Hands up if you are a knowledge activist

If your job or passion is to do good communications work using new technology, how do you think of yourself? Others may call you variously a blogger, online journalist, community manager, information worker, editor, researcher, even hacker. Perhaps we'll find some shared interests wearing the badge of knowledge activist.
The term has been floating around those in knowledge management interested in bottom--up systems, and the use of personal media ranging from digital cameras, mobile phones and PDAs to personal websites and the latest open source tools for activism, and technologies that will change the way we learn. It arose at a recent workshop on personal knowledge management (PKM), and there's even a Knowledge Activist's Handbook which says "The role of the knowledge activist is to be unreasonable, to identify and combine those small grains of truth that have the potential to become pearls."

At the workshop, Ton Zijlstra reports that he talked about "how PKM builds on the notion of taking responsibility for ones own life and actions. And that taking responsibility means taking an activist stance about changing your environment or your world." Lilia Efimova has a PHM diagram.
I floated the term in a question to Geoff Mulgan at the recent Tomorrow Network event. One of his ten stories about the future of electronic media was about the inadequacy of much of today's journalism. I asked whether a committed young person wishing to do something socially useful with electronic media might consider themselves a knowledge activist ... and if so was there a job in it, and where would they get advice and support? No clear answers, but enough nods around the room to make me think there might be some value in the term.
I tried it again yesterday meeting some academics to discuss a new research programme on technology and social action, and got "Aha, that's a nice one" from a couple.
I for one would certainly value a new way of describing what I do. Many years ago I could say I was a newspaper journalist, which was always understood if not always applauded. Since then I done facilitation, organisational development, and consultancy in various nonprofit fields. Not nearly as sexy, and always a puzzle to my mother who would occasionally say "well dear, I'm sure it is all very worthwhile, but how can I tell people what you do these days?"
I'm not sure knowledge activist answers that question, but it may help in finding some kindred spirits.

Comments

[Ton Zijlstra]

Hi David,

Yes, the term Knowledge Activist gets a lot of nods I think. I used it in an article I wrote, which will appear in David Gurteen's Global Knowledge Review next January, as well.

To me the term also combines nicely with what I think is still the most useful definition of knowledge for me, by Sveiby, "knowledge is the ability to act". It emphasises action, it makes it personal, and it covers the whole mix of information, experience, skills and attitudes that go into being able to act.

best,

Ton

[David Fono]

I asked whether a committed young person wishing to do something socially useful with electronic media might consider themselves a knowledge activist ... and if so was there a job in it, and where would they get advice and support?

This is the single most prevalent unanswered question in my life.

As someone who very much enjoys developing new technology as a career, but who also very socially conscious and preoccupied with activism, I am constantly searching for guidance from those who have managed to effectively combine the two ventures. And I am constantly finding that these people do not exist.

[Amy Gahran]

I had to smile when I heard you mention the term "knowledge activist." I just recently had business cards printed up with the title "info provocateur." Works for me.

- Amy Gahran
Editor, CONTENTIOUS

[Matthew Burton]

"I asked whether a committed young person wishing to do something socially useful with electronic media might consider themselves a knowledge activist ... and if so was there a job in it, and where would they get advice and support?"

It's taken me a few years to find the term that describes my ideal career. I think you just coined it. Let me know if you ever do get answers to the above questions.

[Seb Paquet]

I think these guys make a living on this... http://www.commons.ca/

[Nandita Persaud]

As a young person i have to wonder what exactly is a knowledge activist?,there's all kinds of definitions and none of which can really answer my question....but brings confusion to the mind not only to me but to my fellow colleagues as well,i hope that my problem will be eventually solved.

[citizenbfk]

I've just decided to separate my business web site and make a dedicated activist web site (the USA 2006 Elections helped inspire this). So now I'm doing: guestbooks, surveys, weblogs and a forum...I just added Gregarius, an 'RSS aggregate,' and went looking for 'feeds.'

I've added yours.

I'll stay in touch.
this has been such an avalanch of new stuff it's hard to believe....

[Lori]

I would like to call myself a knowledge activist, and I too need to find some kindred spirits.

Shameless plugs:

Pubwan scratchpad (http://scratchpad.wikia.com/wiki/Pubwan); an attempt to recruit people to volunteer information captured primarily in the course of consumer transactions.

Vagrant Netizen tribe (http://tribes.tribe.net/netizen); an attempt to attract an online community of people who rely on public access to the internet.

[David Wilcox]

Thanks Lori - I'm now thinking on the idea of social reporter