitte in die Privatsphäre des Einzelnen zu erreichen ist. Die EU-Forschungsprojekte PRISMS und SurPRISE untersuchen, wie die Ein- stellung europäischer Bürger zu Sicherheit und Privatheit zusammenhängt und wie sich dies für die Gestaltung von akzeptabler grundrechtskonformer Sicherheitstechnik nutzen lässt.

Secondary Markets: The Quiet Economic Value Creator, John Mayo, Scott J. Wallsten

Scott J. Wallsten

No abstract provided.

Understanding Controversies And Ill-Structured Problems Through Argument Visualization. Curriculum And Learning Materials For Problem-Based Learning In Small Groups Of Students Who Work Autonomously On Projects With The Interactive Agora Software, Including An Exemplary Reader On Genetically Modified Plants, Michael H.G. Hoffmann

Michael H.G. Hoffmann

No abstract provided.

Ondervraging Van Irakese En Afghaanse Insurgents: De Nederlandse Ervaringen, George Dimitriu

George Dimitriu

Gedurende de afgelopen jaren is de Nederlandse Krijgsmacht een aantal jaren actief geweest in Irak en Afghanistan waarbij honderden mensen gevangen zijn genomen en zijn ondervraagd. In tegenstelling tot veel andere landen die ook in Irak en Afghanistan actief zijn of waren, zoals de Verenigde Staten, Groot-Brittannië, Spanje en Canada, is Nederland tot op heden gevrijwaard gebleven van een groot martelschandaal of een binnenlandse discussie. Afgezien van een incident in 2006 toen krantenkoppen Nederlanders betichtten van marteling tijdens de missie in Irak, is er maar weinig voorgevallen. Bovendien luwde de ophef over het vermeende martelincident in Irak al snel. Hoe …

De Missie In Uruzgan Als Strategisch Narratief, George Dimitriu, Beatrice De Graaf

George Dimitriu

In dit artikel willen we stilstaan bij het belang van maatschappelijk draagvlak in westerse democratieën voor langdurige missies, waarbij de primaire landsbelangen niet direct op het spel staan en waarbij de noodzaak tot oorlogsvoering niet buiten kijf staat. We nemen de ISAF-evaluatie als uitgangspunt, maar willen het punt uitwerken dat in deze evaluatie buiten beschouwing is gelaten: de relatie tussen troepeninzet voor missies en het maatschappelijke draagvlak. Die relatie krijgt vorm in publieke en politieke debatten, in lobby's en stemmingen in de Kamer. Er is inmiddels een rijk onderzoeksveld ontstaan rond vraagstukken van maatschappelijk draagvlak, publieke opinie en oorlogsvoering. Uit …

What Gets Measured Gets Done: Stop Focusing On Irrelevant Broadband Metrics, Scott J. Wallsten

Scott J. Wallsten

Concerns regarding the state of U.S. broadband arises from a combination of focusing on the wrong metrics, a misguided interpretation of consumer preferences, and a popular obsession with rankings. These misperceptions translate into misdirected, if well-intentioned, public policies that waste scarce resources and distract from real issues like a large income-based digital divide.

Strategische Communicatie In Afghanistan: Alles Draait Om Perceptie, George Dimitriu

George Dimitriu

Tijdens conflicten is beïnvloeding van de verschillende relevante doelgroepen – tegenstanders, de lokale bevolking en het eigen thuisfront – altijd al van doorslaggevend belang geweest. Maar door de geglobaliseerde nieuwe vormen van media dat heeft geleid tot ongekende beïnvloedings-mogelijkheden, de verwevenheid van target audiences en de communicatiesuccessen van terroristen is het belang van de ideologische strijd vandaag de dag enorm toegenomen. De westerse bondgenoten zijn in Afghanistan niet alleen in een fysieke strijd verwikkeld maar ook in een strijd om percepties. Zonder draagvlak van het thuisfront is langdurige inzet van troepen immers niet mogelijk en zonder steun van de lokale …

Testimony On The Role Of Government In Promoting R&D, Scott J. Wallsten

Scott J. Wallsten

No abstract provided.

How To Create A More Efficient Broadband Universal Service Program By Incorporating Demand And Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, Scott J. Wallsten

Scott J. Wallsten

The existing high-cost fund suffers from two inherent flaws: it does not incorporate how much consumers value the services being subsidized, and does not measure the incremental, rather than average, effects of the program. This paper proposes a way to incorporate those factors into the Connect America Fund—the proposed high-cost broadband support program—to enable it to operate more efficiently than the existing high-cost program ever could.

In particular, decisions about where to provide subsidies should be based on cost-effectiveness analyses that explicitly take into account not just the cost of providing service but also how much consumers would value the …

Datenschutzaspekte Smarter Überwachung, Michael Friedewald, Marc Langheinrich

Michael Friedewald

Kurz&bündig Moderne «intelligente» Überwachungssysteme sollen den Bürger besser vor Terrorismus und organisierter Kriminalität schützen, greifen potentiell aber tief in die Privatsphäre des Einzelnen ein. Das EU-Forschungsprojekt SAPIENT untersucht die Risiken solcher intelligenten Überwachungstechniken und erarbeitet Verfahren, um diese im Einklang mit Menschenrechten und unter Beachtung des sozialen und gemeinschaftlichen Zusammenhalts gestalten zu können.

Broadening Participation Through E-Petitions? An Empirical Study Of Petitions To The German Parliament, Ralf Lindner

Ralf Lindner

Petitioning is a well established form of political participation in most liberal democracies, but little is known about petitioners, their socio-demographics, motivations and assessments of petitioning processes. In 2005, the German parliament introduced public e-petitions which are submitted, signed and discussed on the Internet. This article reports a 2007 survey of 571 traditional and 350 e-petitioners. The results indicate that both petitioner samples are characterised by an above average level of general political participation and Internet use. Users of the e-petition system are younger than traditional petitioners, but the group continues to be dominated by men and those with higher …

Making A Difference: Enhancing The Impact Of Partnerships For The Social Good, Maria May Seitanidi

Maria May Seitanidi

Call for Abstracts and Posters 3rd International Symposium on Cross Sector Social Interactions 24-25 May 2012, University of Erasmus, Rotterdam, The Netherlands info@partnershipsresourcecentre.org Organised by: The Partnerships Resource Centre in Collaboration with Hull University Business School This is the full version of the CFP. NEW DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACTS: 30 November 2011

The Dutch Counterinsurgency Approach: Political And Military Lessons, George Dimitriu, Beatrice De Graaf

George Dimitriu

In the past, military defeat has led to resignations of Ministers of Defence. But in February 2010, it was the first time that a ruling party in the Netherlands, the social democrat party (Partij van de Arbeid, PvdA), brought down the coalition government, as a protest against extending a military mission. This historical moment even inspired the Taliban to congratulate the social democrats: ‘We congratulate the Dutch for this courageous and independent decision,’ said Taliban spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi. The Taliban expressed the hope that other countries would follow the Dutch example. After four years of intensive commitment to the …