(
This post was promoted from the diaries.)
While I will blog on this more over at bopnews.com - let me share some first impressions of the conference at the National Press Club that George Washington University's Institute for Politics, Democracy and the Internet
First - John Berry - co-author of the must read The Influentials is one cool cucumber - has an excellent grasp of an important concept: that there are a core of people who are civically involved, and that they power the "conversation" of decision making. Second - the numbers bear out what many of us have known. Of people who are politically active on the internet - an astonishing 70% are influential in their offline community. Third, what is happening on places like Kos is important and it is being taken seriously, academics and others realize that the fall of Dean wasn't "the internet", but from mainly from other sources.
The recognition that the internet represents a way to tap a crucial political constituency is taken seriously, there were old line political consultants there, as well as young academics and a range in between. What held the entire operation together was the care that
the study was done.
The other refreshing aspect was the admission that "we are new to this, there is a great deal yet to learn" and "the stereotypes are wrong" - and they had the data to back it up.
This is a beginning - of the internet being integrated as part of a two way street. Again Berry: "organizations have to have a listening post, and they have to bring people into the system."
For those who think change is not yet coming, you are right - it is here. But, as 1774 proves, the revolt is only the beginning of the work, and even winning the revolution is merely the prelude to constitution. Understanding that what we are doing now needs to be made workable and sustainable is a key step in this process.
Best all, and once again, congratulations to the people at idip - they are, along with the Berkman Center at Harvard, helping pave the way of a richer understanding of a new discipline.