Global Internet Governance: Building Human Capacity through - PDF document

Global Internet Governance: Building Human Capacity through Geographically Distributed Policy Collaboratories Professor Derrick L. Cogburn, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Information and African Studies School of Information and Center for Afroamerican and African Studies The University of Michigan Acknowledgements Overview Colleagues � Prof. Dan Atkins � Supporting Organizations � Dr. Deborah Robinson � � W.K. Kellogg Foundation Prof. James Jackson � Prof. Michael Traugoutt � Introduction: Moving from “Pawns” to “Partners” � CSIR – South Africa � Prof. Michael Kennedy � � The University of Michigan � Theoretical Model of Global ICT Governance Prof. Michael Cohen � � School of Information Prof. Gary Olson � � Background to the Collaboratory Concept � Alliance for Community Technology Mr. Vlad Wielbut � Rik Panginiban � Collaboratory for Research on Electronic � � Policy Collaboratories and Capacity Development Work Robert Guerra � � Center for Afroamerican and Amb. Anthony Hill � � Discussion on way forward African Studies Graduate Students � � South Africa Initiatives Office Ms. Lingling Zhang � Ms. Jessica Goger � International Possibilities Unlimited (IPU) � Ms. Soo-yeon Hwang � � Microsoft Research Mr. Peter Keller-Transburg � � Cisco Systems Ms. Madhu Lakshmanan � � Orbicom – UNESCO Chairs and Mr. Clark Ross Leininger � Mr. Jacob Moskol Associates in Communication � Dr. Kouassi Nguessan � � National Science Foundation Alliance for Community Technology GII Governance Policy Processes GII Governance Policy Processes � Critical role of international conferences in global governance (Cogburn, 2003) � A multiplicity of complex processes � Focal points for contestation in regime formation � Formal, informal; public, private � Nurture global networks of recognized policy experts � Wide range of actors involved � Policy-actors interact at these global fora through practicing “conference diplomacy” � Governments � Five stages of conference diplomacy � International Organizations (e.g., WTO, ITU, � Pre-conference WIPO, ICANN) � Conference � Experts - telecommunications experts, � Drafting Internet experts, trade experts, private sector, � Post-conference follow-up public sector interest groups, international � Presence in Global Policy Nodal Cities lawyers � Key components/concepts � Other civil society groupings and individuals � Policy-actor networks and epistemic communities 1

Knowledge in GII Policy Formulation Elite Policy Networks � Elites are the real actors in global information and communications policy processes (not their institutions) � Role of knowledge in the policy process � Networks of elite policy experts constitute Knowledge � Scientific and technical knowledge can influence Networks (Clark, 1998; Creech & Willard, 2001) and policy processes Epistemic Communities (Haas, 1989; Cowhey, 1983; � “In a highly complex world, where goals are often ill- Cowhey, 1990) defined and many links are possible, consensual knowledge can greatly facilitate agreement on the � Elite information policy networks small development of an international regime.” (Krasner, � Many of these elite organizations meet by invitation only 1983, p. 20) and all comments are “not for attribution” � “Without consensus, knowledge can have little � Sometimes Include developed and developing country impact on regime development in a world of actors as well as civil society sovereign states.” (Krasner, 1983, p. 20) � Wield tremendous influence in in information policy � “…it must be widely accepted by policy makers” (Krasner, 1983, p. 20) formulation at national, regional, and global levels � International conferences as integrators � Primarily through their acquired knowledge and expertise Clusters of Ten Key GII Policy Conferences Building a Typology of Policy Conferences G7/G8 GIIC Annual Meetings 1. 6. Information Society 7 Annual Meetings (DC to Beijing) � All international conferences are not equal and Development (ISAD) Invitation Only Digital Opportunities � Role determined by its key characteristics GBDe Annual Meetings 7. WTDC 2. 4 Annual Meetings (Paris to Brussels) 1 st Buenos Aires Invitation Only 2 nd Malta � Key characteristics: 3 rd Istanbul World Economic Forum 8. � Debating and articulating principles, values, OECD E-Commerce Meetings 3. 1971 Annual Meetings - Davos, Ottawa Switzerland (exception NYC, 9/11) and norms of an emergent regime Invitation Only Invitation Only � Rule-making, decision-making, and ICANN Meetings Global Knowledge for Development 4. 9. enforcement 16 Meetings (From Los Angeles to Toronto Rio), 4 of them Annual Meetings, First Kuala Lumpur � Resource allocation three Annual Meetings in CA) Invitation Only Most recent in Amsterdam) Approximately four per year World Summit on Information Society 10. Geneva (2003) WTO 5. Tunisia (2005) 4 Ministerial Conferences Most recent in Doha, Qatar Members Only Moving from Pawns to Partners � Existing global governance processes not working for developing countries and civil society organizations � Louder Voices, 2003; Cogburn, 2003 � Civil society and developing countries participate in ICT policy processes with little influence � Global Contract, 2003 � Frustration with this lack of influence led to walkout at the WTO Cancun meeting � Economist , 2003 � United Nations ICT Task Force, and others, exploring opportunities to address these inequalities 2

Overview Framework for Global Governance � The World-System and the � Introduction: Moving from “Pawns” to “Partners” “ Anarchy Problematique ” � Theoretical Model of Global ICT Governance � World-System comprised of “sovereign” and “equal” nation-states � Background to the Collaboratory Concept � Also comprised of a range of important “non-state” actors � Policy Collaboratories and Capacity Development � How to achieve governance in an global system of “sovereign” and � Discussion on way forward “equal” nation-states, and amongst competing non-state interests? � Problem of international coordination and collaboration � Keohane, 1984; Axelrod, 1985; Oye, 1986; Keohane & Nye, 1989; Ostrom, 1990; and Rosenau & Czempiel, 1992 International Regime Theory Structure of International Regimes � Principles: � International Regimes � Beliefs of fact, causation and rectitude Soft emerge to fill the void � Norms: � International Organization � Standards of behavior defined in terms of rights and obligations � 1983 Special Issue on � Rules: International Regimes � Specific prescriptions or proscriptions for action Hard � Decision-Making: � Prevailing practices for making collective choices “Sets of implicit or explicit principles, norms, rules and decision-making procedures around which actors’ expectations converge in a given areas of international relations (Krasner 1983).” Examples of International Regimes Factors Eroding the Telecom Regime � Social Factors � International Shipping � New stakeholders demanding universal access and applications � Demand for Information Society applications � International Air Transport � Maximizing social welfare and benefits of GII � International Post � Political Factors � Erosion of support for international accounting rate system � International Atomic Energy & Weapons � Hegemonic dominance of the United States � International Environmental Issues � WTO Agreement on Basic Telecommunications (ABT) � Restructuring of Intelsat: International Accounting Rates � Global Commons (i.e. Seas and Space) � Global trend of liberalization and privatization � Commodities (i.e. Diamonds) � Economic Factors � Drive to harness potential of global electronic commerce � International Telecommunications � Need for Global Information Infrastructure � Maximizing the economic benefits of the GII � Technological factors � Rapid technological development (e.g. VSATs, VOIP) 3