Provisional Convergence Agenda and Livestream Details

Livestreaming WILL happen!

Those of you who have enquired about livestreaming of the event can finally rest easy – livestreaming will go ahead!

The URL is: http://bambuser.com/channel/occupyresearchcollective

There will, chaotic systems willing, be at least one stream all day long. For the Open Space session, we will have to improvise a little but we hope to be able to provide several simultaneous streams from several of the concurrent discussions, and all will be available at the above URL, allowing viewers to flit around the room just as physical participants are encouraged to do. We may even be able to engage with viewers by chat, but no guarantees as this is highly experimental!

Occupy Research Collective Convergence – Provisional Agenda

Saturday 30th June, 10am-5pm

Venue: Pearson Building, University College London, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 6BT (Directions)

This is a draft agenda that is subject to change on the day. The autonomy of everyone who attends will be respected and so the agenda will remain subject to change dependent upon how attendees choose to use the space.

10am – Open chill-out space, set up welcome desk

11am – Brief introduction to the day

i). The Occupy Research Collective

ii). Why Converge – reimagining research

iii). Brief introduction to consensus hand signals

11.15am – Gathering Go-Round: Introductions and What Brought You Here

12noon – Open Space setup

Open space is a group discussion method which provides an opportunity for all participants to propose topics of discussion/areas of interest for reflection and planning. The following steps are useful in setting up an open space:

i) Description of Open Space method: Proposals for discussion are invited from group members as a brainstorm. Each ‘title’ is written on a separate flipchart and given to the ‘proposer’ of the discussion.

ii) Before all attendees move to a discussion, based on their own interests, they are invited to participate in as many or as few discussions as they choose. They do not have to stay in the same group for the entire period of the Open Space session and can move on at any point.

iii) The role of the ‘proposer’ is to ensure that notes are captured from each discussion in order to feed back to the full Convergence. New discussions may emerge during the Open Space period, and some discussions might end. For any new discussions during the time it is recommended that someone takes on the role of capturing the discussion.

iv) There will also be a point at which topics may be withdrawn by their proposer, should they be deemed, for example, combinable, too tangential, too specialist, or simply less interesting than another topic the proposer would like to join. This allows for maximum creativity during the brainstorm without fear of being stuck carrying a topic you have fallen out of love with.

1 pm – Lunch

We will not be able to provide lunch, so please be prepared to make your own arrangements.

ULU (University of London Union) ground floor cafe, on Malet Street, will be open, and Goodge Street will have plenty of eating options. There is also a Caffe Nero on Torrington Place.

2pm – Move into Open Space Discussions

A reminder of the suggested themes that we proposed in our initial call out, to get the neuro-juices flowing:

• The ethics of Occupy and the role of critique in activism.
• Activism & institutional relationships; within and against the neoliberal university.
• Consensually researching consensus-based movements; research for/research about; approaching (re)presentation.
• Participatory methodology; research dissemination and freedom of access; radical publishing; militant research; collaboration and mutual aid in research.

4pm – Reconvergence

i). Feedback from conversations in the Open Space

ii). Time to move into action-planning if groups would find this helpful.  It is the choice of attendees and groups as to how they would like to organise.We can offer virtual organising space on our blog if groups would find that useful.

4.45 – Final Reflections

5pm – Close

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