[GKD] Brazil Still Lacks a Digital Inclusion Strategy
OPINION: GESAC, SCD, FUST, XPTO and Digital Inclusion? Carlos Afonso, director of planning at RITS - APC's Brazilian member organisation, - outlines the digital inclusion opportunities and initiatives carried out in Brazil so far, from the successful ones to the dismal failures. According to Afonso, despite the flurry of acronyms being thrown around, Brazil still does not have a national strategy that will provide the majority of Brazilians with access to the internet. He believe it's crucial that the Brazilan government gets involved in the set-up of community telecentres and computers in schools and public libraries -- the cheapest and most efficient way of democratising access to information and communication technologies. http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=17784 [Opinion originally published in Portuguese by RETS and translated into English by APC] ___ APCNews mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/apcnews ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
[GKD] E-Government and Democracy Report: Looking for Dev. Country Examples
I recently added two slides to my Global E-Democracy Trends speech (see below). One from India about the use of wireless Internet-based video conferencing among district managers and another about a city in Turkey that provide deep access to government financial information. These are great e-democracy examples to present to the world. Please take a look at the report I developed for the UN on E-Government and Democracy. Let me know about examples in other countries that will help us demonstrate what governments and others must do online to ensure that democracy survives the information age. E-mail me: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sincerely, Steven Clift E-democracy expert and speaker http://publicus.net P.S. Anyone in Mongolia? I'll be there in a couple of weeks presenting on these issues. E-Government and Democracy Report, World Summit Speech, More -- * E-Government and Democracy: Representation and Citizen Engagement in the Information Age Download my recently released 40 page report from: http://publicus.net/e-government Commissioned to assist drafting of the United Nations World Public Sector Report, this article articulates essential democratic outcomes in e-government. Outcomes different from the usual notions of cost-savings and service delivery. The table of contents far below lists the case examples. Included are links to related articles and the new e-mail list for e-government practitioners and experts interested in the democratic opportunities of e-government. To join this peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Democratic Evolution or Virtual Civil War? I put my http://E-Democracy.Org civil society hat on while speaking at the Promise of E-Democracy side event at the World Summit on the Information Society. While my report above shares exceptional best practices, my Geneva speech makes it clear that democratic will is required to make what is possible - probable and universal. Access my text and the panel video, which included the Foreign Minister of Greece, George Papandreou, Nicholas Negroponte, Stephen Coleman from Oxford among others: http://publicus.net/articles/democraticevolution.html Also, the BBC World's Click-Online television program used the WSIS as a back drop for a report and interview on e-democracy. See right column. * Democracies Online Newswire, Top Ten Articles, Global E-Democracy Trends Slides, E-Democracy.Org Technology DoWire, the Democracies Online Newswire will under go some changes this year as I integrate blogging technology into my content gathering. The DoWire network now reaches 2600 people in over 80 countries. Subscribe from: http://dowire.org My articles collection http://publicus.net/articles.html, dating back to 1993, now has a handy list of my top ten articles: http://publicus.net/topten.html As I head to Mongolia for a speaking trip (with short stops Korea and Japan) in a a week or so, my updated Global E-Democracy Trends slides for 2004 are available at: http://publicus.net/speaker.html Finally, E-Democracy.Org (I'm the Board Chair) is recruiting the world's top civic-minded techies to help us build our global platform for local up citizen-based e-democracy. Help us help citizens join us as we start our second decade of non-profit, non-partisan activity. Review our technology notes and volunteer to help craft our project requirements via our new E-Democracy Factory wiki: http://e-democracy.org/center/technology.html http://e-democracy.org/center/eweb.html If you haven't already, visit our U.S. election links starting point: http://e-democracy.org/us * That's all this year. Do you have something to share? I am always looking for new and interesting content to share with my primary source DoWire network. Content on DoWire is often appears in major e-mail newsletters, blogs, and the media. Help me keep the influential DoWire network in the loop. Send submissions to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thanks, Steven Clift E-democracy expert and speaker http://publicus.net [EMAIL PROTECTED] netclift - MSN/Y!/AIM P.S. The table of contents from my UN article: E-Government and Democracy: Representation and Citizen Engagement in the Information Age By Steven Clift Summary Introduction Initial Conclusions Research Trends Democratic Outcomes Trust and Accountability - Case 1 - Policy Leadership Legitimacy and Understanding - Case 2 - Budget Information Online - Case 3 - About Government Citizen Satisfaction and Service - Case 4 - E-mail Notification and Personalization - Case 5 - User Generated What's Popular Navigation Reach and Equitable Access - Case 6 - E-mail newsletters Effective Representation and Decision-Making - Case 7 - E-Parliaments - Case 8 - E-Councils - Case 9 - Decision-Making Systems Participation Through Input and Consultation - Case 10 - Advanced Online Input and Correspondence Systems - Case 11 - Online
[GKD] CFP: Sustainability and Community Technology: What Does this Mean for Community Informatics?
