As this exercise comes to a close, we would like to thank you for reading and for the great comments you made, which helped us with our own reflections and let us see things through your eyes.
We would also like take a moment for a few final reflections:
The blog exercise was interesting and challenging. While we faced some difficulties we came together as a group, working hand in hand, helping each other. We learned new things about ICT4D topics, our classmates, team members and ourselves.
As you know our blog “Spotlight on Development” focused on how ICT4D impacts development professionals, their work and those whom they are trying to help. We chose this topic in part because we all felt that it is good to stop from time to time and evaluate what you have been doing, where you have been going and where you are heading. Through this exercise we managed to do just that, it has been a great and fun learning experience and we hope that you enjoyed it too!
We wish you all the best for the future, stay healthy, safe and reflective!
A blogcast. Listen and read along as Cara-Marie Findlay reads her third and final individual blog post.
Introduction
In my first blog post, I briefly touched on how new media— like social media —is helping to facilitate overdue discussions on racism and decolonisation within Development. As an example of how new digital media can help to facilitate discussions in general, I engaged my fellow practitioners by posing a question about motivation in different online practitioner groups. For my second post, I shared the answers of colleagues from around the world, and linked them to the Time to Decolonise Aid report published earlier this year.
In this post, I discuss three ways new media contributes to the discussion around decolonising development: circulation of pertinent information through blogs and websites; community building through “writing back” on social media; and encouraging on-going dialogue about Development news and updates. In the following paragraphs, I share specific examples of each of the three contributions. I include a brief look at some of the limitations of new media in the decolonising development discourse. Finally, I conclude with my own reflections on my experience writing this blog series.
Key Assertions
In the context of this post, new media, refers to the “decentralization of channels for the distribution of messages…an increase in the options for audience members to become involved in the communication process, often entailing an interactive form of communication; and an increase in the degree of flexibility for determining the form and content through the digitization of messages” (McQuail, 1994 as referenced in Lievrouw & Livingstone 2002, p. 3). While decolonising development speaks to “the process of deconstructing colonial ideologies regarding the superiority and privilege of Western [or Eurocentric] thought and approaches” (Peace Direct, 2021, p. 13).
Before going any further, it is important to note that as practitioners we are “doing development in an increasingly digitalised context,” or to state it another way, we are engaged in “Development in a Digital World” (Roberts, 2019). What does that mean? It means, in our current setting, many aspects of social and economic life have become datafied—from social interaction to shopping habits—and it would be remiss of us to ignore the consequences this has for international development.
Three Contributions
Circulation of Pertinent Information
One of the consequences of doing Development in a Digital World is an added digital layer to humanitarian work. Mark Duffield refers to this digital layer as “cyber-humanitarianism” or “the increasing reliance [on] remote and smart [inter]Net-based technologies” (Duffield, 2013, p. 4) for the delivery of, and access to, Development aid. Technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality are rapidly reshaping the humanitarian space. Thus, Development agencies and practitioners need to understand the trends, emerging issues, and potential harm we are buying into.
Fortunately, new media, such as blogs and websites, can offer a way to circulate pertinent information that looks critically at these emerging issues. Including, how cyber-humanitarian technology can, and has, helped to re-entrench neocolonial ideas in Development (e.g. modernisation). Blogs and websites also offer the possibility for significantly increasing the reach of the writer and/or publisher, thus attracting a wider audience.
For example, U.S. media watch group FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting) has been around since 1986. FAIR’s weekly radio show CounterSpin has addressed topics such as racism and technology. ‘Black Communities Are Already Living in a Tech Dystopia’ is a Counterspin episode that featured an interview with Ruha Benjamin, the author of Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code. In the interview, Benjamin articulates that technology “is not, in fact, objective in the way we are being socialized to believe” (Jackson, 2019). A view that challenges the prevailing Western ideology that technology is neutral, and an important fact for us to consider as practitioners engaged in cyber-humanitarian work.
