Street Epistemology International has implemented various initiatives centered on the promotion of Street Epistemology video content and stewardship of the SE brand and the SE movement. These efforts reflect SEI’s dedication to collaboration, transparency, and engaging with the community in the evolution of this approach.

14 January 2024

Greetings!

Street Epistemology International (SEI) has been approached by several individuals within and outside Street Epistemology communities who have raised concerns about the caliber of public SE video examples and other obstacles hindering the broader goals of the SE movement. These individuals care a great deal about Street Epistemology and its reputation and have shared their concerns with SEI.

It's reasonable that people are turning to SEI for insights. We recently sponsored the development of the first self-directed course on Street Epistemology, Navigating Beliefs. This course, developed and tested by a global team of dedicated volunteers skilled in Street Epistemology, offers a comprehensive definition of the approach and detailed guidance on its best practices. As a result, it's understandable for SEI to be recognized as an informed source and a credible authority in assessing SE examples.

Over the past several months the SEI Board of Directors and I have conducted many hours of honest, in-depth discussions with each other and other concerned individuals, with the goal of developing actionable solutions. While SEI has and will continue to take certain actions, we view this as the start of a broader, ongoing effort that requires collaboration beyond just the SEI Board.

We think that the evaluation of individual content creators or the quality of their contributions is something knowledgeable and motivated members of the SE community can undertake. By entrusting this role to community members, SEI can uphold its stance of impartiality regarding the diverse applications of Street Epistemology. This approach aligns with our commitment to concentrate on realizing the positive objectives outlined in SEI’s mission statement:

We are committed to addressing dysfunction in public and private discourse by encouraging rationality through civil conversation and providing people around the world with the resources needed to develop, practice, and promote Street Epistemology.

Here are some things Street Epistemology International is doing:

1. SEI is creating a SE Checklist to help people accurately identify SE conversations as defined in the self-directed course, Navigating Beliefs. This tool is not intended to rate the quality of conversations (this is a separate rubric), but rather provides a guiding framework to help people determine the degree to which a conversation is SE at all by aligning with the core features and principles of SE. We will keep you posted on the progress of the development of this important tool that will accompany Navigating Beliefs materials.
2. SEI is enhancing its playlist curation strategy to more accurately reflect the diverse approaches within Street Epistemology and more clearly partition them. This refinement aims to guide users more effectively to the playlist that best aligns with their interests and needs:
• Community-Curated Street Epistemology Videos Playlist: This Community-Curated playlist is managed by volunteers from the SE community and features videos that have been selected for their representation of Street Epistemology in accordance with the aforementioned SE Checklist or other rubrics community members develop. This playlist includes content that adheres to the basics of Street Epistemology as taught in Navigating Beliefs and is a great resource for introducing people who are new to Street Epistemology. SEI reserves the right to manage content placed in this playlist.
  Link to Playlist
• Latest Street Epistemology-Related Videos Playlist: This SEI-Curated playlist (previously known as 'SE Latest Releases') encompasses a broader range of the latest 50 videos related to Street Epistemology, regardless of quality or adherence to the method. It includes practical demonstrations of Street Epistemology, interviews, discussions, reviews, and criticisms, among other relevant formats. Excludes Experimental SE videos.
  Link to Playlist
• Street Epistemology Video of the Month Playlist: This SEI-Curated playlist (sourced from the Community-Curated Street Epistemology Videos playlist) features impactful examples. Standout videos, chosen monthly by SEI, earn the title of Video of the Month. These videos are highlighted on the homepage and Content Creators page of the SE Website. Recognized creators can add a special badge to their video thumbnail. These videos receive promotion on SEI-managed social media platforms, enhancing visibility and recognizing creators.
  Link to Playlist
• Variant Street Epistemology Videos Playlist: This SEI-Curated playlist highlights innovative variations of Street Epistemology (e.g., 'Hidden Claim SE,’ ‘The SE Survey,’ ‘Can of Words’, etc.) and showcases the evolving practices developing within SE communities. This collection is a testament to the creative adaptations of SE, offering enriching experiences for both new and seasoned practitioners. Excludes Experimental SE videos.
  Link to Playlist
• Experimental Street Epistemology Videos Playlist: This SEI-Curated playlist showcases the development of experimental forms of Street Epistemology that deviate from standard practices in the Navigating Beliefs course. It focuses on specific methodologies like ‘Spectrum SE,’ clearly differentiating them from conventional Street Epistemology content. This playlist will not be linked to from the Street Epistemology website.
• Monthly Playlists: These SEI-managed playlists maintain SEI’s commitment to the historical monthly archiving Street Epistemology-related videos, regardless of quality or degree of adherence to the method. Dating back to May 2018, this effort shows the evolution of Street Epistemology as a practice. Includes Experimental SE videos.
  Link to Playlist
3. SEI has updated its page showcasing SE Content Creators. Now, prominent playlists including the Community-Curated Street Epistemology Videos, Latest Street Epistemology-Related Videos, and Street Epistemology Video of the Month are featured at the top of this page, in that order, before listing some placeholder creators.
4. SEI will host regular online public events with people from the SE community for a free-flowing discussion. This effort is focused on enhancing transparency and community involvement and may be re-broadcasted on the Street Epistemology Podcast. Our first SEI Community Town Hall will be on 19 January 2024 at 3pm US Central on this Street Epistemology Discord server and will start with bi-monthly sessions.
5. SEI has added the following questions and answers to the FAQ page on the SE website:

Here are some things Street Epistemology Content Creators are encouraged to do:

1. Creators are encouraged to publish Street Epistemology content that is in keeping with the established practices as specified in the Navigating Beliefs course.
2. Creators are encouraged to review Street Epistemology content that is not keeping with the established practices as specified in the Navigating Beliefs course and provide constructive feedback.
3. Creators are encouraged to enhance the SE brand positively by directing their viewers and conversation partners to the Navigating Beliefs course in their videos or video descriptions.

Here are some things Street Epistemology Community Members can do:

1. Members of the SE Community are encouraged to enroll in the free Navigating Beliefs course and to invite others to take it as well.
2. Members of the SE Community can subscribe to, like, and share Street Epistemology-related content that they think is a good representation.
3. SE Community members can create rubrics for evaluating Street Epistemology content fairly and thoroughly.
4. SE Community members can volunteer to manage the Community-Curated Street Epistemology Videos Playlist.
5. SE Community members are invited to attend the various Ask Me Anything events SEI Board members participate in or join the regularly-scheduled SEI Community Town Hall.

Here are some things Street Epistemology Community Moderators can do:

1. SE Community Moderators, when meeting individuals unfamiliar with or having misconceptions about Street Epistemology, can suggest they take the free Navigating Beliefs course.
2. SE Community Moderators are welcome to attend regularly-scheduled Communities Committee Gatherings where leaders of online and in-person SE groups meet and share ideas.

Here are some things SEI President Reid Nicewonder is doing:

Reid Nicewonder, working independently and in collaboration with Peter Boghossian, focuses on improving the tone and quality of their experimental Spectrum SE content. His efforts are distinct from the broader initiatives of SEI.

Here are some things SEI Executive Director Anthony Magnabosco is doing:

As the Executive Director of SEI, I am committed to collaborating closely with the SEI Board and members of the SE community to ensure the successful implementation of the initiatives outlined in this letter, as well as the numerous other exciting projects SEI is undertaking.

I want to let you know that me and the people behind SEI are committed to enhancing Street Epistemology through these initiatives, aiming to uphold the SE brand's integrity, increase and empower community involvement, ensure transparency, and continually improve the practice.

Best regards,

Anthony Magnabosco
Executive Director, Street Epistemology International

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