Yearly Archives: 2012

Social Construction: Entering the Dialogue

In this 2004 book, Ken and Mary Gergen of the Taos Institute present an account of social constructionist thought that enables students, colleagues and practitioners – as well as those who are simply curious – to gain a basic understanding and appreciation of the drama and constructionist ideas in action – in organizations, psychotherapy, education,Read… Read more »

Do You Have a Social Media Superman Complex?

I’ve become the designated “social media guy” for a massive organization (25,000+ people). For a while, the responsibilities of this role consisted primarily of explaining what the Twitters were and why people cared about what you ate for lunch. As social media has grown in popularity, so too has the internal and external demand forRead… Read more »

New Research Paper Presents 30 General Design Considerations for Online Deliberation Systems

Thanks to a tweet by Evgeny Morozov I came across this new research paper by W. Ben Towne and James D. Herbsleb, published in the current edition of Journal of Information Technology & Politics (Volume 9, Issue 1, 2012, pages 97-115): Design Considerations for Online Deliberation Systems (subscription required) ABSTRACT. Online deliberation enables structured, topicalRead… Read more »

Sunlight Foundation: Ellen Miller responds

Sunlight Executive Director Ellen Miller responds to this guest post by Mike Godwin: There is little in Mike Godwin’s response that we disagree with. As he writes, the debate over SOPA and PIPA was changed not by “politics as usual” or a late infusion of interest group lobbying cash, “but the participation of the onlineRead… Read more »

Sunlight Foundation Reporting Group: Dark money in the twilight of 2011

Dark money has haunted the psyche of good government reformers. Recent changes in campaign law raise the prospect of unlimited donations, routed to political action committees through 501(c)4 “social welfare” organizations that don’t have to disclose contributors’ names. That could allow innocuously named groups to shelter powerful individuals and corporations and the influence they’re exercisingRead… Read more »

Feb Events on Greening America’s Capital – The Anacostia Metro Station

From the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments: “The District of Columbia was recently selected as one of five capital cities to receive the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greening America’s Capitals technical design assistance. This assistance will focus on green design and pedestrian/bicycle safety in the public spaces surrounding the Anacostia Metro Station and its proximityRead… Read more »

Sunlight Foundation: Almost 400 former House staffers registered to lobby in last two years

The revolving door is alive and well in Washington. In less than three years, at least 378 House staffers employed in personal and committee offices have left Capitol Hill to become registered lobbyists, a Sunlight Foundation analysis of House disbursement data and federal lobbying records finds. More than two in five former House staffers whoRead… Read more »