Increasingly, information and communication technology (ICT) is being
used as a development tool. For example, a recent innovative experiment
by the FIDAMERICA development cybernetwork (sponsored by IFAD, the
International Fund for Agricultural Development) in Latin America
used an electronic network to collect, post and discuss rural women's
life histories, intending to support gender mainstreaming in IFAD
projects. However, cybernetworking processes can also reflect contradictory
agendas and power relations that ultimately make them a site of contestation.
In the FIDAMERICA case, the authors did not participate in the electronic
conference, nor were there any subsequent efforts to connect them
or to develop this process further.In this paper, I argue that the
analysis of increasingly complex cybernetworked development efforts
must incorporate a correspondingly sophisticated technique that can
uncover the nuanced relations of transnational cyber communication;
and I propose that an actor-network approach should be investigated
as an analytical framework in these cases. I then apply this approach
to the case study, using field research conducted with the participants
of the FIDAMERICA electronic life history project in Central America.
I conclude that an actor-network approach is a fruitful means by
which these processes can be both understood and improved.
%0 Journal Article
%1 Rubinoff2005/1
%A Rubinoff, Donna D.
%D 2005/1
%J Geoforum
%K (ICT); Actor-network America Autobiography; Central Gender Information Testimonio; Transnational and communication development; networks; technology theory;
%N 1
%P 59-75
%T Life histories in cyberspace: life writing as a development tool
for rural women
%V 36
%X Increasingly, information and communication technology (ICT) is being
used as a development tool. For example, a recent innovative experiment
by the FIDAMERICA development cybernetwork (sponsored by IFAD, the
International Fund for Agricultural Development) in Latin America
used an electronic network to collect, post and discuss rural women's
life histories, intending to support gender mainstreaming in IFAD
projects. However, cybernetworking processes can also reflect contradictory
agendas and power relations that ultimately make them a site of contestation.
In the FIDAMERICA case, the authors did not participate in the electronic
conference, nor were there any subsequent efforts to connect them
or to develop this process further.In this paper, I argue that the
analysis of increasingly complex cybernetworked development efforts
must incorporate a correspondingly sophisticated technique that can
uncover the nuanced relations of transnational cyber communication;
and I propose that an actor-network approach should be investigated
as an analytical framework in these cases. I then apply this approach
to the case study, using field research conducted with the participants
of the FIDAMERICA electronic life history project in Central America.
I conclude that an actor-network approach is a fruitful means by
which these processes can be both understood and improved.
@article{Rubinoff2005/1,
abstract = {Increasingly, information and communication technology (ICT) is being
used as a development tool. For example, a recent innovative experiment
by the FIDAMERICA development cybernetwork (sponsored by IFAD, the
International Fund for Agricultural Development) in Latin America
used an electronic network to collect, post and discuss rural women's
life histories, intending to support gender mainstreaming in IFAD
projects. However, cybernetworking processes can also reflect contradictory
agendas and power relations that ultimately make them a site of contestation.
In the FIDAMERICA case, the authors did not participate in the electronic
conference, nor were there any subsequent efforts to connect them
or to develop this process further.In this paper, I argue that the
analysis of increasingly complex cybernetworked development efforts
must incorporate a correspondingly sophisticated technique that can
uncover the nuanced relations of transnational cyber communication;
and I propose that an actor-network approach should be investigated
as an analytical framework in these cases. I then apply this approach
to the case study, using field research conducted with the participants
of the FIDAMERICA electronic life history project in Central America.
I conclude that an actor-network approach is a fruitful means by
which these processes can be both understood and improved.},
added-at = {2008-08-31T18:03:07.000+0200},
author = {Rubinoff, Donna D.},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/28a167a488aa951798ce76dd5900fbcbc/jomiralb},
description = {Old biblio},
interhash = {a965f2c64e0c606c808e92884380aaf7},
intrahash = {8a167a488aa951798ce76dd5900fbcbc},
journal = {Geoforum},
keywords = {(ICT); Actor-network America Autobiography; Central Gender Information Testimonio; Transnational and communication development; networks; technology theory;},
number = 1,
owner = {oriol},
pages = {59-75},
timestamp = {2008-08-31T18:03:21.000+0200},
title = {Life histories in cyberspace: life writing as a development tool
for rural women},
volume = 36,
year = {2005/1}
}