[Air-L] help on africa and computer donations

[Radhika Gajjala]

Francois -

I am glad you raise these issues

On the one hand we face the push towards digital literacy (or Africa  
and other regions of the world cannot participate in Modern  
Globalization -  that we see is clearly being defined in Urban and  
westernized geographical places of the world- ) so that there is a  
created "need" for computers and related technologies and literacies  
whether they are contextually empowering or not in specific instances.

But on the other hand there is the issue of dumping older  
technologies in third-world locations - which in part serves to keep  
"developed" locations - places - free of environmentally hazardous  
problems associated with the disposal of old computers (and this may  
not be a well thought out conscious organized strategy on the part of  
well-meaning charity donators meaning only to "empower" Others  
through digital technologies... ). Computers are NOT environmentally  
friendly creatures.....

so how do we work through this contradiction?

The solution cannot be for a few people to decide that  
underprivileged populations dont get to use computers or participate  
in the status quo - while those that decide this continue to benefit  
from being situated in the status quo...



just some thoughts.

r

Radhika Gajjala
Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator
School of Communication Studies
302 West Hall
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH 43402
http://personal.bgsu.edu/~radhik

http://www.cyberdiva.org/blog