Information and Communication Technologies for Development

Digital technology does not shape development on its own: its effects depend on the people, institutions, and local conditions around it. Information and Communication Technologies for Development brings that social perspective to the fore through peer-reviewed research on ICT4D across the Global South.

Edited by Julian M. Bass and P. J. Wall, these proceedings collect 18 revised papers from the 16th IFIP WG 9.4 International Conference on Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries. The research ranges across regions and disciplines, making this a useful volume for readers interested in how technology is adopted, adapted, and contested in real-world development settings.

Technology in its social context

The papers examine subjects including digital platforms and gig work, open science, education and health services, inclusion and participation, business innovation, and data privacy. Together, they look beyond the promise of a new tool to consider the conditions that influence who can use it, how it is put to work, and what consequences follow.

Research across the Global South

Contributions draw on settings including Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, Palestine, Rwanda, and South Africa. This breadth offers readers varied perspectives on ICT for development rather than a single, one-size-fits-all account.

A multidisciplinary collection

Public administration, entrepreneurship, business, information systems, organization studies, philosophy, and management all inform the volume. That range makes the proceedings relevant to readers comparing approaches and methods across disciplines, as well as those seeking research grounded in specific communities and institutions.

Who may find it useful?

This collection will be of particular interest to researchers, postgraduate students, and practitioners working in ICT4D, development studies, information systems, digital policy, and the social implications of technology. Its varied case studies can also help readers place familiar debates about platforms, connectivity, and digital services in a broader development context.

Inside the ICT4D 2020 proceedings

• Peer-reviewed research selected for the 16th IFIP WG 9.4 conference
• Studies spanning digital platforms, education, health, inclusion, business innovation, and privacy
• Multidisciplinary perspectives and geographically varied case studies

For a considered view of how digital technologies meet the realities of development, these proceedings offer a wide-ranging collection of research and perspectives.