Submissions/Wikireaucracy

This is an accepted submission for Wikimania 2012.

Submission no.

714

Title of the submission: Wikireaucracy

Type of submission (workshop, tutorial, panel, presentation): Presentation

Author of the submission: Chris Bronk

E-mail address: rcbronk@gmail.com

Username: metsfan86

Country of origin: USA

Affiliation, if any (organization, company etc.): Rice University

Personal homepage or blog

Abstract (at least 300 words to describe your proposal): The last decade showed that government should consider means by which information resources may be delivered to those who need them when they need them. From the policy recommendations of the 9/11 Commission to the drive for Open Government, there has been a drive to break information resources out of stovepipes and silos. Deployment of wikis has been a part of that process. Considered here are the successes and failures of the first major efforts at employing wikis for significant content management in the U.S. federal government and comparison to other wiki initiatives in government elsewhere. The talk will encompass how the peer-production model for knowledge generation provided by MediaWiki and other wiki platforms remains at odds with a hierarchical mode of day-to-day operation found in government bureaucracies. Wiki-based peer production is based on a hands-on imperative, in which those who are able to contribute do so regardless of rank or credential. This stands at odds with the compressed hierarchy of government organizations where authority is largely derived from position, grade and time-in-service. With these seemingly conflicting modes of operation, how then has the wiki taken to the bureaucracy and the other way round? Considered will be examples from the watchers of government, who use wikis to track its behavior from the outside looking in, to the entities and agencies that have adopted wiki technology to facilitate the business of government. Additionally, the presenter will discuss the relationship between Wikipedia and government wiki development and the problem of information validity between sources. Finally, a forecast for where wiki platforms may be headed in the service of government will be provided.

Track (Wikis and the Public Sector; GLAM (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums); WikiCulture and Community; Research, Analysis, and Education; Technology and Infrastructure): Wikis and the Public Sector

Length of presentation/talk (if other than 25 minutes, specify how long): 25 Minutes

Will you attend Wikimania if your submission is not accepted?: Yes

Slides or further information (optional)

Special request as to time of presentations (for example - can not present on Saturday)

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Yaron Koren (talk) 14:26, 4 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Marclaporte (talk) 05:16, 11 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Sj (talk) 01:06, 20 March 2012 (UTC) - looking forward to hearing your updated thoughts![reply]
CT Cooper · talk 20:17, 22 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Shujenchang (talk) 07:40, 26 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]
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