Abstract
The authors listed above and a few others met during the 2009 Public Administration Theory Network Conference, as part of the Open Space Technology process, to talk about what the new Obama administration might mean for public administration theory. Open Space Technology is a self-organizing process where participants set their own agenda to discuss complex topics of interest (see Stout & Bryer, 2009. This essay summarizes our conversation and presents some ideas for moving forward public administration theory). The group generally had a sense of hope about the future of public administration within this new Obama era. The Obama administration has brought a new appreciation for government and the public service and also recognizes that markets do not solve all of our problems. In his inaugural speech, President Obama called for “the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves.” He went on to note that: For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job, which sees us through our darkest hours. It is