We live with uncomfortable truths and we live in uncertain times, ‘towards knowledge democracy’ asked us to examine different knowledge processes, pathways of governance and visions for the future. It wanted us to consider how many different acto…

"Diplomacy is about surviving to the next century. Politics is about surviving until Friday afternoon." Whilst this is a quote from a 1980s British sitcom called Yes Minister, it might have been taken from the session I attended on the f…

We know the world is built on uncomfortable truths, and the seminar ‘Inconvenient knowledge and Policy-making’ shone a torchlight on a truth which we all know but wish was different. From within the discussions about approaches, disciplines and in…

It’s only 11.15am as I walk into the ‘Mainstreaming Citizen Participation’ workshop, but I still eyed up the bottle of wine in the corner and rather hoped it might be lubrication for greater group participation. Alas, it was just a prop for what h…

What I love about attending international conferences is the exposure to new concepts, and one that has been buzzing about at this conference is ‘transdisciplinary approach’. Roland Scholz, the Chair of Environmental Sciences: Natural and Social S…

When I walked into the crowded grand hall, with its cedar benches and exquisite stain glass, and heard I was going to listen to Julie Klein Thompson and the testimonials, I wondered whether I had stumbled into a church with a gospel choir rather t…

Welcome, everyone, to the ‘Towards Knowledge Democracy’ conference and blog. I am Georgina and I will be blogging at this conference from 25th to 27th August 2009. We are expecting hundreds of participants and visitors, and over one hundred keynot…