Network Cultures is first and foremost a network of people concerned with the relationship between local cultures and social, economic and political life. They are fieldworkers and/or academics. Network Cultures' membership comprises people from all over the world who are regularly active in the network. Among these members are the representatives of the regional bases who organise seminars and carry out or coordinate research and training in their regions: Rubem Cesar Fernandes and Andre Porto in Brazil, Siddhartha in India, Luis Lopezllera Mendez in Mexico, Badika Nsumbu Lukau in Congo, Noufissa Sbain in Morocco, Edith Sizoo, Carmelina Carracillo, Raphaël Souchier and Thierry Verhelst in Europe.

Why Culture ?

Network Culture's starting point is culture, the springboard for all human activity. It is culture that is at work in the choices human beings make, whether these choices are personal, economic, social or political. Culture gives these choices meaning. Underestimating the importance of cultural dynamics as the implicit base of all activity and ways of organising socially and economically, leads to the failure of local development projects and the weakening of large scale economic projects or programmes for political cooperation.

And to what aim ?

Network Cultures offers those who are concerned by the relationship between culture and social, economic and political life, the opportunity to explain, record and share their experiences. Embracing both practice and research, Network Cultures also enables the taking into consideration of social alternatives and different solutions people have found to face the challenges of their social and natural environment. Network Cultures' collective knowledge is passed on through its training, publications, its web site and journal. It refines its work by creating a methodology for social actors to take account of socio-cultural dynamics. Finally, it seeks ways of communicating the results of its research to major decision-makers.