Information Technology, Development, and Social Change

The speed and cost effectiveness of new information technology has prompted many to view these innovations as a panacea for social and economic development. However, such a view flies in the face of continuing inequities in education, health, food, and infrastructure. This volume explores these issues - along with questions of access, privilege, literacy, training, and the environmental and health effects of information technologies in the developing world - arguing that a higher level of development does not always result from a higher level of technologization.

Fay Patel is the Associate Director (Curriculum Planning and Student Ratings of Instruction) at Dalhousie University in Canada. Prahalad Sooknanan is an Associate Professor with approximately thirty years of experience as a teacher, academic, and practitioner in the field of Communications. Giselle Rampersad is a Senior Lecturer and Program Coordinator for the Masters and Bachelors in Business and Technology at Flinders University, Australia. Anuradha Mundkur is Associate Director of the Gender Consortium, Development Studies at Flinders University.

Foreword: Beyond the Innovation Divide Jan Servaes. Preface. Acknowledgments Part 1: Alternative Perspectives on the Diffusion of Innovations and International Development 1. Diffusing the Innovation Divide in International Development: Redressing the Injustices of Modernity Fay Patel, Giselle Rampersad and Prahalad Sooknanan 2. Reframing the Diffusion of Innovations and International Development Within a Socially Responsible, Just and Sustainable Development Perspective Fay Patel 3. Empowering Communities: A Holistic Approach for Innovation Giselle Rampersad Part 2: Innovative Technology: Impact on Developing Communities 4. Hybridizing Mainstream and Development News: A Development Perspective from Trinidad and Tobago Anil Goorahoo and Prahalad Sooknanan 5. Diffusing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Equitably Across Gendered Spaces in the 21st Century: Renegotiating the Gendered Space Fay Patel 6. Entertainment-Education (E-E) and Social Change Prahalad Sooknanan and Anil Goorahoo 7. Individual Acceptance of SMS-Based eGovernment Services: A Conceptual Model Robert Goodwin and Tony Susanto 8. The Role of Institutional Entrepreneurs in Enabling the Adoption of e-Governance Systems Anuradha Mundkur Part 3: International Development: Critical Perspectives on Health, Poverty and Environment 9. Food Security: Eliminating Global Poverty and Hunger Kiran Bains 10. The Race Towards Green Energy and Sustainable Development Prahalad Sooknanan and Anil Goorahoo 11. Indigenous Land Use and Occupancy Mapping as a Technology of Power Steven Hemming and Daryl Rigney 12. Looking Forward: Diffusing Innovations and Developing Communities with Respect, Dignity, and Justice Giselle Rampersad, Fay Patel, Prahalad Sooknanan and Anuradha Mundkur