When you think back on key moments in your life, what would you say has influenced your development more—special books, or special persons? When you think back on high school or college, which do you remember more—a particular class or a particular book you read? ...
Some people wonder why IF’s discussions focus on possibilities for public policy. The term “possibility” underlines the openended-ness of public policy and the reality that discussing and making public policy both require choice. Still, the real reason for...
IF’s public discussion Reports are akin to the curricular materials that all teachers rely on—with two critical differences. First, citizens--no less than experts—have a say in what IF Reports say. Second, and even more importantly, the end of IF Reports is to...
Remember the old kids’ game Truth or Consequences? IF’s exploratory discussions don’t allow participants to get off the hook by choosing one or another. On the contrary, they put participants in the position of exploring what they really believe—that’s the...
Back in March I described recruiting single individuals to IF public discussions as a “dead end.” I meant not that it couldn’t be done, but rather that IF’s experience so far is that it’s easier and more effective to work with groups that already exist in the...
In my last couple of posts, I’ve spoken about the strides IF has made in developing and testing a prototype of exploratory discussion. While we will always continue to refine our discussion process, more of our effort is being devoted these days to ensuring that...
I last wrote of the “vision” that helps me keep the IF faith going forward. Doing so got me thinking that those unfamiliar with our work might appreciate a bird’s eye view looking backward at the Foundation’s development since it started up in its present guise in...
IF discussions change those who participate in them. But some who do want to know what larger impact the discussions will have. I’ve asked myself the same question more times than I can count. The answer that keeps me going is that IF-style exploratory discussions...
IF Fellows maintain a more-or-less continual conversation about how to improve sanctuary projects so that they produce Public Discussion Reports better able to spur truly exploratory public discussions. A perennial focus of our discussions is with making sure that...
Blogging, like most forms of communication, can serve various purposes. It can contribute to both IF’s learning by doing (through recruiting, say) and teaching (by drawing attention to the lessons we have learned by doing). But it is a fundamental error to value...