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The wandering economist: in Amsterdam with Geoff Mulgan, in Rome with Beth Noveck

Back on the road. I ended last week with a presentation of my work at the Complex Social Networks at the European University Institute, in Florence: now I am in Berlin, to prepare the programme of WOMEX 2011.

This week I look forward to two more great opportunities for learning and exchange. On Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th I shall be in Amsterdam for the SIX Spring School on Social Innovation. I have the honor of opening the second day: my friends in SIX set up an interview session in which I am expected to talk about online public policies. They are particularly interested in the Kublai story, which illustrates the extraordinary opportunity that the social web brings to policy makers but also the challenges it poses to administrations, often procedure-oriented and not always able to keep pace with emergent network social dynamics. The interviewer will be no less than Geoff Mulgan, the thinker who is thought to have inspired the recent wave of European policy on social innovation. Formerly at the Young Foundation, Geoff was recently appointed to lead NESTA, the leading British think tank on public policy innovation. I am very curious to meet him.

On Thursday 26th I will be in Rome, at the Italian Senate, to participate in the event on Open democracy and networked government of Fondazione Zefiro (info and registration). I am really looking forward to finally meeting in person Beth Noveck, ex deputy CIO of the White House; she and I have been talking on the wire for a year now. Beth and I will deliver the two keynotes of the day.

And then back home! I wonder if Milan is still where I left it… 🙂

L’economista errante: ad Amsterdam con Geoff Mulgan, a Roma con Beth Noveck

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Sono di nuovo in viaggio. Ho finito la settimana scorsa con una presentazione del mio lavoro al corso di Complex Social Networks all’European University Institute, a Firenze: adesso sono a Berlino per preparare il programma del WOMEX 2011.

Questa settimana mi aspettano altre due belle occasioni di confronto. Martedì 24 e mercoledì 25 sarò ad Amsterdam alla SIX Spring School sull’innovazione sociale. Mi spetta l’onore di aprire la giornata di mercoledì: gli amici di SIX mi hanno organizzato un’intervista in cui parlare di politiche pubbliche online. In particolare sono interessati al caso Kublai, rappresentativo della straordinaria opportunità che l’Internet sociale offre ai policy makers ma anche delle difficoltà incontrate su questo terreno dalle amministrazioni, concentrate sulle procedure e non sempre in grado di tenere il passo con le dinamiche sociali di rete. Il mio intervistatore è un pezzo da novanta: Geoff Mulgan, l’intellettuale che sembra avere ispirato la recente attenzione della Commissione Europea al tema dell’innovazione sociale. Ex numero uno della Young Foundation, Geoff è diventato recentemente il CEO di NESTA, il principale think tank britannico sul tema dell’innovazione nelle politiche pubbliche. Sono molto curioso di conoscerlo.

Giovedì 26 sarò a Roma, al Senato della Repubblica, per partecipare all’incontro su Democrazia aperta e governo in rete della Fondazione Zefiro (info e registrazione obbligatoria). Sono molto contento di incontrare finalmente di persona Beth Noveck, l’ex vice CIO della Casa Bianca di Obama, con cui ci confrontiamo ormai da un anno. Beth e io faremo i due keynotes della giornata.

E poi a casa! Chissà se Milano è ancora al suo posto… 🙂

With Beth Noveck in Rome: parallel stories of the Wiki government

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I admire Beth Noveck‘s work, and I have been following it for years. American, NYU professor, blogger (her blog is a precious source for me), Beth is the founder of Peer to Patent, the first 2.0 project of the American Federal administration. Peer to Patent was much praised by candidate Obama; later, President Obama appointed Beth Deputy CIO to lead the White House’s Open Government initiative. In 2009 she published an excellent book, The Wiki Government, to tell the Peer to Patent story and discuss the implication of a collaborative approach to government.

My own trajectory feels a bit like a smaller scale model of Beth’s. The blog, the first 2.0 project of Italy’s central government administration, the book. We have been in conversation for about a year now: she generously contributed to my book, and even co-authored its preface. So, I am happy and proud to have the chance to work with her: we will hold the two keynote speeches in a public discussion on the Wiki government’s phase two, that of going from cool experimentation to standard work modality for government of all levels. The event will take place on May 26th in Rome, at Sala Capitolare of the Senate, and will be chaired by the Deputy Chairman of the European Parliament Gianni Pittella. At the helm of the organization is the excellent Fabio Maccione (thanks!) from Fondazione Zefiro, and you are all heartily invited. Register here. Jacket and tie are mandatory for men.