Research
Current Projects
Immigration and Information at the crossroads
Information, Migration and Human Rights
Information practices on law enforcement and migration in WA State, in collaboration with UW Center for Human Rights.
Latinx Stories at UW
Life stories of Latino and Latina faculty, students and staff at University of Washington
FotoHistorias
Participatory Photography method I developed, for work with immigrants in Seattle, at the US-Mexico Border, and Colombia. Also with indigenous community in Chiapas, Mexico.
ICT and Surveillance at the US-Mexico border
Information needs and practices of humanitarian organizations and irregular migrants at the US-Mexico border; the role of ICT and its legal and ethical implications in the context of migration.
Mind the Five: Humanitarian Information Activities
Information practices and protection of privacy in humanitarian context.
About my Research
The goal of my research is to understand the ways in which information practices, and in particular the use of ICT, contribute to social inclusion and social justice.
The field of Information and Communication Technologies for Development (referred to as ICT, ICTD, ICT4D, or Community Informatics), deals with the use of computers and the internet (although other technologies can be considered as well) to promote social and economic development.
I argue that access to computers and other technologies is not sufficient to achieve human development. Beyond access, the skill and capacity to make effective use of the technologies (something we have called “social appropriation”), and the existence of an enabling environment (policy, regulation and good will) are also crucial if ICT are to contribute to improve the lives of marginalized and underserved communities.
Technology is not good or bad, but it is not neutral. Left alone, it tends to replicate or amplify existing inequalities in society.
Past Projects
Casa Latina and Day Laborers in WA State
Life Stories of Labor and Resilience
25 years of Casa Latina working for Social Justice in Seattle.
ICT and Latino day laborers
How do undeserved populations such as Hispanic day laborers in Washington State use computers and other information and communication technologies?
Indigenous Information in Chiapas, Mexico
SIET
An integrated information and communication system with an indigenous library, a monitoring and evaluation system, and a community radio with Tseltal indigenous communities in Chiapas, Mexico.
Impact of ICT: How do ICT help people improve their lives?
Impact of Public Access Computing in Colombia: Libraries, Telecenters, Cybercafes
How do people use public access computers, and how do they change their lives?
Global Landscape Study: Public Access Computing in 25 countries
What is the landscape of public access computing (libraries, telecenters and cybercafes) in 25 developing countries, with specific focus on the information needs of underserved communities.
Public Access Computing in Colombia and in South Africa
In-depth study of the uses and impacts of libraries, telcenters and cybercafes in Colombia; smaller study in South Africa.
CWO: Community Wellness Outcomes
How can we measure intangible impacts of ICT for community development, especially non-monetary impacts such as self esteem and expression of aspirations.
OTHER
Sanctuary
Migration and spaces of sanctuary in US and Europe. Sanctuary as an expression of moral outrage.
ICT Pushback: Expressions of resistance to permanent online connectivity
Study of the growing trend of resisting and pushing back on technology by those who have too much of it.
ICTD Trends: Growth and maturation of the field of ICTD
How has the discourse about ICT for development shifted over the past decade? This study does a content analysis of journals and conferences in the ICTD field between 2000-2010.
About my Research
The field of Information and Communication Technologies for Development (referred to as ICT, ICTD, ICT4D, or Community Informatics), deals with the use of computers and the internet (although other technologies can be considered as well) to promote social and economic development.
I argue that access to computers and other technologies is not sufficient to achieve human development. Beyond access, the skill and capacity to make effective use of the technologies (something we have called “social appropriation”), and the existence of an enabling environment (policy, regulation and good will) are also crucial if ICT are to contribute to improve the lives of marginalized and underserved communities.
Technology is not good or bad, but it is not neutral. Left alone, it tends to replicate or amplify existing inequalities in society.
The goal of my research is to understand the ways in which use of ICT, in particular computer in public places such as libraries, telecenters and cybercafes, helps people in marginalized communities to improve their lives.
