I-development not e-development: Special issue on ICTs and development

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Abstract

Arrival of the Internet in the late 1990s as a 'global' phenomenon has sparked many changes. One has been a change in terminology. Where before we talked simply of information technology (IT), we now talk of information and communication technology (ICT). This reflects the convergence of digital computing and telecommunications. Computers were largely focused on the processing of information. ICTs undertake both processing and communication of information, with recent interest tending to highlight the latter. These changes have also affected development, e-Development-use of electronic ICTs like the Internet to support development-has arrived. Donors, attracted by a combination of the hype and hope generated by ICTs, have altered their funding priorities and pushed ICTs up the development agenda. Within that agenda has begun to appear the idea that ICTs lead to the 'death of distance', create a 'level playing field' in which the small and the new compete on equal terms with the large and the well-established, and permit leapfrogging to an 'information economy'. If ICTs are thus seen as critical to development, then great concern must be expressed about those who lack access to ICTs. This current collection of papers-aims to move beyond the current enthusiasm for derivative description and technological determinism. It aims to introduce a deeper and more balanced understanding of the relationship between ICTs and development.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-11
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of International Development
Volume14
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2002

Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms

  • Global Development Institute

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