16Jan 2014
Localism: A Policy and Enterprise Conference Melbourne, Australia, 24-25 March 2014
12:23 - By Hal Colebatch - Events
Exploring local initiatives, innovations, and decision-making and the policy and enterprise agenda to support them
Local economic development Local produce and markets Local planning and zoning Local savings and investments Transport and Infrastructure Local leadership and activism Local governance Local government
Centre for Civil Society Melbourne
Invitation to Participate in a Conference on Localism
Around the world, localism is on the rise. It is a response to globalism, the centralisation of the economy, and the sameness of cultures in mass media and mass markets. It is driven by the imperative of low-cost sustainability, the yearning for community belonging, and the connectivity brought by online technology.
Australia's tyranny of distance has been partially conquered by the internet. Small scale production and home-based industry can be connected with customers and markets without the high-cost middle men of the past. Local energy generation is becoming affordable without a centralised grid. Individual budgets in social policy allow for the design of tailored supports to fit local circumstances.
Models of local governance are emerging, complementing the formal structures of municipalities. Community-based leadership is emerging without the constraints imposed by distant and centralised political parties.
This conference aims to explore these trends and develop a policy and enterprise agenda that can support these various expressions of 'localism'. It will examine the potential of localism for renewal of economies and community belonging. It will also explore the limits of localism, and examine optimal arrangements for integration of local aspirations with state and national priorities.
Call for Contributions
Papers, discussions, and workshops are invited which examine the emergence of local initiatives, innovations and decision-making, and the policy and enterprise agenda needed to support them.
Contributions are invited which address this theme across various sectors, in both rural and regional as well as urban settings.
We are interested in:
Case studies of innovative local initiatives and ventures Case studies of innovative policy initiatives and partnerships
Localist approaches to funding and budgeting Innovations in local governance and accountability Innovations in whole-of-community problem-solving Localist applications of web2 technology Localist innovations in democracy and organisation of community voice Methods of making competition work for small communities and small businesses Localist applications of collaboration and mutualism Rediscovery of localist philosophies - communitarianism, distributism and mutualism
Expressions of interest in presenting a paper or workshop or proposal should be forwarded by 31 January 2014, in no more than 300 words, using this online form.