Hivos and Kennisland co-operate in organizing the Wicked Series. In this series the objective is to learn more about the complex dynamics of wicked problems by generating new insights derived from innovatives strategies and approaches that are currently deployed and experimented with in the context of wicked problems. The Wicked Notes are a direct knowledge product of the Wicked Series and reflect on the ideas and findings generated by the members of this new network during the series. The Wicked Notes will eventually be part of a Wicked Publication, co-created by Hivos, Kennisland and the Wicked-members to share insights and ideas on the dynamics of wicked problems. http://www.kennisland.nl/filter/projecten/the-wicked-series

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THE WICKED NOTES
and
&H Expedition Log by Marlieke Kieboom & Remko Berkhout
ivos 14 November 2012, Issue 1
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MK@ AIL
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The Crisis Within the Crisis:
Innovating in a Wicked World
EXPEDITION GREECE
8 NOVEMBER, OPEN CO-OP, AMSTERDAM
It’s 6pm and the Open Coop in Amsterdam is
rapidly filling up with expedition members of
the Hivos-Kennisland ‘Wicked Series’.
Destination: Greece, the economic crisis. A
subject we read about in the newspapers every
day. But how are ordinary Greek citizens
coping with the situation on an everyday
basis? What are they doing to reshape their
society and carve out new future trajectories?
What can we learn from their experiences
about the nature of ‘wicked problems’ and
how to tackle them?
WHO ARE ON BOARD?
There are 45 of us, eager to find out. We are a
diverse group: hackers, designers,
development workers, researchers, journalists,
artists and architects and more. We mingle our
way into the room, decorated with expedition
paraphernalia. There is Greek food and two
Greek guests, Maro Pantazidou (IDS Sussex)
and Maria Bakari (SIZ, Greece), accompany
us for the evening. Maro and Maria are our
tour guides to lead us into our expedition to
Greece. Food, People, Place
and Problem made
INTRODUCTIONS TO A WICKED WORLD for an interesting
It’s a wicked world indeed, says Chris Sigaloff start of the Series
in her opening words. A world where the
complexity of major societal challenges Photographer: Marieke Wijntjes
renders
Kennisland / Hivos | Wicked Series | www.kennisland.nl / www.hivos.nl

2. THE WICKED NOTES! PAGE 2
Type to enter text
hierarchical models inadequate and linear collaborative leadership and democratic
approaches to change and innovation out of practices. Although the crisis in Greece
date. We need to move beyond ‘old’ seems to be a breeding ground for
dilemmas of bottom-up and top-down and innovative and creative approaches, the
“In a way we are
states versus markets. New guiding current complex dilemma remains. These all Greeks”
principles and methods are needed and that initiatives are small-scale and slow-paced
is what this series is all about. It is a quest while there is a strong demand for quick
that touches the core of Kennisland’ answers and big solutions.
mission for social innovation, and Hivos’
fascination and experience on supporting
citizens to tackle tough challenges in the
global south. Structural rescue programs in STRATEGIES AND PRINCIPLES
Greece must ring a bell to all of those who Based on the insights we derive from our
remember the ‘lost decade of development’ Greek colleagues, which strategies and
in Africa and Latin America less than thirty underlying working principles can we
years ago. But this is not some abstract imagine that counteract a systemic crisis? “Do we really
comparison or just another case to chew And what type of instruments would help understand the
on. This is a real-life situation in the here to propel these strategies? Five expedition
and now and Maro and Maria will share teams set out to explore and visualize. A
real reasons
some of the challenges, pains and dilemmas vibrant, messy process follows. Some behind this
that come with it. groups focus on concrete action while crisis?”
others take time to analyze and to
investigate the problem behind the
problem. All expedition members delve
WELCOME TO GREECE into whatever they have got on offer: skills,
Maro Pantazidou – who was protesting on experiences but also their personal life
the streets of Athens the night before- starts stories. What would you do if you were a
with the dry facts: continuous cuts in wages, Greek citizen longing for change? ‘In a way
pensions and public services, democratic we are all Greeks’, says one person,
processes undermined by deadlines and referring to the deteriorating labor market,
prospects of empty coffers. And yet, citizens failure of institutions and lack of grand
respond with new forms of solidarity, narratives in our own current politics. ‘Do
unruly protests and small-scale alternatives we really understand the real reasons of
of direct democratic practices. Maria this crisis?’, wonders another group. Ideas
Bakari, from the Systemic Innovation Zone, emerge, dominant concepts are being
shares her account of Greece as a potential questioned and concrete initiatives make
cradle for democratic renewal through new their way onto the paper. From concrete
Kennisland / Hivos | Wicked Series | www.kennisland.nl /www.hivos.nl

3. THE WICKED NOTES! PAGE 3
concrete initiatives make their way led and facilitated the process this
onto the paper. From concrete is also a wicked expedition, in
ICT-based solutions like a social terms of the objectives,
market place for fixing broken methodology, and logistics.
stuff and rebuilding social fabric,
to reimagining tribalism and value NEXT STOP: WICKED
systems. The outcomes are too TRANSPARENCY
scattered, but in a sense also too The Greek crisis offered an
rich to fully harvest immediately. opportunity to delve into a wicked
problem. In wicked transparency
THE CATCH we will take a look at how
After one hour time is up and economic and social change may
there is a state of energetic be catalyzed by developing tools
confusion around the room. The for democratizing information,
expedition has brought treasures, increasing transparency and
some more tangible than others, lowering the barriers for
and when we step off the boat we individuals to share their stories.
probably do so with new The outcomes of the first wicked
questions, new connections and series will be looped back into the
more confusion, but hopefully at a evening in December. To be
higher level. For those who have continued!
Kennisland/Hivos | Wicked Series | www.kennisland.nl / www.hivos.nl