Resources from the International Center for Self-Governance


The International Center for Self-Governance (ICSG) is a program of the Institute for Contemporary Studies (ICS), a public policy research institution based in San Francisco. ICSG is "dedicated to promoting self-governing and entrepreneurial ways of life. ICSG works to encourage individuals and groups at all levels of society to organize themselves, set their own rules, pool their talents, and manage their own resources in order to enhance their own and their nations’ well-being."

ICSG periodically conducts Self-Governance and Entrepreneurship Workshops in different world regions and publishes a variety of books and training materials. It also publishes a quarterly newsletter, Self-Governance, which is available free of charge to those requesting it. Among the books and training materials ICSG has published are the following:

Ostrom, Vincent. "The Meaning of American Federalism: Constituting a Self-Governing Society" 1994. 301 pp. Paper, $14.95.

A Polish edition is available from:

PPA Publishing House
Pracownia Wydawnicza
ul. Kolobrezeska 11/5
10-444 Olsztyn, Poland

Arena Publishing House last year produced a Russian edition which can be purchased either at Dom Knigi on Novii Arbat in Moscow, or by contacting:

Dr. Alexander Obolonsky
Institute of State and Law of the
Russian Academy of Science
ul. Znamenka 10
119841 Moscow, Russia
Tel. (095) 291-34-90
Fax (095) 291-85-71

Self-Governing and Entrepreneurial Solutions: A Handbook Contains "the intellectual foundation and core ideas on which ICSG’s program is built." 46 pp. Single copies free.

Introduction to Self-Governance These ICSG training materials consist of a Facilitator Guide, a Participant Workbook, and a Transparencies Packet. They are designed for a three-day training session in which "participants work together in small groups to discuss and resolve common issues that take place when establishing the principles of self-governance within their community." The Workbook contains a set of exercises that apply ideas to a real-life project. The Center also offers a 30-minute video, Making Self-Governance Work, which can be used as part of the workshop or on a stand-alone basis. Call Mary Jennings at extension 228 on the ICS telephone number below for further information on these materials.

Himmelfarb, Gertrude. On Liberty and Liberalism: The Case of John Stuart Mill $10.95. Also available in a Bulgarian edition from:

Ognian Shentov
Center for the Study of Democracy
1 Lazar Stanev Street
1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Tel: (3592) 72-05-09
Fax: 70-10-23

Nisbet, Robert. "The Quest for Community" $10.95. Also available in Bulgarian from address above.

Wilson, James Q. "The Moral Sense" A case for the existence of an inborn moral sense in human beings, based on evidence from animal behavior, anthropology, biology, brain science, genetics, education and psychology. $22.95 hardcover. 315 pp.

For further information about ICSG resources, contact:

Ray Rifenburg, Director
International Center for Self-Governance
Institute for Contemporary Studies
720 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Tel: (415) 981-5353
Fax: (415) 986-4878

This article is from the January 1995 issue of
Civil Society ... East and West

For more information or to order a subscription, see our publications page.

The URL for this page is: http://solar.rtd.utk.edu/~ccsi/csew/95-01/icsg.htm
Last updated: March 28 1996

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