Special Interest Groups


After eGovPoliNet successfully ended as a project, the policy network is continued through Special Interest Groups (SIG) within, and existing communities relevant to the domain of governance and policy modelling. A Special Interest Group is a community within a larger community with a shared interest in advancing a specific area of knowledge, learning or technology where members cooperate to affect or to produce solutions within their particular field, and may communicate, meet, and organise conferences. The SIG establishment is under the way in the following communities relevant for policy modelling:

  • The community of the International Federation for Information Processing Working Group 8.5 (IFIP WG 8.5). The International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP), Working Group (WG) 8.5 was established by IFIP in 1987. WG 8.5 conducts research on Information Systems in Public Administration. It organises working conferences and publishes books on the topic and its specific issues through IFIP. One of its main conferences is the dual IFIP EGOV and ePart conference series. Contact Marijn Janssen or Maria A. Wimmer for learning more on how to join this community.
  • A SIG group of The Association for Information Systems (AIS). AIS serves society through the advancement of knowledge and the promotion of excellence in the practice and study of information systems. AIS is the premier professional association for individuals and organisations who lead the research, teaching, practice, and study of information systems worldwide. Contact Laurence Brooks or Natasha Papazafeiropoulou for learning more on how to join this SIG on Policy Informatics.
  • A SIG group of The European Social Simulation Association (ESSA). ESSA promotes the development of social simulation research, education and application in Europe. ESSA was founded in 2003 on the basis of a manifesto signed by many social simulation researchers. These founding members also drafted a constitution which forms the basis of ESSA's constitution. ESSA grew fast, reaching around 370 members, who elect their President and the Management Committee members every two years. Contact Petra Ahrweiler or Bruce Edmonds for learning more on how to join this SIG on Policy Modelling.
  • A SIG group of the Digital Government Society (DGS). DGS is an international non-profit, professional society devoted to advancing digital government via research, policy, and best practice. DGS aims to be a global multi-disciplinary organisation of scholars and practitioners engaged in and committed to democratic digital government. DGS equips its members with a professional support network focused on both, scholarship and effective practices that nurture technical, social, and organisational transformation in the public sector. The society welcomes members from all sectors, endorses diverse, multi- and interdisciplinary research undertakings relevant to both theory and practice, and strongly encourages practitioner-researcher exchanges at local, regional, national, and international levels. Contact Theresa Pardo or Maria A. Wimmer for learning more on how to join this SIG on Policy Modelling.

 

A wider interest and linkage is also established with the following existing communities, materialisation of SIGs is however subject to further discussions:

  • The Policy Informatics Network of the Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management (APPAM). The Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) is dedicated to improving public policy and management by fostering excellence in research, analysis, and education. It runs an informal but very informative mailing list under the name "Policy Informatics Network". People meet regularly along APPAM events.
  • Complex Systems Society (CSS): The Complex Systems Society (CSS) aims to promote the development of all aspects of complex systems science in the countries of Europe, as well as the whole international scientific community. The Society focuses pure and applied complex systems research, assists and advises on problems of complex systems education, concerns itself with the broader relations of complex systems to society, fosters the interaction between complex systems scientists of different countries, establishes a sense of identity amongst complexity scientists, and represents the complexity community at all international levels. It involves a number of methods and approaches that are relevant to modelling and analysing complex policy domains.