The Accultured Robot

The promise of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been excitedly promoted as a successful new tool for development throughout the world. Particularly in India, state and national governments have moved quickly to launch programs that harness mobile phone and internet technologies to benefit the millions of people living in poverty. However, the proper use of ICT in development is far more complicated than simply outfitting rural villages with new technology. Such gadgetry is useless without a careful plan that addresses the purpose for which the technology is to be used and how users might either be empowered or excluded in the process. (more…)