CONTEXTThe 'nudgelbah institute' as an entity is still very much a work-in-progress. It is envisioned that the 'institute' be a CYBERplace of a kind and a rhizomic network of researchers and research networks – individuals, institutions, museums, organisations, groups, cultural producers, galleries, publishers, et al – and one devised to be:
• A vehicle through which place oriented scholarship and cultural endeavours can be acknowledged, honoured and promoted;
• A research entity that celebrates placedness, placemaking and placemarking; • An agency through which research capital can be built upon and invested in;
• A research network via which the network's cultural and scholastic collateral related to 21st Century understandings of 'place' can be exploited, built upon and published;
• A entity through which new understandings of cultural and social realities can be advanced;
• A research collective that facilitates scholarship and the publication of wide range of research outcomes, including cultural production, that belong to place and places – monographs, novels, anthologies, essays pamphlets, performances, video, exhibitions, websites, podcasts, etc.
PURPOSE, GOALS & OBJECTIVES
THE INSTITUTE'S PURPOSE FOR BEING
the nudgelbah institute was established to facilitate research, an expansive critical discourse and publication outcomes relevant to the development of more inclusive 21st Century understandings and imaginings of 'place'.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE INSTITUTE
Given that in a broad 21st C context there are evolving and new confluences that are bringing together scientific, social and cultural discourses that can be variously seen as being at the interface between social innovation, cultural production and social aspirations – science, technology and industry in other contexts. The emerging discourses related to 'place' often find themselves at the cutting edge of social development and cultural change. Against this background, and given the institute's relatively recent evolution into a more cohesive network of researchers, a projected set of goals and objectives for he nudgelbah institute might well be:
1. To engage a network of researchers and cultural producers in a critical discourse that explores the possibilities and parameters of the interfacing concepts that define and determine placedness, a sense of place, in a real world 21st C context;
2. To advocate innovative, sustainable inclusive understandings of place within interdisciplinary discourses and especially so in relation to current communication technologies, social structures and cultural practices;
3. To operate in collaboration, cooperation and alliance with like-minded individuals, institutions and groups and where appropriate under the auspices of one or more established groups that have symbiotic sets of goals and objectives;
4. To investigate the ways in which social and cultural realities in regional contexts interface with current technologies, social structures and cultural production – local and international – can;
- Relate to changing, emerging and new understandings of place; and
- Shape and/or reshape cultural and social realities in a 21st Century context.
5. To be proactive in the initiation of projects that engage researchers, innovators and cultural producers – writers, design practitioners et al – with the wider community towards developing new understandings of ‘place’ and one place’s interfaces with others in a 21st Century context;
6. To facilitate the development of new interactive networks towards the promotion of new/pioneering technologies, innovative social structures, cultural outcomes and/or community cultural enterprises informed by current circumstances that define place;
7. To be proactive in the publication and dissemination of the outcomes of individual, cooperative and collaborative research and cooperative community enterprises relevant to the institute’s raison d’être;
8. To seek funding and in-kind support for scholarship in a broad context plus projects, conferences, symposiums, seminars and education programs that advance the institute’s vision and that promotes more inclusive understandings of the layered ownerships of place.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Against the background of a world that is in the throes of dynamic socio-political change driven by the evolution of innovative technologies and the spectre of environmental degradation, an entity such as the nuldgelbah institute should focus upon and be mindful of:1. A need to proactively embrace change while being engaged with researchers and cultural producers of all kinds, and the wider community, in a critical discourse that explores the possibilities and parameters of shifting sensitivities, sensibilities and belief systems in the context of new technologies and changing ecologies in a real world 21st C context.
2. Albeit that many places are not at a point that might be described as a post-consumerist paradigm, plausibly many are on the cusp of it and thus there is a need to advocate for innovative and sustainable solutions, and more inclusive understandings/imaginings of 'place', that would fit such a circumstance.
3. Given the nature of, and the complexity of, the issues that are encompassed by the linked concepts of ‘place’ and ‘cultural change’, the most likely path to more inclusive outcomes are likely to be collaborative and cooperative.
Furthermore, there are many 'corporatised' institutions in place that are able make a contribution to the ‘discourse’ relative to place – and with the capacity to engage with groups in the wider community. Rather than add another it would seem to be more productive to work collaboratively rather than cooperatively. Given this, it is counterproductive to attempt to create yet another formal organisation.
