20-22 May, 2015  Jetwing Blue, Negombo - Sri Lanka,  

TRACK 13: Sen’s Capability Approach and ICT4D

Track Chairs: Dr. Yingqin Zheng, ICT4D Centre, School of Management, Royal Holloway, University of London This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Dr. Dorothea Kleine, ICT4D Centre, Department of Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
   
Synopsis

In the last few years there has been significant growth of interest in applying Sen’s capability approach (CA) to ICT4D research. The main contribution of Sen’s CA is in promoting a shift of focus in the ICT4D discourse from technology-oriented development to questioning the real impact of ICT on people’s wellbeing and life opportunities. Such an approach considers ICT adoption as means, rather than ends, in promoting human development. An implication of this perspective is that analysis and evaluation of ICT4D projects should be expanded from studying the adoption and usage of technology to investigating to what extent and in which dimensions ICTs change people’s lives, in terms of the their ability and available choices to pursue a life they consider valuable.  

Applying Sen’s capability approach raises a number of challenges, from theoretical to methodological. The CA is philosophically profound and requires considerable effort to grasp its conceptual depth. It was developed as a framework of thought without specific methodological guidelines, rendering the operationalisation of the CA a research topic in its own right. While the CA has been theoretically and methodologically developed by scholars in other disciplines such as feminist economics, development studies, political science, education and health economics, it is still a relatively new approach for ICT4D researchers. The growing body of literature on the CA and ICT4D indicates a need to enhance the depth of engagement with important concepts of the CA, e.g. well-being vs agency; and with methodological issues in operationalising the CA.

This track is thus devoted to theoretical, methodological and empirical application of Sen’s capability approach in ICT4D. Some suggestive topics include the following:

• Conceptual discussions of the CA and ICT4D;
• Case studies of ICT4D projects with the CA;
• The CA as a critical lens on the discourse of ICT4D;
• Methodological issues related to the application CA in ICT4D;
• The capability approach as an evaluative framework in ICT4D;
• Designing ICT for human capabilities;
• Application of the Choice Framework in ICT4D;
• ICT, CA and e-inclusion;
• Gender and CA in e-society
• A CA approach to ICT and socially disadvantaged groups;
• ICT and agency freedom;
• The CA, ICT and adaptive preferences
• Collective agency in the information society;
• Comparative studies between the CA and other evaluative frameworks;
• ICT, participation and the CA;

The language for the session will be English and all submissions should be in English. Please contact the track chairs for any queries or comments.

For paper format and submission guidelines please refer to the main conference website.