ICTs for Development blog
Catch up on the most recent posts from our Centre for Digital Development blog.
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How might we build a teacher development toolkit through culturally sensitive research practice?
taslimaivy
19 September 2023
Taslima Ivy Development research in South Asia has long been dominated by Western ways of knowledge production, leading to power imbalances and a disconnect with the very communities it aims to benefit (Khan, 2022). Western research methods often may not fully align with local knowledge systems, norms and preferences. This misalignment can potentially suppress participant … Continue reading How might we build a teacher development toolkit through culturally sensitive research practice?
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AI for (whose) good? Implications for the ICT4D community
Gianluca Iazzolino
14 September 2023
In recent years, AI for Good (AI4G) – or also AI for Social Good (AI4SG) – has become a catchy label for initiatives, gatherings and funding calls, all revolving around the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This conversation, shaped by win-win narratives on the synergies … Continue reading AI for (whose) good? Implications for the ICT4D community
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Chinese ICT firms and the spread of their soft power in Africa
hannahxiahan
31 August 2023
Does China have an African strategy? If so, what is the role played by its burgeoning ICT firms? Strides taken by Chinese national champions undertaking extraction and infrastructure projects in Africa are not short of the media spotlight and scholarly scrutiny. When talking about their venture to Africa, the experience of Chinese ICT firms has … Continue reading Chinese ICT firms and the spread of their soft power in Africa
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Are Digital Labour Platforms like Uber Significantly Different from the Traditional Taxi Industry?
danielarubayi
23 May 2023
To respond to this question, I will use three main characteristics to highlight the differences and similarities between the traditional taxi industry and the ride-hailing platform industry in Lagos, particularly regarding drivers’ experiences.[1] Vehicle Access Access to taxis such as the Yellow taxis between the 1990s to 2007, was mainly done in-person. Throughout the city, … Continue reading Are Digital Labour Platforms like Uber Significantly Different from the Traditional Taxi Industry?
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Latest Digital Development Outputs (China, Platforms, Transformation, Water) from CDD, Manchester
Richard Heeks
16 May 2023
Recent outputs – on China digital; Digital platforms; Digital transformation; Digital water – from Centre for Digital Development researchers, University of Manchester: CHINA DIGITAL “China’s Digital Expansion in the Global South: Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Agenda” by Richard Heeks, Angelica V Ospina, Christopher Foster, Ping Gao, Xia Han, Nicholas Jepson, Seth Schindler & … Continue reading Latest Digital Development Outputs (China, Platforms, Transformation, Water) from CDD, Manchester
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Five Principles for Collective Digital Sovereignty
Richard Heeks
9 May 2023
What would it mean for digital sovereignty to be collective, rather than individual or national? Digital sovereignty has been growing as a narrative, arising from the perception of a lack of control over the data, the value, the trajectories, etc of digital systems. The narrative has principally operated at two levels: the national and the … Continue reading Five Principles for Collective Digital Sovereignty
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Organisations Lead Digital Transformation for Development: So What?
Jaco Renken
17 April 2023
Organisations sit at the heart of DX4D in practice, and a better understanding of their role – their visions, the requisite competencies and the processes they follow – should be included on a future DX4D research agenda.
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Lessons for Other Countries from China’s Crackdown on Big Tech
Richard Heeks
3 April 2023
What can low- and middle-income countries learn from China’s recent approach to regulation of big tech? What Happened? China’s digital economy can be categorised into three phases[1]: a more open phase starting in the 20th century that encouraged foreign investment and collaboration; a focus on state support to build national and then global digital champions; … Continue reading Lessons for Other Countries from China’s Crackdown on Big Tech
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Why do people use and abandon smartwatch-based activity tracking functionality?
Julin Liu
2 March 2023
The activity tracking function of wearable devices is becoming more and more popular. A report from Insight indicated that 13 million wearable devices were carrying the activity tracking function, from a total of 19 million such devic [1]. It is clear from this that almost 69% of devices have the activity tracking function, which also … Continue reading Why do people use and abandon smartwatch-based activity tracking functionality?
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Can social media messaging benefit those in the Global South who are visually impaired?
Dr Chandrani Maitra
7 February 2023
Globally, 285 million people are visually impaired, a quarter of whom live in India. The disease burden results in significantly lower employment and productivity. The national blindness prevention strategy aims at eyecare promotion through health behaviour change by raising awareness. Traditionally, this strategy relies on healthcare information disseminated through radio, television, mass media campaigns, printed … Continue reading Can social media messaging benefit those in the Global South who are visually impaired?
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