FAIR’s website makes it easy to find and listen to previous episodes, including the one aforementioned; and for those who would rather read than listen, FAIR includes a typed transcript of the interview on the episode’s webpage. The FAIR website makes it convenient to share an episode’s page on social media or to email it. It is safe to assume that without a website, an email list, and shares on social media, FAIR would not be able to reach “an international network of over 50,000 activists” (FAIR, n.d.). New media has made it possible to amplify and circulate serious points, such as “how the implicit biases of the larger society can affect technological outputs” (Findlay, 2021). In turn, amplifying and circulating questions around the effectiveness of cyber-humanitarianism; and the need to decolonise our understanding and use of ICT4D (information communication technology for development). New media also made it possible for a U.S. organisation to reach an international audience.
Community Building on Social Media
New Media (particularly, social media) also presents an opportunity for virtual communities to be formed around the postcolonial concept of “writing back;” that is “responding to colonial legacies [or] challenging colonial cultural attitudes” (McEwan, 2019, p. 31). New media allows people situated in the Global South, who are often “rendered voiceless” to “write back back from the margins” (McEwan, 2019, pp. 22, 57) and contest the ‘lingering and debilitating modes of thought and action’ in Development (Myers, 2006 as quoted in McEwan, 2019, p. 33). Modes that would silence or ignore the experiences of those who were previously colonised, and who are now receiving Development assistance from primarily Western humanitarian agencies.
These virtual communities may come in different forms. For example, there is the Black Women in Development Facebook group, which allows Black women from around the world to share their Development experiences (the good, the bad, and the ugly) while also enabling them to be a resource to one another (e.g. sharing job opportunities, offering advice, etc.).
Another example of a virtual community centered around writing back is the No White Saviors (NWS) instagram page. NWS is an advocacy campaign, led by four women (three are native Ugandans, the other is described as a “white savior in recovery”), dedicated to directing the Development and Aid sectors towards an anti-racist future. NWS uses their instagram platform in particular to: highlight problematic examples of Development and aid practice; issue calls to take online and offline action; and to spotlight and support those they believe are doing Development right. Their instagram posts often feature long captions explaining the significance of the corresponding image and a call to action urging their community of 877K followers to respond to the post in some way. As in real life, people who are a part of, or who visit, this virtual NWS community “use words on screens [i.e. their comments on a NWS post] to exchange pleasantries and argue, engage in intellectual discourse…exchange knowledge, share emotional support, make plans, brainstorm” etc. (Rheingold, 1993 as quoted in Lievrouw & Livingstone 2002, p. 7). The NWS instagram community has united people who are physically separated (many situated in the Global South and many in the Global North as well) around the common belief that the Development sector needs to be decolonised and reformed to ensure a better, more equitable, Development.
Encouraging On-going Dialogue
Another way new media contributes to the discourse of decolonising development is through its ability to generate dialogue and offer audience members an opportunity to react and respond in their own time. Sometimes these responses are close to real-time (for example, replying to breaking news on Twitter); and other times these responses may come weeks, months, or even years laters (for example, leaving a comment on an older blog post or online news article).
New media has made it easier for anyone with access to the internet to collect, disseminate, and react to news; in this case, news regarding racism in the Development sector. For example, in September 2020, The New Humanitarian published an article, “Readers React | Racism in the Aid Sector and the Way Forward” composed almost entirely of reader comments to a series of different New Humanitarian articles on “how the Black Lives Matter movement is reverberating through the aid sector.” The Readers React article shared aid worker/Development practitioner experiences of racism in their humanitarian work, in their own words. The article also includes a link to a Google form where readers can continue to add and share their own experiences with racism within the sector, even today, more than a year later. It is important to note that the series of #BlackLivesMatter articles launched by The New Humanitarian in June was in direct response to the murder of George Floyd in the U.S. which sparked racial justice protests around the world.
Limitations of New Media
While new media has, and can, contribute to the decolonising Development discourse it also has its limitations. These limitations include the circulation of fake news or other inaccurate information, and the censorship (or “shadowbanning” – blocking a social media account’s content so that it is less prominent or visible to others) of voices that diverge from dominant Development discourses.
