We have spoken about this briefly over the last two classes and I wanted to just add a brief example on how these four concepts are linked.

Let us imagine we are approaching the question of fishing from a “resilience” paradigm (this is a very brief overview — so please excuse the cliches). from this we can make the basic observations:

Paradigms: Resilience

1. Humans and fish are part of the same dynamic ecosystem. Our practices (fishing, conservation, pollution, etc.) are part of the actual ecosystem. Fish practices also have agency. The fish are not passive. In fact no part of the system is passive.

2. This is in contrast to a classical environmentalist perspective: Nature is something we are separate from, we need to remove or stop our interference in natural systems etc (here we are already suggesting rules).

(We could — and should say a lot more about this world view but for the sake of keeping things simple I am going to stop with these simple points)

Goals:

This will lead us to a series of goals (let us just mention a couple):

1. develop resiliency across the system.

2. give more agency to key points in the system.

3. Autonomy

Rules:

(this will lead to a number of rules):

1. Support forms of direct action: direct distribution of energy, information and matter. And consequently remove support form centralization efforts (big forms of fishing, distributing and consuming etc.)

2. Foster local networks.

3. Rapid response.

4. Stay closer to whole fish over processed.

(Now we need to consider how these ideas can become self sustaining):

Self Organization:

1. Set up new pathways to move from ocean to land based consumption. Get detailed about this. etc. etc.

Ok. Brief — but hopefully it gives one a sense about how one can quickly move between the big picture (paradigm) and actions.

All

Here are our notes for the third assignment. First some general notes: please read as much as possible from the book: “sharing the ocean”. Also please look over all of the links and pages on this blog. This is useful material. Please add and comment as you see fit etc. (this is only if you have not already done so).

Assignment #3:

An Experimental Intervention:

1. Develop an Intervention

Design an intervention based upon the research from your previous assignment. You can collaborate — if you do please utilize all parties research etc. The intervention does not need to only or narrowly focus on your original “product”. Think carefully how and where you want to intervene in a system. Be precise about this. Also be precise about the multiple possible effects. Consider a number of possibilities and then narrow them down to one type of intervention. Understand and articulate your intervention (for yourself and the class — this does not need to be directly visible in the actual intervention) in terms of these four logics (from Donella Meadows):

a. Rules: “The rules of a system define its scope, its boundaries, its degrees of freedom”. Imagine how your intervention shifts and changes rules and how something is done. Make sure your intervention takes on rules.

b. Self Organization: In this case this is the power of a system to change itself — to evolve without anyone or any organization regulating or determining these changes in advance. Consider how your intervention effects the dynamics of a system.

c. Goals: Understand the goal or goals of the system that you plan to intervene upon. Do not settle for mid-level goals but try to see what the large scale abstract goal of these systems are. Clearly articulate your new set of goals or goal and how it meets the current goals of a system.

d. Paradigms: “The mind-set out of which the system — its goals, structure, rules, delays, parameters — arises”. The unstated world view/habits that is deeply linked to our daily practices. Consider what the current paradigm or paradigms are and how you wish to shift these. Be clear.

(note: more information can be found on this in a wonderful book by Donella Meadows “Thinking in Systems” or link. Please dig deeper into systems thinking. We will be slowly folding more and more of it into the class as we go along. A good example to think of in this regards is Rosa Parks and how her act of sitting on a bus worked at all of these levels in very precise manners etc.).

2. Intervene in Two Locations

Carry out your intervention in two separate locations. These locations can be of any type — it is up to you — but they should be very distinct from each other (not simply down the block type locations…). Note: These interventions are to be fast — doable well within one week, they are tests and not masterpieces. Rough, fast and hopefully effective. That said really challange yourself — marvellous things come out of such minor shifts in systems!

3. Report

You need to prepare a careful documentation/report of your intervention. This part is really critical. The core of your documentation should be primarily diagramatic. Diagram the system that you are intervening in. Show how the rules, goals, paradigms connect to differing parts of the system. Note your possible points of intervention. Diagram in a similar manner you actual intervention — its shifts in the system. We will be utilizing this work in the next class.

Good luck and remember have fun! And call or email us with any questions etc.

Hi Everyone!

Here is the link to the powerpoint presentation for Farmed Shrimp.

http://a.parsons.edu/~reilk793/fishfutures/shrimpFarms.pptx

Also, here is the link to a great article from ORION Magazine that greatly influenced my research.

http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/4395