[AISWorld] CfP: The Politics of ICT for Development

[Antonio Diaz Andrade]

SPECIAL ISSUE ON: The Politics of ICT for Development for the
International Journal of e-Politics (IJEP)

SUBMISSION DUE DATE: February 1st, 2011

OBJECTIVE OF THE SPECIAL ISSUE:
When discussing information and communication technology for
development (ICT4D), information systems researchers often focus on
positive narratives of ICT4D, or alternatively discuss failures of such
projects. What is less often discussed is the political dimension—the
influence exerted on the decision-making process—of ICT4D. 

The idea of development is inherently political as it juxtaposes
privileged and deprived societies and ties them together in a
relationship. Amartya Sen, the Economics Nobel Prize laureate,
conceptualizes development as the set of capabilities that give the
individual the opportunity to be autonomousand realize the desired
condition of ultimate happiness. Among these capabilities, which
constitute an inherent attribute of freedom and become the means to
achieve development, political liberties are typically neglected,
especially in the ICT4D literature. We suggest that ICT4D may be limited
in its ability to confer political liberties, but is an inherently
political activity. Thus, in this call, we are interested both in the
political potential of ICT4D, and the need to take a more politically
informed view of the process of ICT4D at the macro and micro level.
In the main, ICT4D initiatives aim at improving people’s living
conditions by providing access to ICT tools. Avgerou (2008) talks of
three discourses that can be identified in the current literature on
ICT4D: 1) the transference of information systems knowledge from
developed economies to developing economies, 2) the social embeddedness
of information systems innovation in the context of developing countries
and 3) the information systems innovation as a transformative
socio-economic process. What is invariably intrinsic in all three of
these discourses is the political dimension. This special issue welcomes
papers that take an overtly political stance toward ICT4D. 
Topics to be discussed in this special issue include (but are not
limited to) the following:
 
·         Activism in ICT4D projects
·         Communal engagement and ICT4D
·         Critical and emancipatory perspectives on ICT4D
·         Ethical dimensions of ICT4D
·         ICT4D and the public sphere
·         Implications of existing social conditions in ICT4D projects

·         New theoretical perspectives on the politics of ICT4D
·         Pluralism in ICT4D initiatives
·         Political debates on ICT4D
·         Political properties of ICT4D projects
·         Politics of social inclusion and ICT4D
·         Politics of the ICT4D language
·         Stakeholders’ political agendas in ICT4D
 
Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit papers for this
special theme issue on The Politics of ICT4D on or beforeFebruary 1st,
2011. All submissions must be original and may not be under review by
another publication. INTERESTED AUTHORS SHOULD CONSULT THE JOURNAL’S
GUIDELINES FOR MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSIONS at
http://www.igi-global.com/development/author_info/guidelines
submission.pdf (
http://www.igi-global.com/development/author_info/guidelines%20submission.pdf
). All submitted papers will be reviewed on a double-blind, peer review
basis. Papers must follow APA style for reference citations.
 
The International Journal of e-Politics (IJEP) establishes the
foundations of e-politics as an emerging interdisciplinary area of
research and practice, as well as offers a venue for publications that
focus on theories and empirical research on the manifestations of
e-politics in various contexts and environments. This journal
encompasses diverse aspects of e-politics, including: strategy,
e-commerce, decision sciences, marketing, economics, psychology,
sociology, anthropology, media studies, communication studies, women
studies, black studies, political science, philosophy, law, criminology,
and ethics. 
 
This journal is an official publication of the Information Resources
Management Association www.igi-global.com/ijep. 
Editor-in-Chief:Celia Romm Livermore, Wayne State University, USA
Published:Quarterly (both in Print and Electronic form)

 
All submissions should be should be directed to the attention of:

Antonio Díaz Andrade (antonio.diaz at aut.ac.nz) 
Cathy Urquhart (c.urquhart at mmu.ac.uk) 
Guest Editors
International Journal of e-Politics
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