In the discussion forum below we can practice self-reflection concerning the way we have defined our RC10 identity so far and whether we wont to change anything (beside "recent and coming events" part whose content necessarily changes with time) in our present answer to the question

WHO ARE WE? 

RC 10 is the Research Committee 10 on “Participation, Organisational Democracy & Self-Management” (PODS) of the International Sociological Association (ISA). It was created in 1978 originally under the name “Participation, Workers’ Control & Self-Management” (more on the origin of ISA RC10 see below). With some 300 members, it is one of the oldest and most dynamic research committees within ISA. Though it is located within a sociological association, it is not restricted to this discipline. As the name indicates, it is focussed on all aspects of participation and not on a discipline. Our present basic keywords are about Participation and …globalization, …workplace and industrial relations, …organization, …democracy, …property, …culture, …participatory research. So, scientists and practitioners from many fields and realms come together. This co-operation between theory and practice is a specific feature of RC 10. A scientific policy is carried out in order to strengthen the bridges between theoretical and empirical studies, and to find various ways to co-operate with social actors. For instance, RC10 invites them in its major events, and RC10 will contribute to the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre. Members come from all five continents, and a long term RC10 policy is implementing better linkages between colleagues from developed and developing countries. In this way, the three official languages are really used inside RC10. The basic idea for the network is to create a continuous dialogue to study and to promote PODS. This is done via: ·Regular workshops and conferences – on average 3 per year ·A number of dynamic sessions in the World Congresses of Sociology, which take place every four years ·Its subcommittees ·Common research projects ·Common publications (with an editorial scientific board) ·The newsletter and other media. Recent and coming events include: ·A workshop on “Political socialisation, participation & education in the new millennium” in Wuppertal/Germany, from 21 to 24 June 2001 (in co-operation with the International Political Science Association) ·A workshop on ‘Democracia y participación en las organizaciones en las nuevas sociedades de la informacion” by the Ibero-American subcommittee of RC 10, 27-30 June 2001, in San Juan, Argentina ·A workshop, early July 2001, in Pretoria, South Africa, together with the South African Sociological Association ·Seminars on “Participation and globalization” in the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, January 2002. ·17 sessions during the XVIthWorld Congress of Sociology “ The social world in the 21st century – ambivalent legacies and rising challenges”, in Brisbane/Australia from 7 to 13 July 2002 ·A seminar about “An evaluation of the three first World Social Forum”, in co-operation with the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), in Porto Alegre (January 2003) ·A workshop on “Teacher training & Organisational Democracy” in Prague/Czech Republic inMay 2003 ·A joint Seminar on “Participation in a global context”, with the International Institute of Sociology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijin (July 2003) ·A Seminar on “ New forms of organisation, participation and interest representation” (in co-operation with IIRA), in Berlin (September 2003) tbc.

·Seminars on “Democratic participation and participatory research”, in Tunis and Cuba (2004)
So, everybody – who shares the same academic interests, and who is striving for the same social ideas and principles– is most welcome to join this challenging network. Persons from less developed areas are especially encouraged to apply. We offer the possibility of exemption of membership fees if reasons are given for.
We look forward to welcoming you in our Committee.
Michal Palgi, Dasarath Chetty,

Emek Yezreel College andUniversity of Durban Westville,

University of Haifa, IsraelSouth-Africa

President of RC 10. Vice-President of RC 10.

palgi@research.haifa.ac.iltdchetty@pixie.udw.ac.za