Additionally, the ease of which a user can choose to engage (or not engage) in a virtual community is also a reason virtual communities must be considered more unstable than “‘real-life’ or offline communities;” since “individuals [and organisations and campaigns like NWS] can become active and prominent quickly, and just as quickly disappear altogether” (Lievrouw & Livingstone 2002, p. 7).
Furthermore, it is still unclear how much influence new media has (if any) on the existing levers of power in Development—policy, practice, and scholarship.
To quote one of my professors, Tobias Denskus, and his esteemed colleague Andrea Papan:
“There is little evidence that blogging and its learning processes influence macro-policy making [in Development]. Organisational rituals and artefacts such as global summits, policy papers, and the powerful role of international organisations in research, policy, and practice still shape the [dominant] discourse[s]. Blogs can help to expose these rituals and continue to work towards an alternative virtual learning space that reflects new and diverse voices…and can help introduce reflexive writing to more people.” (Denskus & Papan, 2013, p. 466).
Though this quote is in reference to blogging, the sentiment can be applied to all forms of new media.
Another clear limitation is the lack of access to new media for peoples in the Global South. Many individuals situated in the Global South still do not have access to an affordable or stable internet connection that would allow them to engage and participate in these forums, which limits their important and needed contributions to the discourse on decolonising development.
Conclusion
This blog series has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of how useful a tool new media can be in adding to the discourse around decolonising development. Interestingly enough, new media is a term that has been used since the 1960s and 1970s by researchers investigating the implications of information and communication technologies (Lievrouw & Livingstone 2002, p. 2). And the Eurocentric thought and approaches that have led to, and invisibilised, racism within the sector is as old as Development itself. Thus, for me, questions still remain. Is new media capable of influencing transformative change within the sector? If yes, then how? Especially, when one of the key features of new media is the decentralisation of channels. The levers of power within development remain very much centralised and entrenched within the Global North. Since this is the case, as practitioners we must seriously question whether those who are currently at the helm of these levers of power even desire to see decolonial transformation within the sector. More than that, as practitioners, we must ask ourselves if we truly desire a decolonised Development which may in turn oust us from being positioned as “experts”.
As previously mentioned in an earlier post, I started a consulting company to help ensure that more underrepresented and impacted peoples would be able to participate in the Development dialogue and process taking place. Thus,although this academic exercise is coming to an end, I (along with my colleagues at my consulting firm) will continue to explore these critical questions and engage the broader public on topics in Development through the company blog.
My hope is that as practitioners we will continue to engage in reflexive practice and create space for, and embrace, difference within this field. Only when we take into account and value our different experiences and ways of knowing, will we be able to truly come together and discover the best and most effective ways to solve the world’s biggest challenges.
References
Denskus, T. & Papan, A. (2013): Reflexive engagements: the international development blogging evolution and its challenges, Development in Practice 23:4, 435-447.
Duffield, M. (2013). Disaster-resilience in the network age: Access-denial and the rise of cyber-humanitarianism (DIIS Working Paper 2013:23). Copenhagen: Danish Institute of International Studies (DIIS). Retrieved from: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/122292/1/782863604.pdf
Findlay, C. (2021). On C.L.Ai.R.A. and Tech Bias in the United States. Findlay House Global, 14 September, retrieved from: https://peoplecentreddevelopment.com/pubs/2021/on-claira-and-tech-bias-in-the-us
Jackson, J. (2019): Black Communities Are Already Living in a Tech Dystopia (Links to an external site.), Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting, 15 August.
Lievrouw, L., & Livingstone, S. (2002). Handbook of new media. SAGE Publications, Ltd, https://www-doi-org.proxy.mau.se/10.4135/9781848608245
McEwan, C. (2019). Postcolonialism, decoloniality and development. Routledge.
Peace Direct (2021): Time to Decolonize Aid-Insights and Lessons from a global consultation. London: Peace Direct.
