Considerations of focus: vital distinctions

Proposal for an Exploratory International Conference (Part #3)

For any such event to be of significance to policy-making, there is a need to clarify functional emphases. There is a trap in emphasizing "performance" of pre-prepared works, whether from the arts or as a presentation of policy-papers. But such performance may be important to those coming from such opposing sectors and to demonstrate that they have not lost their relationship to them. Performance may offer illustrative insight as examples.

The principal concern would however be how to create an environment in which insights from poetry-making and policy- making could be fruitfully shared. For the breakthroughs required, the emphasis should NOT be on existing works of art or policy but rather on the cognitive and other processes through which they take form. An important focus is therefore on the art, or aesthetics, of policy-making.

This central focus would naturally be challenging to both poets and policy-makers. It possible that the insights sought could only come through the exclusion of poets and policy-makers in their formal capacity and with their respective needs to perform. The event might however provide for other sessions in which each was allowed to engage in activities in which they were less challenged by the other. And indeed there will be many who will find such sessions or conference tracks to be of greater significance in terms of their existing paradigms.

In discussing the design of the event, it would be important to maintain the distinction between the following, with a view to de-emphasizing (or even rigorously excluding) some:

Marriage of Poetry-making and Policy-making: Nature of the cognitive marriage through which the insights of poetry-making enrich those of policy-making -- RECOMMENDED PRIMARY FOCUS
Poetry deploring Policy: As in liberation poetry, protest poetry, and poetry focusing on human rights and unfulfilled aspirations.
Poetry extolling Policy: Poetry praising policy, as in socialist poetry (such as under Communism).
Poetry accompanying Policy: Use of poetry to decorate or enhance a policy occasion: UN symphony orchestra, Clinton inaugural, poet laureate
Poetic illustration of Policy: Use of poetic illustrations within formal speeches; illustrative poetic metaphor; memorable phrases (cf Wit and Wisdom of the United Nations)
Poetry of Politicians: Policy-makers who are privately interested in poetry, but who do not necessarily bring poetry into their policy-making activity. Poetry as a vehicle for reflection of policy by politicians.
Poetic articulation of Policy: Characteristic of some sophisticated traditional systems (Mandarin China; Vedas).
Poetry as an education for Policy-making: Poetry seen as an essential reparation for policy-making (Oxford University tradition; Mandarin China)
Policy-making concerning Poetry: Administrative concern with the administration of cultural policy and the arts.
Policy for the use of Poetry: Deliberate and skilful use of poetry by policy-makers to promote policies: propaganda.
Policy for the development of Poetry: Cultural development programmes for the preservation of ethnic or national identity (eg Celtic poetry)
Policy enhanced Poetry: War poetry (Serbia); martial (battle) music.