Meta-communication:
[from Greek 'meta' = higher] communication
about communication: exchanging information, views, opinions about the way we
communicate in a given situation and structure. An important tool in
communication processes, particularly in groups of high diversity of language,
culture and background (see above: Watzlawick's axioms of human communication)
Conflict
"The
perceived incompatibility of goals between two or more parties" (Smith
& Mackie 1995, Glossary)
Dietz
(2001) discusses seven factors which "contribute to making environmental
problems especially contentious:
-
A muddling of facts and values
-
Facts that are uncertain
-
Values that are unformed
-
Changes that are concrete and permanent
-
Harm to innocents and inequities
-
Confusion of boundaries between the public and the private
-
A confusion of competences."
Democracy
"1.
A theory of government which, in its purest form, holds that the state should be
controlled by all the people, each sharing equally in privileges, duties, and
responsibilities and each participating in person in the government, as in the
city-states of ancient Greece. In practice, control is vested in elective
officers as representatives who may be upheld or removed by the people. 2. A
government so conducted; a state so governed; the mass of the people. 3.
Political, legal, or social equality" (Webster Dictionary 1992: 261)
"Democracy:
Etymology: Middle French democratie, from Late Latin democratia, from
Greek dEmokratia, from dEmos + -kratia –cracy. 1 a :
government by the people; especially : rule of the majority b
: a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and
exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation
usually involving periodically held free elections 2 : a political
unit that has a democratic government 3 capitalized : the
principles and policies of the Democratic party in the U.S. 4 :
the common people especially when constituting the source of political authority
5 : the absence of hereditary or arbitrary class distinctions or
privileges" (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)
"We
need to understand that there is much more to democracy than simply which
candidate or party has majority support. (…) Yes, democracy implies majority
rule. But that does not mean that minorities should be excluded from any say in
decisions. Minority views should never be silenced. The minority must always be
free to state its case, so that people can hear both sides before deciding who
is right" (UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, 2000).
"In a democracy, all power
flows from the people who are the sovereign. Democracy can therefore be truly
defined as how the common people would like to be governed, not how some people,
including elected representatives, think they should be governed" (People
First, a trust promoted by Development Alternatives, India: 'Earth Charter
Initiative').
"Democracy
is an ancient mode of societal decision making that has its roots in the
fundamental elements of human adaptation – communication and social learning.
Democracy is usually traced to the Greeks, but is actually a heritage from the
earliest human social groups. It is at the core of our cultural and biological
heritage, and was the mode of decision making for food foraging societies that
constitute 99 percent of human history. Humans have evolved to coordinate group
action by discussion and shape individual action through social learning and
reflection While the forms of democratic processes have been modified throughout
history, and must be modified again, the basic concept has very deep roots"
(Dietz 1995, xvii-xviii). (This seems to be based on a very broad understanding
of democracy – old concepts of democracy, such as the Greek, were not based on
the participation and equity of ALL, but of 'free citizens', meaning the male
'aristocracy' (no women, no slaves, etc.)
Diversity
"1.
The state of being diverse; dissimillitude. 2. Variety: a diversity of
interests" (Webster Dictionary 1992: 286)
"Diverse:
1. Differing essentially; distinct. 2. (obs.) Capable of various forms;
multiform" (Webster Dictionary 1992: 286)
"Diversity:
Synonyms variety,
diverseness, multeity, multifariousness, multiformity, multiplicity, variousness
Related Words difference, dissimilarity, distinction, divergence,
divergency, unlikeness Antonyms uniformity; identity"
(Merriem-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus)
Equity
"1.
Fairness or impartiality; justness. 2. Something that is fair or equitable. 3.
(law) a. Justice administered between litigants which is base don natural reason
or ethical judgment. b. That field of jurisprudence superseding the legal
remedies of statute law and common law when these are considered inadequate or
inflexible for the purposes of justice to the parties concerned. c. A right
recognized by a court of equity. 4. Value in excess of mortgage or other
liens." (Webster Dictionary 1992: 330)
"Etymology:
Middle English equite, from Middle French equité, from Latin aequitat-,
aequitas, from aequus equal, fair. 1 a : justice
according to natural law or right; specifically : freedom from
bias or favoritism b : something that is equitable 2 a :
a system of law originating in the English chancery and comprising a settled and
formal body of legal and procedural rules and doctrines that supplement, aid, or
override common and statute law and are designed to protect rights and enforce
duties fixed by substantive law b : trial or remedial justice
under or by the rules and doctrines of equity c : a body of legal
doctrines and rules developed to enlarge, supplement, or override a narrow rigid
system of law 3 a : a right, claim, or interest existing or valid
in equity b : the money value of a property or of an interest in a
property in excess of claims or liens against it c : a risk
interest or ownership right in property d : the common stock of a
corporation. Related Words equitableness, justness. Contrasted Words bias,
discrimination, partiality, unfairness. Antonyms inequity"
(Merriem-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus)
Norm
of equity: "The
shared view that demands that the rewards obtained by the partners in a
relationship should be proportional to their inputs" (Smith & Mackie
1995, Glossary)
Expert
"having,
involving, or displaying special skill or knowledge derived from training or
experience" (Merriem-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)
Governance
"1.