In my final blog post I wanted to review some of the ICT for development aspects from previous blog posts as well as new ones. In order to do this my post has been divided into four parts. The first part will focus on how development professionals can effectively use ICT in their projects, how strategies can help identify what works or does not and why. The second part will focus on two ICT tools, blogs and podcasts and how these can be used by professionals, again reflecting on when and why these tools work well or do not. The next part is a short section on ICT use of development professionals during the pandemic. The focus here being how an increased use of ICT tools has impacted the work of development professionals and questions about the future. The final part is about my personal experience with the blog exercise.
ICT for development comprises many tools that development professionals can use. How well development professionals are able to use ICT4D in their projects depends on a number of factors. Having an ICT4D strategy can be very helpful. In his book on Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) Richard Heeks defines an ICT4D strategy as “…a plan for ICT4D initiatives and their supporting infrastructure which maximizes the ability of organizations to achieve international development objectives. “ (Heeks 2017 p.96) This is what development professionals should aim for in order to work effectively. Heeks goes on to saying that there are three main questions that need to be asked. Those are:
“Where are we now: what is the current status of ICT4D?
Where do we want to get to: what should be the future of ICT4D? How do we get there:
what actions should be taken to transform the current situation into the future one?” (Heeks 2017 p.97) Heeks also stresses the importance to align the ICT4D strategy with the broader strategy of the organization. To keep the context in mind, have a clear strategy and map out the road to implementation. (Heeks 2017)
While having an ICT4D strategy can help development professionals to be successful, ICT4D projects often fail. Knowing why projects fail and how to avoid this is an important point that development professionals should look at. Heeks (2017) argues that most ICT4D projects fail,and that while there is limited data up to 70% percent of these projects could fail. While this may seem alarming, he goes on to saying that in general most development projects, as well as other projects fail. But the simple fact that they “failed” says very little because it is important to define what failing means. He argues that very few projects are total failures, most fail to achieve a part of the objectives. And even if the project turns out to be a total failure development professionals can still learn valuable lessons. (Heeks 2017) When development professionals reflect on why an ICT4D project has failed, they can make changes and avoid these mistakes in the future.
Heeks (2017) states that ICT4D project managers must manage “hybridly” in order to be successful. Projects which are too technology centered tend to fail because they do not take people and the social context into consideration. On the other hand, projects which are too focused on the social side often fail because they do not make use of new technologies and therefore opportunities are lost. In order to avoid failing, project managers need to find a balance between the two also keeping in mind that projects which have a very strong top-
down or bottom-up approach also tend to fail. (Heeks 2017 p.108) This shows that development professionals need to be aware of many different aspects when using ICT4D. Having a good strategy, being aware of potential problems and knowing why other projects have failed can help development professionals with their ICT4D projects.
Apart from strategy on how development professionals can manage ICT4D projects I also wanted to use this post to talk about an ICT for development tool. I choose blogging and podcasts partially because of the blog exercise, and partially because blogs and podcasts are ICT tools which are widely used by development organizations and professionals.
Blogs and podcasts can be interesting tools for development professionals and organizations. A look at a few statistics shows some of the potential for reaching others using these tools. In 2021, globally there were 4.66 billion active internet users and 3.78 billion people used some form of social media. (Jovic,2021) It is difficult to say exactly how many people have read a blog but estimates suggest that it could be around 3 billion people.
(Galov,2021) Listening to podcasts is also becoming more and more popular around the world with over half of South Koreans and Americans listening to them, and Chile having a podcast growth rate of 85%. (Jovic,2021)
A large potential audience is only one of the reasons for development professionals to have a blog. Tobias Denskus, development blogger and professor at Malmö university talks about the potential of blogs in one of his own blog posts.“ Our research on development blogs has highlighted a range of interesting dynamics with regard to reflexive and reflective learning processes. Peer learning in the blogosphere, mentoring of students or colleagues through intergenerational exchanges between seasoned veterans in the field and aspiring aid
workers, and multidisciplinary inputs all contribute to learning processes…. “ (Denskus, 2019) In their 2013 article Denskus and Papan asked development bloggers why they blog. The dialogue with readers was an important aspect. One blogger said that it allows them to test new ideas and get feedback. This person particularly appreciated the exchange with other development professionals through blogging. Another person stated that putting their ideas into writing helped them reflect on their own work. (Denskus, Papan 2013).