Dear Colleagues, The Community Informatics Research Network Inc. (CIRN) calls for papers to its 2004 Inaugural Conference and Colloquium with the overall theme, 'Sustainability and Community Technology: What Does this Mean for Community Informatics?, at the Monash Centre, Prato, Italy, 29 September - 1 October, 2004. www.ciresearch.net/prato2004. The event is meant to provide an opportunity for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to present findings and reflect in a convivial atmosphere on key issues of concern for the future of enabling communities with Information and Communication Technology (ICT). It will also be the founding organisational conference of CIRN. Further details of the conference will be forthcoming shortly. Please bookmark the website for updates. CIRN members will receive a conference discount (see www.ciresearch.net for membership information), and the number of places available is limited. Please forward this notice to colleagues. Call for Papers Papers (full length for blind peer review and discussion or position papers) from researchers and practitioners are invited. Possible topics include: .Defining 'sustainability' in a community technology context: is it an adequate concept? What are its meanings and how are they relevant? .Are there alternate concepts which are more practicable and how are they linked to the life of communities and community networking? .Sustainability and the Digital Divide: Friend or Foe? .The political economy of community technology sustainability: dependency on government, and funders' understanding of 'sustainability' .Community Technology Sustainability in different spheres: developed, developing countries: are there universal principles? .The sustainability criteria of national and international financial institutions and donors: Explanations and Critiques .Indigenous and first nations people and the sustainability of community networks .Gendered technology and the sustainability of community networks. .Is there a connection between sustainability and 'social capital'? .Time, virtual space, geography and network sustainability .Power relationships in networking and their impact on sustainability .The policy dimensions (dementia) of sustainability .Evaluating 'sustainability' .Case studies of 'sustainability' in different community informatics settings .Case studies of the policy frameworks and applications of 'sustainability' ## A special issue of Community Informatics: A Global E-Journal will be prepared as part of this event and contributors to the event will be encouraged to submit their papers for either the peer-reviewed or the commentary section of the journal. *Doctoral Colloquium* The CIRN Doctoral Colloquium offers PhD students a special forum on 29 September 2004 where they will have a chance to present their research plans and discuss them with peers and established senior researchers. Interested students should prepare a 2 page summary of their research. This should provide a context for the research, describe the methods being used, the progress to date and expectations and hopes from the colloquium. Please submit your 2 page application by 1 April 2004 to: Marcus Foth at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Applicants will be notified of acceptance by 1 June 2004. Successful applicants will be asked to prepare an 8 page paper on their research by 1 August 2004. For further details please contact the organiser of the CIRN Doctoral Colloquium, Marcus Foth, at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Key Dates *Abstracts of papers (in English only) should be sent as soon as possible. Please submit abstracts to Professor Michael Gurstein ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) or Larry Stillman ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) by 1 April 2004. *Full Papers (up to 5,000 words, including references) are due 1 August 2004 for blind refereeing via peer review and inclusion in the publication. This deadline is final if you wish to be included in the publication. Papers can be in English, French, Italian, German or Spanish. There will be a prize given for the best refereed paper and a second, for the best paper submitted by a student (please indicate on your submission whether you are a student). Position papers (up to 2,500 words) are also welcome and are due by 1 August 2004 if the abstract is accepted. Research students are particularly encouraged to attend to present work-in-progress. *Interim Conference Committee Michael Gurstein, New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA Peter Day, University of Brighton, UK Don Schauder, Monash University, Australia Michel Menou, CoVITALC (Virtual Latin American and Caribbean Consortium for Telecentres Research), Ecuador Larry Stillman, Monash University, Australia Scott Robinson, Universidad Metropolitana, Mexico Graeme Johanson, Monash University, Australia Wal Taylor, Central Queensland University, Australia Beris Gwynn, Foundation for Community
[GKD] Invitation to Virtual Conference on Indigenous ICT Use
Kuh-ke-nah International Indigenous SMART Communities Gathering 17-18 March, 2004 In the Oji-Cree language of Northern Ontario in Canada, Kuh-ke-nah means everyone...together. For Oji-Cree people it describes a traditional network of families living and surviving in the vast wilderness that we now know as the Canadian Shield. Today, Kuh-ke-nah also describes Canadas SMART First Nations. The SMART First Nations Demonstration project is a three year initiative led by the Keewaytinook Okimakanak (Northern Chiefs) Council in partnership with the government of Canada that blends community leadership with technological innovation. Together with everyone the Kuh-ke-nah First Nations are defining a new network of community development, opportunity and wellness. During the past ten years, the Deer Lake, Fort Severn, Keewaywin, North Spirit Lake and Poplar Hill First Nations have applied information and communications technologies (ICTs) to build new skills and transfer knowledge, reduce longstanding forms of cultural isolation and physical remoteness and enhance community well-being. Since 2000, these communities have adopted a SMART approach to ICT development. Each year theyve identified and implemented new education, health and cultural services. And everyday the people living in the SMART First Nations are showing others how everyone really can be brought together through the use of ICTs. The Kuh-ke-nah International Indigenous Gathering is the culminating event of the SMART First Nations Project. The Gathering will provide a virtual space for bringing together Indigenous people from around the world to show how they have used information and communications technologies. Participants will demonstrate on-line how they are influencing positive change in their communities by addressing community needs, achieving community development goals, improving community services, supporting cultural expression and building new capacities. The Kuh-ke-nah Network will host a virtual two day conference where lessons learned, good practices and the SMART project outcomes will be shared. On-line delegates and guests will exchange views and workshop new approaches and alliances. Kuh-ke-nah Chiefs and community ICT champions will show how advanced e-learning, telemedicine and community development applications have been both influenced and supported by Indigenous values and needs. This conference will appeal to Indigenous ICT workers and policy-makers alike. Community representatives as well as government, academic and industry representatives will make the Kuh-ke-nah SMART International Gathering a diverse and rich experience -- a new world of communities in development. Register now at: http://smart.knet.ca/international ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
