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Development as Freedom in a Digital Age : Experiences from the Rural Poor in Bolivia

Author

Listed:
  • Björn Sören Gigler

Abstract

Under what conditions can new technologies enhance the well-being of poor communities? The study designs an alternative evaluation framework (AEF) that applies Amartya Sen’s capability approach to the study of information and communications technologies (ICTs) in order to place people’s well-being, rather than technology, at the center of the study. The AEF develops an impact chain that examines the mechanisms by which access to, and meaningful use of, ICTs can enhance people’s “informational capabilities” and improve people’s human and social capabilities. This approach thus uses people’s individual and collective capabilities, rather than measures of access or use, as its principal evaluative space. Based on empirical evidence from indigenous communities’ use of new technologies in rural Bolivia, the study concludes that enhancing poor people’s informational capabilities is the most critical factor determining the impact of ICTs on their well-being. Improved informational capabilities, like literacy, do enhance the human capabilities of poor and marginalized peoples to make strategic life choices and achieve the lifestyle they value. Evaluating the impact of ICTs in terms of capabilities thus reveals no direct relationship between improved access to, and use of, ICTs and enhanced well-being; ICTs lead to improvements in people’s lives only when informational capabilities are transformed into expanded human and social capabilities in the economic, political, social, organizational, and cultural dimensions of their lives. The study concludes that intermediaries are bound to play a central, even fundamental, role in this process. They help poor communities to enact and appropriate ICTs to their local socio-cultural context so that their use becomes meaningful for people’s daily lives, enhances their informational capabilities, and ultimately improves their human and social capabilities.

Suggested Citation

  • Björn Sören Gigler, 2015. "Development as Freedom in a Digital Age : Experiences from the Rural Poor in Bolivia," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 21631.
  • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbpubs:21631
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    File URL: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/21631/9781464804205.pdf?sequence=3
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    Citations

    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Development as Freedom in a Digital Age -- Join us for the book launch event on April 9
      by ? in World Bank Blogs on 2015-04-03 21:19:00
    2. How can we leverage innovations and MOOCS for citizen engagement?
      by ? in World Bank Blogs on 2015-04-17 20:32:00

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Drydakis, Nick, 2020. "Mobile Applications Aiming to Facilitate Immigrants' Societal Integration and Overall Level of Integration, Health and Mental Health: Does Artificial Intelligence Enhance Outcomes?," IZA Discussion Papers 13933, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Sandile Hlatshwayo & Anne Oeking & Mr. Manuk Ghazanchyan & David Corvino & Ananya Shukla & Mr. Lamin Y Leigh, 2018. "The Measurement and Macro-Relevance of Corruption: A Big Data Approach," IMF Working Papers 2018/195, International Monetary Fund.
    3. Birochi, Renê & Pozzebon, Marlei, 2016. "Aprimorando a inclusão financeira: rumo a um quadro teórico de educação financeira crítica," RAE - Revista de Administração de Empresas, FGV-EAESP Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo (Brazil), vol. 56(3), May.
    4. Bauchet, Jonathan & Undurraga, Eduardo A. & Reyes-García, Victoria & Behrman, Jere R. & Godoy, Ricardo A., 2018. "Conditional cash transfers for primary education: Which children are left out?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 1-12.
    5. Anastasia Panori & Christina Kakderi & Panagiotis Tsarchopoulos, 2019. "Designing the Ontology of a Smart City Application for Measuring Multidimensional Urban Poverty," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(3), pages 921-940, September.
    6. Drydakis, Nick, 2022. "M-Health Apps and Physical and Mental Health Outcomes of Sexual Minorities," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1121, Global Labor Organization (GLO).

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