While blogs undoubtedly have lots potential it does not mean that they automatically achieve being a medium for education and communication. There are potential problems that development professionals wishing to engage in blogging should be aware of. In his 2013 post on reflexive engagement and blogging Denskus and Papan point out that the blogging landscape is dominated by northern ideas and readers. (Denskus, Papan 2013. Being aware of this might make development professionals actively seek to promote other points of view and reach readers outside of the global north. In his 2019 blog post on strategies to diversify discussions in blogging Tobias Denskus talks about his efforts to do just that.
Tobias Denskus talks about how over time his focus has shifted to portraying more non-traditional and female voices, focusing on “…less traditional locations of how and where development is communicated – and who is part of the story. “(Denskus, 2019) He also reflects on how well this is working. He reflects that as he is a white, male European he is careful not to overstate his contribution do decolonization. Yet he also reflects that his
approach of engaging with a variety of sources, authors and topics adds important diversity to academic practices in communication for development. (Denskus, 2019) This shows the importance of reflection. By reflecting on what he was doing Denskus made his blog evolve, showing his students and readers new perspectives, making them to think and improving the chances of getting a more diverse group of readers interested in his blog.
In her report “Podcasts where next?” Chloe Choppen (2020) explores how organizations and development professionals can use podcasts effectively. A major benefit of a podcast is the low barrier to entry. Unlike a radio or television broadcast a podcast can easily be created by practically anyone. That does not mean that anyone can produce a good podcast. Choppen advises development professionals and organizations to have a distinct offer, know who the target audience is, have a good host as well as the necessary funding to produce and advertise a podcast series. (Choppen,2020)
Choppen states that podcasts allow organizations and development professionals to reach new and other audiences than they would have using other media formats. Good story telling, innovation and communication makes podcasts interesting for listeners. Successful podcasts meet the organizations and the listeners needs. (Choppen,2020) The report points out some of the downsides of podcasts. Podcasts are generally not the best tool for reaching large audiences. It may also be difficult to reach older audiences as podcasts are more popular with younger generations. Not every podcast format works for every topic or organization and figuring this out may not be easy. Also, podcasts should have regular episodes or listeners might lose interest. (Choppen,2020)
Choppen also advises to development professionals and organizations to evaluate how the podcast is doing, who and how many people are listening. She also suggests looking at comments and see if and how the conversation has shifted. (Choppen,2020) Podcast can be a very interesting ICT for development tool if development professionals are well informed, have a good strategy, evaluate and reflect on what they are doing.
ICT strategies, podcasts and blogs are relevant when discussing the impact of ICT for development professionals and their work. But an aspect which this post has not yet touched is how the current situation has impacted development professionals both in general and in regards to ICT for development.
The pandemic has undoubtedly had an effect on the working life of development professionals. Devex, a media platform for the development community interviewed persons working in the development sector in 100 countries, asking them how the pandemic effected their working lives. Almost 60% of people said that the pandemic and the restrictions that came with it (such as travel restrictions, curfews and mandatory home
office rules) negatively impacted their work. Participants said that they found working from home difficult. (Smith,2020) Development professionals needed to increase their use of ICT tools. Some found this stressful and felt isolated saying that there was less team interaction, more frustration and at times they could not carry out work that had an impact. (Smith,2020) Others saw an opportunity saying that unnecessary meetings were reduced and that there was a general willingness to try out new working practices. (Smith,2020)
It will be interesting to see what impact this push towards an increased use of ICT in development will have. There may be questions around the use of ICT in the daily work of development professionals such as the use of virtual communication, using tools like blogs, vlogs, online meetings and conferences. Development organizations and professionals might also reevaluate their use of ICT4D and focus on new strategies. Either way reflecting on past and current practices and sharing this knowledge with others can be beneficial for all development professionals.
