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Monday, 27 November, 2023 - 17:46
Introduction The growth in the popularity of the internet around the world, as evidenced by growing user numbers, particularly in Africa, has enabled citizens to harness its power as a tool of agency, creating new global and transnational spaces for civic participation, advocacy, and social change. Digital technologies have become crucial tools for African citizens to highlight concerns, claim rights, and demand social justice. At the centre of this digital transformation are two key and interconnected concepts: (i) digital citizenship to claim rights; and (ii) digital solidarity to act collectively to secure social change. These twin concepts highlight that citizens exercise their rights and collectively support each other in the digital realm. This post reflects on how these two concepts manifest in the African context and how they are shaping the continent’s socio-political landscape. Building on our previous conceptualization of digital... |
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Podcast with Serena Natile |
In this episode of the IDS Between the Lines podcast, I speak to Serena Natile to discuss her book, 'The Exclusionary Politics of Digital Financial Inclusion: mobile money, gendered walls', in which she uses the example of Kenya's extremely popular mPesa programme to critique mobile money more generally as part of a historical succession of finance solutionism. |
Covid-19: how can we avoid locking in bad digital development outcomes? |
Co-authored with Becky Faith and first published here by the Institute of Development Studies. |
Rebooting the Principles of Digital Development |
The Principles for Digital Development were written in 2012 by a group of international donors and multilateral organisations. They are a great point of reference to guide practitioners applying digital technologies to development programs. |
Tackling Toxic Masculinity in Technology Workplaces |
Toxic masculinity and everyday sexism create a hostile environment for women in technology workplaces and in online spaces. In an increasingly digital world the male-domination of technology design, software production, and digital content is a serious problem that demands urgent remedy.
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Top Ten Books on Digital Development |
Following a popular Twitter Thread I wrote on this subject recently, I thought it might be useful to have these all in one place.
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Digital Development: what's in a name? |
Richard Heeks recently asked whether the emerging relationship between digital technology and international development should be referred to as "Digital Development" or "Digital-for-Development". I use these two terms to refer to different things.
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Ten Rules of Technology |
Nothing is more practical than rules to guide thinking. In this post I share the ten rules I use to think about technology and society. Personally I use them as tools to filter the hype that surrounds technology and to get to the critical questions of who benefits and loses, as well as what needs to be done to secure a more equitable society. |
Podcast with Nanjala Nyabola |
In this episode of of the IDS "Between The Lines", podcast I spoke to Kenyan journalist and political analyst Nanjala Nyabola, about her book ‘Digital Democracy, Analogue Politics: How the Internet Era is Transforming Politics in Kenya’. The book focuses on how social media has impacted Kenyan politics both positively and negatively, and the consequences for democracy. |
Digital Imperialism & How We Tackle It |
I recently ran a session on Digital Development here at IDS for staff from two bilateral donors. |
Class Divisions in Technology Access |
Mobile internet use in the Philippines is growing rapidly, but so are associated digital inequalities. |
Digital Technology Excludes |
This month I have been in the Philippines researching participatory technology initiatives designed to include Filipino citizens in participatory governance programmes.
Perversely I came back more concerned about the ways that digital technologies exclude the most marginalised. In this post I explain the reasons why.
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ICT4D Conference Calendar 2018 |
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