Exercise of authority; direction; control 2. manner or system of government or
regulation" (Webster Dictionary 1992: 420)
"Governance
is the sum of the many ways individuals and institutions, public and private,
manage their common affairs." (Commission on Global Governance 1995: 2)
"the
strategic guidance of a particular organisation, set of organisational
relationships or network of governmental and other institutions; governance is
thus distant from the work of governments; it is a process of strategic
oversight of organisations and of the implementation of their goals; governance
of resource management systems refers to the legal and other institutional
arrangements for setting the broad policies which regulate the use of
resources" (World
Humanity Action Trust 2000: 36)
"There
is a shift taking place in our understanding and practice of governance.
Governance used to be principally about what governments do. Today, the concept
is increasingly about balancing the roles, responsibilities, accountabilities
and capabilities of: different levels of governments – local, national,
regional and global; and different actors or sectors in society – public,
private and civil society organisations and individual citizens. Governance can
be defined as the framework through which political, economic, social and
administrative authority is exercised at local, national and international
levels. In today's world this framework consists of a wide variety of
mechanisms, processes, institutions and relationships (including partnerships)
through which individual citizens, groups and organisations can express their
interests, exercise their rights and responsibilities, and mediate their
difference" (The Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum 1996).
Inclusiveness
"Inclusive:
Synonyms all-around,
comprehensive, general, global, overall, sweeping Synonyms encyclopedic,
comprehensive" (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus)
Justice
"Etymology:
Middle English, from Old English & Old French; Old English justice, from
Old French justice, from Latin justitia, from justus. 1a:
the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial
adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or
punishments b: Judge c:
the administration of law; especially : the establishment or
determination of rights according to the rules of law or equity 2a :
the quality of being just, impartial, or fair b(1): the principle
or ideal of just dealing or right action (2): conformity to this
principle or ideal : righteousness c : the quality of
conforming to law 3: conformity to truth, fact, or reason : correctness".
Thesaurus: 1 the action, practice, or obligation of awarding
each his just due <his justice was stern but absolutely fair Synonym
equity Related Words evenness, fairness, impartiality Contrasted
Words foul play, inequity, unjustness; bias, leaning, one-sidedness,
partiality Antonyms injustice (Merriem-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
& Thesaurus)
"1.
Conformity in conduct or practices to the principles of right or of positive
law; regard for or fulfilment of obligations; rectitude; honesty. 2. The moral
principle by which actions are determined as just or unjust. 3. Adherence to
truth of fact; impartiality. 4. The rendering of what is due or merited; just
requital or consideration. 5. The quality of being just or reasonable;
rightness; equitableness. 6. A judge, a of the US Supreme Court. 7.
Administration of law; the forms and processes by which it is made effective. 8.
Right of authority. 9. (theol) One of God's attributes, by virtue of which he
wills equal laws and makes just awards. 10. Exactness or precision; justness.
(…) Synonyms: equity; fairness; faithfulness; honor; impartiality; integrity;
justness; law; lawfulness; legality; propriety; rectitude; right; righteousness;
rightfulness; truth; uprightness.(…) In its governmental relations, justice is
the giving to every person exactly what he deserves, not necessarily involving
any consideration of what any other may deserve; equity (the quality of being
equal) is giving every one as much advantage, privilege, or consideration as is
given to any other; it is that which is equally right or just to all concerned;
equity is a close synonym for fairness and impartiality, but it has a legal
precision that those words have not. In legal proceedings, the system of equity,
devised to supply the insufficiencies of law, deals with cases to which the law
by reason of its universality cannot apply. Integrity, rectitude, right,
righteousness, and virtue denote conformity of personal conduct to the moral
law, and thus necessarily include justice, which is giving others that which is
their due. Lawfulness is an ambiguous word, meaning in its narrower sense mere
legality, which may be far from justice, but in its higher sense signifying
accordance with the supreme law or right, and thus including perfect justice.
