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Fifth Analytical Summary

by Hervé Maillot, Allié. France , 10 August 2005

Preliminary Remarks

This summary privileges the points that the answers seem to consider as previous to everything under debate regarding the working procedures. It does not consider in detail certain specific elements of the working procedures: the Directory, the work groups, the Workshops, the Annals, etc. Otherwise, although not foreign to the problem of the choice, conception, and development of the working procedures, subjects that have already been considered in previous summaries are not taken up in this text: FPH-Alliance relations, financing of the Alliance. Summary

On the specific subject of the working procedures as on the others, the text of the Charter is appreciated by the great majority of the participants. 77% of the respondents have no disagreement with the proposed project. The fundamental points considered below are concerned with the strong relationship there has to be between the nature of the Alliance, its objectives, and its working procedures. They are also concerned with the relationship between ethics and the working procedures. Finally there are many participants who need to consider separately the working procedures designed for the governance of the Alliance and the working procedures related to the work programs and the strategy. A number of answers express that the text is difficult to read and to understand (regarding the organization):

...Il faudrait donc il me semble spécifier à quoi se réfère le terme "dispositifs" et séparer plus clairement les objectifs des dispositifs en décrivant chacun d’eux. Ces derniers ne sont-ils pas finalement à la fois les mécanismes, méthodes, outils, fonctionnements, qui permettent d’atteindre des objectifs donnés ?...

...il faut réfléchir auparavant aux objectifs de ces dispositifs. Est-ce que les objectifs des dispositifs doivent correspondre à l’ensemble des « objectifs » de l’Alliance ? Par exemple, est-ce que le développement de mécanismes de prise de décisions qui mène à l’action concrète sur le terrain, doit être considéré un objectif de l’Alliance ? si c’est le cas, on peut envisager d’ajouter à la liste des dispositifs ou méthodologies spécifiques à un tel objectif...

 On the relations of the Alliance with the outside.

Once this sort of point is clarified, two basic questions emerge, explicitly or not (through the diversity of Allies’ motivations, for instance):

...The Alliance needs to be clear as to whether it is a resource or an activist mechanism. From this will come the working procedures...

When we read the answers, we wonder if the Allies have decided on this question. Some seem to seek a middle road:

...Autre point, celui des modalités d’alliance avec d’autres institutions (multilatérales, gouvernements), entreprises ou mouvements sociaux qui, pour une raison ou une autre hésiteront à s’impliquer complètement dans l’Alliance. Comment pour autant « faire alliance » avec eux sur des objectifs plus limités avec des dispositifs et espaces de travail appropriés ?...

Another question at the same time: Does the informal character of the Alliance make it stronger or on the contrary does it hinder its development and its efficiency? To see the Alliance as institutionalized activist organization or as an informal place to share ideas, experiences, and resources probably leads to a different vision of what "good" working procedures are as much from the point of view of internal working as from that of relations with the outside. Indeed, it seems that these should .

..distinguer ce qui est du ressort de la gouvernance de l’Alliance de ce qui est du "programme de travail" des alliés...

 On the need to have assessment tools.

Most respondents are convinced that the challenges related to the working procedures reflect the challenges that the Alliance has set out for itself:

...The tasks involved require high quality procedures, information and input regarding synthesizing complex information, website management and clarification of the future direction of the Alliance...

Along the same lines, some answers underscore the importance of evaluating the accomplished work:

...Proponemos incorporar junto con los objetivos un conjunto de indicadores cualitativos e incluso cuantitativos para concretar nuestros sueños ;-)...

...Comment garantir que cette action ait un apport positif à la réalisation des objectifs communs ? Il y a alors un besoin d’évaluation de la valeur de ’expérience en soi (apport théorique - pratique, renforcement des actions citoyennes, ...). Il faudra définir, au préalable, des conditions qui garantissent - autant que possible - la contribution de l’action aux objectifs communs (promotion d’outils collectifs, diffusion d’information sur le travail des autres, ...)...