Furthermore, there are many 'corporatised' institutions in place that are able make a contribution to the ‘discourse’ relative to place – and with the capacity to engage with groups in the wider community. Rather than add another it would seem to be more productive to work collaboratively rather than cooperatively. Given this, it is counterproductive to attempt to create yet another formal organisation.
4. Against a background where it is envisaged that there is unsustainable competition for resources, there is a need to investigate new and/or innovative ways in which place might be understood/imagined and social change – and indeed cultural production – can contribute to better, and more inclusive, (new?) understandings of the matrix of ‘ownerships’ and ‘ecological and social realities’ linked to places.
Indeed, what is at risk, given the realisation that regional resources are finite, and the opportunities to adapt to change are diminishing exponentially, is the ability to maintain a community's social and cultural well being.
Indeed, what is at risk, given the realisation that regional resources are finite, and the opportunities to adapt to change are diminishing exponentially, is the ability to maintain a community's social and cultural well being.
5. Many mainstream institutions/organisations have been established within a different paradigm to the one of dynamic change that is currently unfolding. Consequently, these 'bodies' may well have a great deal more invested in holding their position – maintaining the status quo – than they may in adapting to change let alone not being predisposed to being ‘change agents’.
Speculatively at least, and in a 21st C context, there is a need to be proactive and innovative in developing new understandings and imaginings of place. What is understood to constitute relevant research, viable social networks and relevant cultural production in the context of current, and emerging, cultural and social realities is best determined collaboratively and cooperatively.
Speculatively at least, and in a 21st C context, there is a need to be proactive and innovative in developing new understandings and imaginings of place. What is understood to constitute relevant research, viable social networks and relevant cultural production in the context of current, and emerging, cultural and social realities is best determined collaboratively and cooperatively.
6. In a 21st Century context it is clear that the status quo is no longer an ongoing and sustainable option. As was the case in the context of the Industrial Revolution where the concept of the ‘division of labour’ came to the fore and that later evolved into business concepts such as ‘vertical integration’ . These things delivered outcomes that otherwise would not have been realisable.
Against this background 'corporate cum bureaucratic ownerships' evolved and in ways that typically, and increasingly, excluded many 'cognitive owners of places' from having a say in the ways their places – places with layered ownerships attached to them – are understood and managed. This so despite the protagonists of this 'ownership paradigm' operating under the guise of 'democracy'.
Furthermore, as time passes new information technologies deliver new networking opportunities – social networks, cultural networking, financial networks – towards realising sustainable and inclusive outcomes within a ‘global’ context. Arguably, there is now a changed paradigm within which place can be reimagined.
Against this background 'corporate cum bureaucratic ownerships' evolved and in ways that typically, and increasingly, excluded many 'cognitive owners of places' from having a say in the ways their places – places with layered ownerships attached to them – are understood and managed. This so despite the protagonists of this 'ownership paradigm' operating under the guise of 'democracy'.
Furthermore, as time passes new information technologies deliver new networking opportunities – social networks, cultural networking, financial networks – towards realising sustainable and inclusive outcomes within a ‘global’ context. Arguably, there is now a changed paradigm within which place can be reimagined.
7. The key element in the effective dissemination of ideas is their publication. Until relatively recently ‘publishers’ were the gatekeepers that helped keep the control that was exercised over the flow of information and its distribution – and at times the propagation of ideas.
The interfaces between the information economy and the digital economy allow individuals, groups and institutions to be more autonomous and proactive in the publication of ideas – thus circumventing the gatekeepers. Importantly, publication can take a greater range of interfacing formats – print media, electronic media, digital media, exhibitions and dynamic interfaces between them – that can be initiated autonomously in ways that are not constrained by external gatekeepers.
This is important in regard to generating critical discourses around contested and contentious ideas. In the 21st Century the old saying ”publish or perish” has a new resonance albeit somewhat removed from exclusivity of academe’s cloisters. Indeed, all this is an indicator that at least at a subliminal level new understandings of 'ownership' are being embraced and tested.
The interfaces between the information economy and the digital economy allow individuals, groups and institutions to be more autonomous and proactive in the publication of ideas – thus circumventing the gatekeepers. Importantly, publication can take a greater range of interfacing formats – print media, electronic media, digital media, exhibitions and dynamic interfaces between them – that can be initiated autonomously in ways that are not constrained by external gatekeepers.
This is important in regard to generating critical discourses around contested and contentious ideas. In the 21st Century the old saying ”publish or perish” has a new resonance albeit somewhat removed from exclusivity of academe’s cloisters. Indeed, all this is an indicator that at least at a subliminal level new understandings of 'ownership' are being embraced and tested.
