2. Oekonux-Konferenz
1.-3. November 2002
Technische Universität Berlin
Project Oekonux
Since July 1999 the Project Oekonux (http://www.oekonux.org
) has dealt with the question, whether and to what extent the principles of the development of Free Software - valuelessness, individual self-unfolding, collective self-organization, and global networking - can give crucial impulses for a new society.
Day by day Free Software practices a new model of production. We think about the question of whether this model can be transferred to other fields of society, or, respectively, study examples where it has - in rudimentary form - already been transferred.
On this basis utopian thoughts are discussed, including thinking about possible forms of organization of a society, in which individual and collective self-unfolding is the main source of societal productivity, and thus as a perspective abolishes the current form of economy based on wage labor, money, and exchange. In these reasonings the way of production of Free Software is the germ form of a model of a society based on voluntary and self-organized cooperation. An alternative view held by some in the project is that Free Software is a text book example of a working self-organization.
The discussions in the project are underpinned by an exact observation of the current developments in the Free Software sector and other fields, which try to transfer their principles. This includes critical voices inside and outside of the project.
The Conference (http://second.oekonux-conference.org)
Contributions to the conference can come from a wide spectrum, but should make clear their relation to the principles of Free Software laid out above.
This will be the second conference of this kind. The first one took place in April 2001 in Dortmund and was very successful. It is documented extensively under http://erste.oekonux-konferenz.de. Discussions which started there in the meantime have been deepened and of course can be continued in the second conference.
Contributions from the following fields are appreciated:
Free Software
-
Experiences from projects, success stories, but also conflicts, contradictions (for example making money vs. self-unfolding, wage labor vs. Free Doing, etc.) as well as studies about the phenomenon of Free Software
Transfer of the principles of Free Software
-
Presentation of projects or only thoughts, which transfer the principles of the development of Free Software to other fields of human life or the roots of these principles in older systems (science, art, ...)
Technological development
-
Examples of open and cooperative development of technology, how does sustainable technology without domination look like and how can it be developed. What significance do Free Standards have? What may such a technological development mean for ecological questions?
Alternative or anti-economy
-
Theoretical models of the abolition of exchange, labor, and money, practical experiences in projects, contradictions of theory and practice
Science
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Scientific researches about the changes in the world of labor with a perspective on the abolition of the labor society
Politics
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Thoughts from the sector of political organizations regarding Free Software, their principles or the relation between state and Free Software
Culture
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Free Music and Free Formats, experiences and projects, new developments in different fields of culture, Free Encyclopedias, ...
Subjectivity
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The new role of subjectivity, acting differently in Free Projects, self-organization and self-unfolding, theoretical reflections and practical experiences
Power, domination, and liberation
-
During the last year these issues and their relation to Free Software have been a very controversial field in the project. Is there power or even domination in Free Software? How does Free Software relate to the concept of free cooperation? Free Software and patriarchy?
Free Software, globalization and value criticism
-
How do the theories discussed in the project relate to the currently hot debated other critical theories (Empire, Krisis, ...). What do our discussions have to to with globalization?
How can Oekonux become practical?
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Interesting are ideas for concrete projects, which try to practice our ideas. Free Licenses for other fields, gratis shops, ...
The planned conference shall give room to bundle, collectively re-discuss and make fruitful for all, thoughts which developed in different places independently. Besides getting to know one other in talks and workshops the respective current state of the discussion shall be presented.
Speakers wanted
People interested in giving a talk or preparing a workshop please submit a short outline of their intentions to Project Oekonux
.
Deadline for outlines for a talk or a workshop is
1. September 2002
Decision about the chosen contributions is until 15. September 2002.
The conference languages are German and English. Translators are needed!
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