Towards Liberating Voices 2.0
Abstract
At PDC 2002 in Malmo, Sweden, I presented a vision of a broad participatory project to create a "pattern language" that would encourage and foster the creation of new information and communication systems to empower civil society and encourage positive social change. Although these systems can't solve problems by themselves, it is impossible to imagine any coordinated approach to social change without them. The project was called "Liberating Voices" for two reasons: It describes "voices" that are being sounded that are helping to liberate people and it raises the idea that working together towards the liberation of all voices worldwide is important. In 2008, the goal of positive social change is still primary -- and, indeed, has more urgency now. Since the publication of the Liberating Voices pattern language [9] represents a single milestone of a broader vision rather than the culmination, I would like to invite the participatory design community to advise and critique the ideas that the organizers are contemplating as the project moves forward. We now have an excellent opportunity to take stock of where we are, evaluate our opportunities, and make decisions about next steps.