 On the collective and interactive dimensions of the decision-making processes and the elaboration of proposals.

The answers express a need to strengthen synergies, collaboration possibilities, and cross-cutting or even cross-disciplinary interaction:

...de nombreux alliés souhaitent s’impliquer sur le fond (des propositions, des actions communes) sur la base d’axes, de thématiques, de collèges mieux identifiables. Ce n’est peut être pas l’objectif de la charte constitutive mais si l’on parle des dispositifs de travail il faut aussi penser à ces espaces commun de débats et d’élaboration de proposition...

 On the theme of collaborative initiatives among Allies, one question stands out: Is it up to the Alliance to offer procedures for certain forms of interaction? We can note there is a demand for procedures to facilitate the emergence of "local alliances" or "local geographic Alliance projections":

...Y a-t-il la possibilité sur des problèmes ponctuels à caractère régional, notamment en matière de développement, de travailler la réflexion de manière régionale ?...

...creating local community groups (groups of workshop), supplying local information, meeting with volunteers of good will...

 On the ethics of the governance of the Alliance.

The continued-support and mediation group has a special place in the concerns expressed by the Allies. We have already brought up the problem of the number of members and their geocultural representativeness. The previous summaries highlighted questions about how this group would work, about the choice of its members, and their renewal. Previously to these aspects and beyond the one strictly concerning the Charter guarantors’ group, there is a question that seems important for a number of Allies. Is it not

...plus juste et plus efficace de confronter des analyses d’experts contradictoires, qui permettent d’identifier très vite non seulement les points de convergences et de divergence, mais aussi les raisons et les référentiels à l’origine des divergences. a-t-il aurait intérêt à se doter : par domaine : d’un comité scientifique interdisciplinaire pour valider les connaissances produites. par collège : d’acteurs capables de vérifier la pertinence des thèses développées. Le croisement des deux sources de validation serait alors très original et opérant, car il importe au plus haut point dans un projet reposant sur certains principes éthiques d’être au clair sur les limites de validité éthique de cette entreprise. Toute position éthique a ses limites, et il faut encourager la critique et la diversité afin de préciser ces limites, et ainsi être conscient de l’espace à l’intérieur duquel une action est moralement efficace et légitime...

 On relations among Allies.

Everybody agrees on one fact: the Alliance Web sites are absolutely central, to the point that they are practically confused with the Alliance. Hence, there are many who wish to say that the Alliance does not amount only to its Web site and that it is indispensable to maintain and develop relations outside of the Internet unless the global community of which the Alliance wishes to encourage the emergence is to be restricted to the "Internet-connected community."

...Attention à équilibrer la relation informatique avec la relation directe, le contact physique et la rencontre collective...

...I understand the spirit of what you are trying to do, and the potential of the internet, but I don’t think it has begun to be realized. The internet is simply not the most reliable or engaging tool, it needs to be supplemented with the face to face dialogues, and actions, conferences, projects...

...dispositivos de trabajo : bien, pero ¿por qué no alentar también la profusión de espacios físicos (no institucionales sino informales) donde puedan establecerse relaciones personales ?...

...les dispositifs de travail semblent reposer essentiellement sur le site Internet qui est le seul lieu de convergence, impersonnel et non accessible par tous...

QUANTITATIVE GRAPHS

Does this idea of an alliance respond, in its content and form of organization, to a need of our time? Results out of 89 answers to the questionnaire from non Allies on July 26, 2005	Participation Intentions Results out of 236 answers to the quesionnaire on July 26, 2005	Do you find this proposal for a Constituent Charter suitable in its spirit and its main lines (for a new stage of the Alliance)? Results out of 236 answers to the quesionnaire on July 26, 2005
Constituent Charter: Points not understood or disgreed with. Results out of 236 answers to the quesionnaire on July 26, 2005	Working Procedures: Points not understood or disgreed with Results out of 236 answers to the questionnaire on July 26, 2005	Calendar: Points not understood or disgreed with Results out of 236 answers to the questionnaire on July 26, 2005

 

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