Justness refers rather to logical relations than to practical matters; as, we
speak of the justness of a statement or of a criticism." (Webster
Dictionary 1992: 532)
Leadership
"A
process in which group members are permitted to influence and motivate others to
help attain group goals" (Smith & Mackie 1995, Glossary)
"Leadership:
The office or position of a leader; guidance" (Webster Dictionary 1992:
556)
"Leader:
1. One who lads or conducts; a guide; a commander. (…) 3. That which lead, or
occupies a chief place, as the foremost horse or a team" (Webster
Dictionary 1992: 556)
"To
lead: 1. To go with or ahead of so as to show the way; guide. 2. To draw along;
guide by or as by pulling: to lead a person by the hand. 3. To serve as a
direction or route for: The path led them to the valley. 4. To cause to go in a
certain course of direction, as wire, water, etc. 5. a. to direct the affairs or
actions of (…) 7. To influence or control the opinions, thoughts, actions of;
induce. (…) 9. To begin or open: to lead a discussion. (…) 12. to act as
guide; conduct. 13. To have leadership or command; be in control" (Webster
Dictionary 1992: 556)
"Leadership:
1: the office or position of a leader 2: capacity to lead 3:
the act or an instance of leading 4: leaders " (Merriem-Webster's
Collegiate Dictionary)
"Collaborative
leadership: A style of leadership where leaders view their roles primarily as
convincing, catalyzing, and facilitating the work of others. Collaborative
leadership focuses on bringing citizens together and helping them build trust
and the skills for collaboration" (Markowitz 2000: 161).
Legitimacy
"the
quality or state of being legitimate.
legitimate:
Etymology: Middle English legitimat, from Medieval Latin legitimatus, past
participle of legitimare to legitimate, from Latin legitimus legitimate,
from leg-, lex law 1a: lawfully begotten; specifically :
born in wedlock b: having full filial rights and obligations by birth
<a legitimate child> 2: being exactly as purposed :
neither spurious nor false <legitimate grievance> <a legitimate
practitioner> 3a: accordant with law or with established legal forms
and requirements <a legitimate government> b: ruling by or
based on the strict principle of hereditary right <a legitimate
king> 4: conforming to recognized principles or accepted rules and
standards <legitimate advertising expenditure> <legitimate
inference> 5: relating to plays acted by professional actors but not
including revues, burlesque, or some forms of musical comedy <the legitimate
theater> synonym see lawful. Synonyms
LAWFUL, innocent, legal,
licit Related Word cogent, sound, valid; acknowledged, recognized;
customary, usual; natural, normal, regular, typical Antonyms illegitimate
2 Synonyms true, rightful Antonyms arbitrary"
(Merriem-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus)
"Legitimacy
is generally understood as the right to be and to do something in society – a
sense that an organization is lawful, admissible and justified in its chosen
course of action – but there are different ways to validate these things:
through representation (which usually confers to the right to participate in
decision-making), and through effectiveness (which only confers to the right to
be heard). Legitimacy in membership bodies is claimed through the normal
democratic processes of elections and formal sanctions that ensure that an
agency is representative of, and accountable to, its constituents. (…) By
contrast, non-membership NGOs define their legitimacy according to legal
compliance, effective oversight by their trustees, and recognition by other
legitimate bodies that they have valuable knowledge and skills to bring to the
table" (Edwards 2000: pp20).
Participation
"Participate:
To take part or have a share in common with others; partake.
Participatory:
Based on or involving participation, especially active, voluntary participation
in a political system" (Webster
Dictionary 1992: 708)
"1:
the act of participating 2: the state of being related to a larger
whole" (Merriem-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)
Public participation: Can
be defined as "forums for exchange that are organised for the purpose of
facilitating communication between government, citizens, stakeholders and
interest groups, and businesses regarding a specific decision or problem"
(Renn et al. 1996: 2).
Partnership
"1:
the state of being a partner: participation. 2a: a legal relation existing between two or more
persons contractually associated as joint principals in a business b: the
persons joined together in a partnership 3 : a relationship
resembling a legal partnership and usually involving close cooperation between
parties having specified and joint rights and responsibilities. Text: Synonyms
association, affiliation, alliance, cahoots, combination, conjunction,
connection, hook-up, tie-up, togetherness Related Words consociation,
fellowship" (Merriem-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus)
Responsibility
"1:
the quality or state of being responsible: as a: moral, legal, or mental
accountability b: reliability, trustworthiness 2: something for
which one is responsible: burden.
responsible: 1a:
liable to be called on to answer b(1): liable to be called to
account as the primary cause, motive, or agent <a committee responsible
for the job> (2) : being the cause or explanation <mechanical
defects were responsible for the accident> c: liable to legal
review or in case of fault to penalties 2a: able to answer for one's
conduct and obligations : trustworthy b: able to choose for
oneself between right and wrong 3: marked by or involving responsibility
or accountability <responsible financial policies> <a responsible
job> 4: politically answerable; especially : required to
submit to the electorate if defeated by the legislature -- used especially of
the British cabinet - Synonyms responsible,
answerable, accountable, amenable, liable mean subject to being held to account.