8. Notwithstanding the notion that an institute of the kind speculated upon here seeks to collaborate with kindred and networked individuals, groups, organisations and institutions, it needs to be acknowledged that it will be making demands, many times unplanned for demands, on their budgets, infrastructure and other resources.
Consequently, there will be a need to seek funding and sponsorship support for the projects initiated as a part of these collaborations. Given that there are mutual benefits to the collaborators, and very often the sponsors as well, it can be assumed, and with some safety, that funding agencies and sponsors who see advantages in supporting one collaborator will also see enhanced opportunities in supporting collaborative projects.
Consequently, there will be a need to seek funding and sponsorship support for the projects initiated as a part of these collaborations. Given that there are mutual benefits to the collaborators, and very often the sponsors as well, it can be assumed, and with some safety, that funding agencies and sponsors who see advantages in supporting one collaborator will also see enhanced opportunities in supporting collaborative projects.
STRATEGIES
Given the background and guiding principles against which the nudgelbah institute has been framed, it is anticipated that its goals and objectives can be realised:
1. By capitalising upon the established networks’ memberships and other relationships relevant to key participating collaborators. And in doing so:
• Devisie projects and programs – research, advocacy and other – that engage with a diversity of community social networks;
• Establish a ‘corporate entity/identity’ that will enable the entity to pursue collaborative research exploration of past and current understandings relevant to social cum cultural realities linked to cultural PLACEscapes;
• Devisie projects and programs – research, advocacy and other – that engage with a diversity of community social networks;
• Establish a ‘corporate entity/identity’ that will enable the entity to pursue collaborative research exploration of past and current understandings relevant to social cum cultural realities linked to cultural PLACEscapes;
and while doing these things – and in a real world 21st Century context – play an advocacy role for a broad spectrum of research networks and cultural producers engaged with the interrogation of place and placemaking.
2. It is envisaged that via various means ‘the institute’ – albeit that it may be a somewhat abstract entity – will initiate projects and programs under the aegis of networked individuals, groups, and institutions that have shared research interests in placescapes and placemaking.
3. Establish an alliance of collaborative research teams and networks under the auspices of one or more established groups, organisations or institutions that have symbiotic sets of goals and objectives to those of the institute.
By doing so, the coalition – and the teams/networks collectively – will be better placed to investigate the ways in which research, cultural production and emerging technologies can contribute to changing imperatives and shifting understandings within 21st Century cultural, social and economic realities.
By doing so, the coalition – and the teams/networks collectively – will be better placed to investigate the ways in which research, cultural production and emerging technologies can contribute to changing imperatives and shifting understandings within 21st Century cultural, social and economic realities.
4. Using the institution’s network linkages, it is anticipated that it will be possible to initiate various projects devised to engage with a diverse network of researchers and cultural producers. Consistent with this, and using the networked resources of community and institution based researchers, the diversity and cultural producers as well as the network’s infrastructure – display spaces, meeting places, publication infrastructures, etc. – new, and dynamically interactive, projects and programs will be more feasible than otherwise may be possible.
5. Fund and/or seek funding in collaboration with network members for infrastructure and facilities within the institute’s network that enhances or complements existing infrastructures and that enables the development of projects and programs in support of the institute’s raison d’être. Likewise, where appropriate, seek funding and sponsorships – cash and in-kind – for new infrastructure initiatives in collaboration/cooperation with network members.
6. Establish a publication network – hardcopy and digital – for the publication of the outcomes of individual, cooperative and collaborative research relevant to the institute’s raison d’être. Primarily publications will be directed towards disseminating information about, and the outcomes of, projects, conferences, symposiums and seminars that advance the institute’s cause.
7. Establish a curated virtual research collection and library network facilitated by a website that identifies 'place oriented' cultural production in public and private collections, and/or in daily use in public and private situations, that demonstrate the cultural and social realities and histories linked to placescapes and placemaking.
8. Facilitate the awarding of scholarships, residencies and fellowships that advance the study of regionally relevant issues and/or research focused upon the layered ownerhips to be found in, and defined by 'place'. These opportunities will be facilitated via the institute's network and ideally complemented by funding opportunities from other sources – private, corporate, institutional, national, international.
8. Facilitate the awarding of scholarships, residencies and fellowships that advance the study of regionally relevant issues and/or research focused upon the layered ownerhips to be found in, and defined by 'place'. These opportunities will be facilitated via the institute's network and ideally complemented by funding opportunities from other sources – private, corporate, institutional, national, international.