Reflecting on this exercise I was excited about the blog exercise already before it began. I really liked the topic that the group chose. I thought that it would be very interesting to reflect on how ICT for development impacts the work of development professionals.
Unfortunately, I developed a health problem in late September which required surgery and a longer hospital stay. As a result I was not able to devote as much time and energy as I would have liked to the blog exercise. I regret this because I think that I could have said more, done more and explored the topic from different angles.
None the less I enjoyed the exercise and learned a lot. I did not have previous experience with blogs but found blogs as a tool very interesting. I really enjoyed reading other people’s posts. It made me aware of issues that I had not previously known about. Through other people’s posts I was also able to see topics from a new angle and in a different light.
Creating my own posts was an interesting experience. I especially liked that I could produce my first podcast episode. While I encountered some technical difficulties and it was not perfect, I found the medium of podcasts great. It got me interested in the subject and made me want to learn more about podcasts.
Finally, I would like to say that I was part of a really great team. The team worked together very well. At meetings everyone could voice their opinions and the team was always open for suggestions. The team members were always there to answer questions and help one another and for that I would like to say a big thank you to all of you!
References
Choppen, C. (2020). (rep.). Podcasts-where next? How INGOs can embrace the power of the
podcast (pp. 2–22). London: International Broadcasting Trust.
Denskus, T. (2019, December 17). Blogging and curating content as strategies to diversify
discussions and communicate development differently [web log]. Retrieved November
5, 2021, from https://aidnography.blogspot.com/2019/12/blogging-curating-globaldev-
content-diversify-communicate-development-differently.html.
Denskus T. & Papan A. (2013): Reflexive engagements: theinternational development
blogging evolution and its challenges, Development in Practice, 23:4,455-467
Heeks, Richard. Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D),
Taylor & Francis Group, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/malmo/detail.action?docID=4912767.
Created from malmo on 2021-11-06 16:58:56.
Galov, N. (2021, November 1). 29 shocking blogging statistics. is blogging dead in 2021?
TechJury. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://techjury.net/blog/blogging-
statistics/#gref.
Jovic, D. (2021, January 5). 40 powerful podcast statistics to tune into – 2021 edition.
SmallBizGenius. Retrieved November 6, 2021, from
https://www.smallbizgenius.net/by-the-numbers/podcast-statistics/#gref.
Smith, E. (2020, September 25). Remote work takes a toll on development professionals …
Devex. Retrieved November 6, 2021, from https://www.devex.com/news/remote-work-
takes-a-toll-on-development-professionals-well-being-98166.
It is hard to say exactly how many people devote some of their time to volunteering but (pre pandemic) estimates suggest that in Europe alone it could be as many as 100 million people. Which is roughly 22-23% of the population over 15. (Biagioni, 2018)
People volunteer for at all sorts of organizations. Traditionally they physically go to their organization or project of choice volunteer their time, skills and usually have a good time doing so. So far so good. But even for the most dedicated volunteer there may come a time when life’s other obligations, such as a job, children or relatives in need of care get in the way of volunteering. This might make it impossible to physically get to where you volunteer, especially if your schedules are not compatible.
In this case there is an ICT for development solution and it is called online volunteering. Online volunteering allows volunteers to help others wherever they are. All that is needed is a computer and an internet connection. There are a number of platforms connecting organizations and potential volunteers. The United Nations has such a platform bringing together people from over 180 countries. (Scholarships Corner, 2021)
Organizations and volunteers communicate and work together without ever physically meeting. I tried it and found that for me it worked well. Through the UN online volunteering platform I found the Cameroon Association for Active Youths (CAMAAY) and worked with them on a food security project. All without every meeting in person. For me there were many positives. I was able to participate in an exciting project while being able to choose at what time I volunteer. I could fit this around other things such as work or childcare. I also got to work with an organization I would never have met physically as they are located in rural Cameroon.
The main drawback for me was that because we didn’t physically meet there was less interaction between the different parties as getting to know people without physically meeting can be difficult. But overall it was a very good experience.
Have any of you tried online volunteering? Or would you like to, and why or why not? And how were your experiences?
