[AISWorld] Correcting mistake - Special issue on ICT and Development - International Journal of E-Politics- Vol. 3, Issue 3

[Celia R. Livermore]

Dear colleagues, 

In a previous message about the International Journal of E-Politics' special issue on "ICT and Development" the names of the special issue editors, Antonio Diaz Andrade and Cathy Urquhart, as well as, the link to their preface have been omitted by mistake. Please see below the correct information and the links to the content of the special issue. Thanks for your understanding. Celia

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It gives me great pleasure to share with you the publication of the latest issue of the International Journal of E-Politics (IJEP) - Volume 3 Issue 3 - Special Issue on the Politics of ICT for Development edited by Antonio Diaz Andrade and Cathy Urquhart

The International Journal of E-Politics (IJEP) is an official publication of the Information Resources Management Association. It is published: quarterly in Print and Electronically by IGI Publishing, Hershey-New York, USA

ISSN: 1947-9131 EISSN: 1947-914X
www.igi-global.com/ijep

Editor-in-Chief: Celia Romm Livermore, Wayne State University, USA

GUEST EDITORIAL PREFACE

Antonio Diaz Andrade, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
Cathy Urquhart, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK

To read the preface, click on the link below, and then visit this issue of IJEP.
www.igi-global.com/IJEP 

PAPER ONE

The Role of Politics in Telecentres: Cases from South Africa

Einar Braathen (Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR), Norway)
Heidi Attwood (University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)
Julian May (University of the Western Cape, South Africa)

What has been the role of politics within and around the community telecentres (TCs)? The background is the depoliticized international discourse that has accompanied ICT4D policies. The focus is on multi-purpose TCs run by non-governmental organizations, equipped with computers and internet connectivity, tasked to implement public ICT-to-the-poor policies. Specifically, the article discusses the differences of technical-social functionality of such TCs within the same country and policy context. The assumption is that empowerment, particularly of the local operating organization and its personnel, is a key factor. The strategy is to combine stakeholder and power analysis to assess the extent of empowerment by exploring a multi-dimensional framework for understanding power relations. Four TCs in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, were studied over a two-year period of repeated visits of intensive fieldwork of participatory observation and interviews. The research found that big differences existed between the TCs in terms of empowerment. Changes in power relations are necessary, although not sufficient, conditions for a community TC to function in the way desired. Moreover, three stages of empowerment are suggested, highlighting the Operating Organization, the TC manager/staff and the TC users, respectively. The article concludes by reflecting on the analytical-theoretical framework for power relations.

To obtain a copy of the entire article, click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/article/role-politics-telecentres/67805

To read a PDF sample of this article, click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/viewtitlesample.aspx?id=67805

PAPER TWO

Using ICT to Strengthen the Voices of the ‘Poor’ Without Asking Who Will Listen

Charlotte Scarf (University of Sydney, Australia)

This paper uses a case study of the ‘Open Knowledge Network’ to explore the political value of ‘information and communication technology for development’ (ICT4D) projects that promote the creation and exchange of ‘local content’ in poor communities. These initiatives are distinguishable from the vast majority of digital content initiatives that aggregate and adapt ‘global content,’ which project implementers consider relevant to the needs of target beneficiaries. They are guided by the assumption that active participation in the Information Society is a crucial component of human development, which is closely tied to citizenship and political agency. From this starting point, ICTs are seen as political vehicles for strengthening the voices of the poor, rather than positioning them as passive recipients of mediated messages from above. This paper argues that the political value of these projects will be limited if they focus too strongly on generating local content without addressing the question of demand.

To obtain a copy of the entire article, click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/article/using-ict-strengthen-voices-poor/67806

To read a PDF sample of this article, click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/viewtitlesample.aspx?id=67806

PAPER THREE

The Effect of Politics on ICT4D: A Case of Econet Wireless’s Struggle for a License in Zimbabwe

Sam Takavarasha (University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe) 
John Makumbe (University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe)

Zimbabwe is the best contemporary example of how politics can affect economic development. Equally as significant, and yet under studied, is the effect of politics on Information and Communication Technologies for development (ICT4D). In this case study of government of Zimbabwe’s five year battle to prevent Econet Wireless from operating a mobile phone network, the authors present the fear for the conviviality of ICTs as a reason why dictatorial states often restrict free use of ICTs and how this can inhibit its role in fostering development. Using a combination of aspects of Thomas Hobbes’ political theory and Sen’s capability approach the authors show how passions like fear for the power of ICTs in private hands and the appetite for proceeds from the telecoms sector fuelled a five year legal battle that was eventually won by Econet. A framework for assessing the motives behind restrictive political action and the concomitant erosion of political freedoms which inhibits free ICT use and investment in the sector is also presented.

To obtain a copy of the entire article, click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/article/effect-politics-ict4d/67807

To read a PDF sample of this article, click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/viewtitlesample.aspx?id=67807 

Interview

Interview with Prof. Subhash Bhatnagar, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, India

Antonio Díaz Andrade (Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand)
 Cathy Urquhart (Manchester Metropolitan University, UK)


To obtain a copy of the entire article, click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/article/interview-prof-subhash-bhatnagar-indian/67808

To read a PDF sample of this article, click on the link below.
http://www.igi-global.com/viewtitlesample.aspx?id=67808


CALL FOR PAPERS

Mission of IJEP:

The mission of the International Journal of E-Politics (IJEP) is to define and expand the boundaries of e-politics as an emerging area of inter-disciplinary research and practice by assisting in the development of e-politics theories and empirical models. The journal creates a venue for empirical, theoretical, and practical scholarly work on e-politics to be published, leading to sharing of ideas between practitioners and academics in this field. IJEP contributes to the creation of a community of e-politics researchers by serving as a “hub” for related activities, such as organizing seminars and conferences on e-politics and publication of books on e-politics.

Coverage of IJEP:

The International Journal of E-Politics (IJEP) focuses on three major topic areas: the politics of information technology function and its role within organizations, the politics of virtual communities and social networking communities, and the role that electronic media plays in community activism and party politics at the local, national, and international levels. Within these major areas, specific topics of interest to be discussed in the journal include (but are not limited to) the following:

•	E-voting and electronically enabled e-government
•	Impact of globalization on the political role played by the IT unit within organizations
•	Impact of race and gender on electronically enabled political manipulations
•	Party politics and social activism
•	Politics of diffusion of change within organizations
•	Politics of social networking communities, including: learning communities, customers' communities, e-dating communities, gaming communities, support group communities, etc.
•	Politics of the IT function and role in organizations
•	Politics of virtual communities and social networking communities
•	Politics of geographically based virtual communities
•	Use of electronic media for surveillance manipulation and harassment
•	Use of electronic media in industrial and labor relations
•	Utilization of electronic media for governance and politicking at the municipal, state, national, and international levels
•	Utilization of electronic media for political debate, information sharing, political decision making, and fundraising 

Interested authors should consult the journal's manuscript submission guidelines www.igi-global.com/ijep.

All inquiries and submissions should be sent to:
Editor-in-Chief: Celia Romm Livermore at ak1667 at wayne.edu