ICT and Development

Week 1

Uneven Development and the Origins of ICTD

What is development? In this topic we will closely reflect on the variety of ways in which development can be understood and trace the history of ICTD. While traditionally a variety of economic measurements have been used, notions of 'developed' and 'underdeveloped' places can also incorporate a range of environmental, social, and political elements. We will also engage with the objectives of ICTD. Development can be seen as a desire to bring about positive economic, social and political change in less privileged parts of the world or, alternatively, an external implementation of new forms of power relationships. Finally, we will reflect on the two forms of unevenness that drive ICT projects: (1) unevenness in 'development'; and (2) digital divides.

Week 2

Development Theory

It is important to become familiar with the variety of development theories that frame ICTD projects and plans. This topic will therefore offer a close look at some of the major movements in development. Dependency, modernisation, structuralism, socialism, neo-Marxism and neoliberalism will all be discussed within the context of international development.

Week 3

Critiques of ICTD

In recent years powerful critiques have been raised against mainstream development theory and practice. It is thus important to be aware of these alternate approaches. This topic will review the most important feminist, postcolonialist, and poststructuralist critiques. Students will be encouraged to reflect on issues of power, social inclusion and local appropriateness as they relate to a range of ICTD projects.

Week 4

Development in the Network Society

Information technologies shape economic space and are often promoted as an essential development strategy in both rich and poor countries. This topic will allow us to take a close look at the potentials for economic change in the globalised economy by focusing on digital divides, value chain disintermediation and e-commerce within the context of ICTD. The session will examine some of the dynamics of digitally driven production as well as the opportunities and tensions that arise from non-proximate interactions in order to allow us to carefully consider the various ways in which the Internet can influence the global positionalities of economic actors. Examples from both the Global North and South will be used in this session.

Week 5

Social Inclusion

There are strong links between measures of development and socially inclusive education, health and gender policies. Many of the UN's Millennium Development Goals revolve around these core issues. Technical solutions are frequently proposed to pressing education, health and gender issues, and the goal of this session will be to focus on a variety of related ICTD projects and the ways in which they can be studied. Examples will include the One Laptop Per Child Project, an Internet-based health clinic in Cambodia and e-learning tools in China. A guest speaker from one of these projects will be invited to provide further detail and answer questions. Particular attention will also be paid to methodological tools that can be employed by researchers in this field.

Week 6

Appropriate Technology in the Global South

Approximately sixty percent of people globally have access to a mobile phone, compared to only twenty-five percent that have access to the Internet. It is therefore understandable that many implementations of ICTD have moved towards the mobile devices as a platform. This session will look at some of the most effective and innovative uses of mobile devices as development tools within a broader discussion of appropriate and contextual technologies.

Week 7

ICTs and Rural Economic Development

It is often argued that distance, a lack of access to markets and an absence of economic transparency are fundamental barriers to development. This session will examine some of the ways in which ICTs can alter informal social and local information systems. Particular focus will be placed on the idea of the village telecentre (or rural kiosk), which has become a huge priority for a spectrum of development organisations and NGOs in the Global South. Dr Adel el Zaim, Head of IDRC ICT programs in Middle East and North Africa, will be a guest speaker to talk about rural ICTD projects in the Middle East.

Week 8

Open Development and Peer Production

How can the potentials of peer-production be harnessed within the contexts of development? This session will explore the ways in which openness (ie access, participation and collaboration) alter the possibilities for development. Two aspects of open development will be looked at: (1) ICT-enabled open access as an organisational and structural model; (2) open participation in development as it effects the mobilisation of resources (both human and non-human) on a global and non-proximate scale for development.