Responsible implies holding a
specific office, duty, or trust <the bureau responsible for revenue
collection>. Answerable suggests
a relation between one having a moral or legal obligation and a court or other
authority charged with oversight of its observance <an intelligence agency answerable
to Congress>. Accountable suggests
imminence of retribution for unfulfilled trust or violated obligation
<elected officials are accountable to the voters>. Amenable
and liable stress the fact of subjection to review, censure, or control
by a designated authority under certain conditions <laws are amenable to
judicial review> <not liable for the debts of the former
spouse>." (Merriem-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus)
Solidarity
"Etymology:
French solidarité, from solidaire characterized by solidarity,
from Latin solidum whole sum, from neuter of solidus solid. :
unity (as of a group or class) that produces or is based on community of
interests, objectives, and standards. (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)
Text: a feeling
of unity (as in interests, standards, and responsibilities) that binds members
of a group together <solidarity among union members is essential in
negotiations> Synonyms cohesion, solidarism, togetherness Related
Words cohesiveness; oneness, singleness, undividedness; integrity, solidity,
union, unity; esprit, esprit de corps; firmness, fixity Contrasted Words separation;
discord, dissension, schism; confusion, disorder, disorganization Antonyms division
(Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus)
Stakeholder
The
Environment Council, UK: "Stakeholder – in the wider sense of the word 'stakeholder' refers
to people who have an interest in a particular decision, either as individuals
or representatives of a group"
The
United Nations on companies' stakeholders: "Stakeholders [of the private sector] can be
identified as those individuals of groups that have an interest, or take an
interest, in the behaviour of a company both within and without the normal mode
of operation. They therefore establish what the social responsibility of the
company entails, or, at least, how they perceive it to be" (UN Secretary
General 2000: Development of Guidelines on the role and social responsibilities
of the private sector; A/AC.253/21)
The
Copenhagen Charter on companies' stakeholders: "Stakeholders are those groups of
individuals, organisations, or companies that affect and/or are affected by a
company, for example shareholders, customers/clients, employees, business
partners, NGOs, and the local community" (1999)
The
World Business Council on Sustainable Development: "The broadest definition of
‘stakeholder’ brings in anyone who affects or is affected by a company’s
operations. The key new perception is that companies need to expand the range of
interests considered in any new development from customers, shareholders,
management and employees to such people as suppliers, local communities and
pressure groups." (www.wbcsd.ch/aboutdfn.htm).
The
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): For the purpose of this Action Plan [EPA
Stakeholder Involvement Action Plan], the definition of stakeholder is very
broad, i.e. those who have a sake in EPA's decisions. It includes but is not
limited to the following categories: businesses, trade organisations,
environmental organisations, consumer and health groups, recreational and
educational groups, environmental justice groups, organised labour, federal,
state and local governments, tribes, and the general public" (ibid. 1998).
Transparency
"1:
the quality or state of being transparent 2: something transparent; especially
: a picture (as on film) viewed by light shining through it or by
projection" (Merriem-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)
Unity
"1.
The state, property, or product of being united, physically, socially, or
morally; oneness. 2. Union, as of constituent parts or elements: national unity.
3. Agreement of parts: harmonious adjustment of constituent elements; sameness
of character: the unity of two writings. 4. The fact something's being a whole
that is more than or different from its parts or their sum. 5. Singleness of
purpose or action. 6. A state of general good feeling; mutual understanding;
concord: brethren dwelling together in unity." (Webster Dictionary 1992:
1057)
"Etymology:
Middle English unite, from Middle French unité, from Latin unitat-,
unitas, from unus one -- more at ONE.
1a: the quality or state of not being multiple : oneness b(1):
a definite amount taken as one or for which 1 is made to stand in calculation
<in a table of natural sines the radius of the circle is regarded as unity>
(2) : identity element. 2a: a condition of harmony : accord
b: continuity without deviation or change (as in purpose or action) 3a:
the quality or state of being made one : unification b: a
combination or ordering of parts in a literary or artistic production that
constitutes a whole or promotes an undivided total effect; also :
the resulting singleness of effect or symmetry and consistency of style and
character 4: a totality of related parts : an entity that is a
complex or systematic whole 5: any of three principles of dramatic
structure derived by French classicists from Aristotle's Poetics and
requiring a play to have a single action represented as occurring in one place
and within one day 6 capitalized : a 20th century American
religious movement that emphasizes spiritual sources of health and prosperity.
Text: 1 the condition of being or consisting of one <unity --
the idea conveyed by whatever we visualize as one thing> Synonyms individuality,
oneness, singleness, singularity, singularness Related Words identity,
selfsameness, soleness, uniqueness, uniquity Antonyms multiplicity Synonyms
harmony,
concord, rapport Related Words agreement, identity, oneness, union;
solidarity; conformance, congruity Antonyms disunity"
(Merriem-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary & Thesaurus)
