Public Purpose

An Independent Advisory Company

Other Resource

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The Crisis of Democracy (Trilateral Commission, 1975)

This report from 1975 sets out a tough analysis of, and predictions for, the future of democracy in Europe, the US and Japan. Its insights and propositions are timely and apt at a time when similar discussions about the future of democracy are rising.

“The report that follows is not a pessimistic document. Its authors believe that, in a fundamental sense, the democratic systems are viable. They believe, furthermore, that democracies can work provided their publics truly understand the nature of the democratic system, and particularly if they are sensitive to the subtle interrelationships between liberty and responsibility. Their discussion of the “crisis of democracy” is designed to make democracy stronger as it grows and becomes more democratic.”



Attachments: crisis_of_democracy[1]

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The secrets of surveillance capital (Shoshana Zuboff)

An unnerving essay about the way in which “surveillance capital” works and the impacts it has on individuals and businesses. The essay grew into a compelling and controversial book

“…Google is ground zero for a wholly new subspecies of capitalism in which profits derive from the unilateral surveillance and modification of human behavior. This is a new surveillance capitalism that is unimaginable outside the inscrutable high velocity circuits of Google’s digital universe, whose signature feature is the Internet and its successors. While the world is riveted by the showdown between Apple and the FBI, the real truth is that the surveillance capabilities being developed by surveillance capitalists are the envy of every state security agency. What are the secrets of this new capitalism, how
do they produce such staggering wealth, and how can we protect ourselves from its invasive power?”



Attachments: Surveillance capitalism Shuboff March 2016

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The task of the social innovation movement (Unger; Nesta speech 2013)

One of the best, most passionate and clear-headed expositions of what social innovation could and should be as a movement for deep change in practice and institutions.

“The shared impulse of all versions and understandings of social innovation is the effort to design initiatives in a particular part of society – an organisation, a practice or an area of activity –that signal a promising path of wider social change even as they meet a pressing need….

Humanity, however, seethes, churns and searches, everywhere generating a multitude of small -scale experiments from which larger changes might begin. The world chafes, restless, under the dictatorship of no alternatives. Let this restless world find an unexpected ally in the social innovation movement.”



Attachments: Task-of-the-social-innovation-movement-Roberto-Unger[1]

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New frontiers in social innovation research (Nesta 2015)

Nesta, with Palgrave, published this recent collection of essays from a range of thinkers and practitioners about the practice and impact of social innovation.

“The definition that I have found more useful describes the field as concerned with innovations that are social
in both their ends and their means (Young Foundation, 2012). While this leaves some fuzzy edges, it captures the dual interest of the field in, on the one hand, finding better ways to meet human needs and, on the other, its interest in strengthening bonds of commitment and solidarity. It is a definition which also deliberately internalises the unavoidable tensions that are always present in any kind of social change, since all societies argue about what counts as social good or social value” (From Geoff Mulgan’s foreword)



Attachments: New-frontiers-in-social-innovation-research[1]

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What can the social and public sector learn about effective innovation from science, business and biscuits? (Chris Vanstone, The Australian Centre for Social Innovation)

Chris Vanstone is the Centre for Social Innovation’s head of design and a former commercial designer. This is a short piece pulling together some threads of his cross-boundary experience and insight into 8 factors that influence the conduct and impact of social innovation practice – rigour, process, methodology, ambition, teams, people, business models and obsession



Attachments: 160405-8-Practices-for-Chris-Vanstone[1]

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Social innovation and why it matters (Geoff Mulgan et al)

An updated version of a seminal piece of work from Geoff Mulgan and The Young Foundation setting out a detailed framing of the meaning and purpose of social innovation.

“Social innovation is not unique to the non-profit sector. it can be driven by politics and government (for example, new models of public health), markets (for example, open source software or organic food), movements (for example, fair trade), and academia (for example, pedagogical models of childcare), as well as by social enterprises (microcredit and magazines for the homeless). many of the most successful innovators have learned to operate across the boundaries between these sectors and innovation thrives best when there are effective alliances between small organisations and entrepreneurs (the ‘bees’ who are mobile, fast, and cross-pollinate) and big organisations (the ‘trees’ with roots, resilience and size) which can grow ideas to scale.”



Attachments: Social-Innovation-what-it-is-why-it-matters-how-it-can-be-accelerated-March-2007[1]