1. Community Multimedia Centres
in Mozambique:
a contribution from the Theory
of Social Representations.
Sara Vannini ‒ NewMinE Lab
Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano.
2.
3. (Social REpresentations of Community
Multimedia Centres in Mozambique
and ACTions for improvement).
RE-ACT
25. Why SR Theory could be suitable
for the ICT4D domain?
26. Design-Reality Gap (Heeks, 2008)
Misalignments may lead to
sustainability issues (Rega, 2010)
ICTs entered Mozambican
communities abruptly and
are symbolically charged
(Contarello & Sarrica, 2007)
Epistemologically:
constructionist & non-sperimental
Triadic:
• no separation individual
perception/socio-cultural
context
• focus on communication
• not focused on internal
decision-making process
27.
28.
29. Design-Reality Gap (Heeks, 2008)
Misalignments may lead to
sustainability issues (Rega, 2010)
ICTs entered Mozambican
communities abruptly and
are symbolically charged
(Contarello & Sarrica, 2007)
Epistemologically:
constructionist & non-sperimental
Triadic:
• no separation individual
perception/socio-cultural
context
• focus on communication
• not focused on internal
decision-making process
30. What do Local People Think about Telecentres?
A Key Issue for Sustainability.
Rega, 2010
31. Design-Reality Gap (Heeks, 2008)
Misalignments may lead to
sustainability issues (Rega, 2010)
ICTs entered Mozambican
communities abruptly and
are symbolically charged
(Contarello & Sarrica, 2007)
Epistemologically:
constructionist & non-sperimental
Triadic:
• no separation individual
perception/socio-cultural
context
• focus on communication
• not focused on internal
decision-making process
32. Design-Reality Gap (Heeks, 2008)
Misalignments may lead to
sustainability issues (Rega, 2010)
ICTs entered Mozambican
communities abruptly and
are symbolically charged
(Contarello & Sarrica, 2007)
Epistemologically:
constructionist & non-sperimental
Triadic:
• no separation individual
perception/socio-cultural
context
• focus on communication
• not focused on internal
decision-making process
33. Design-Reality Gap (Heeks, 2008)
Misalignments may lead to
sustainability issues (Rega, 2010)
ICTs entered Mozambican
communities abruptly and
are symbolically charged
(Contarello & Sarrica, 2007)
Epistemologically:
constructionist & non-sperimental
Triadic:
• no separation individual
perception/socio-cultural
context/others
• focus on communication
• not focused on internal
decision-making process
37. Applied vs Theorethical
What is the current status of studies about Social
Representations in ICT4D?
• Purpose
• Methodology
• Geographical areas of application
38. Applied vs Theorethical
What is the current status of studies about Social
Representations in ICT4D?
• Purpose
• Methodology
• Geographical areas of application
39. Applied vs Theorethical
What is the current status of studies about Social
Representations in ICT4D?
• Purpose
• Methodology
• Geographical areas of application
40. Applied vs Theorethical
What is the current status of studies about Social
Representations in ICT4D, Development, & ICTs?
• Purpose
• Methodology
• Geographical areas of application
• Which sectors of International Development have been
considered?
42. Inclusion
Criteria
(EN, FR, PT,
ES, IT)
ICT4D
everything possible
(7 journals, ICTD conference, Science Direct, GScholar)
ICTs
Journals of Social Psychology, Science Direct, GScholar
Development
Journals of Development, Science Direct, Gscholar
Reference check
43. Inclusion
Criteria
ICT4D
everything possible
(7 journals, ICTD conference, Science Direct, GScholar)
ICTs
Journals of Social Psychology, Science Direct, GScholar
Development
Journals of Development, Science Direct, Gscholar
Reference check
Journals of International Development
Meta-discourse about Development in
Developing Countries
Areas of Development only when for
developing purposes in developing
countries
49. Development Areas
ICT4D ICTs Development Tot
Health 5 5
Access to
information 4 11 4
Identity/stigma 1 3 4
Education 1 2 3
Development per se 3 3
Government/
Participation 2 2
Gender 1 1 2
50. Development Areas
ICT4D ICTs Development Tot
Health 5 5
Access to
information 4 11 4
Identity/stigma 1 3 4
Education 1 2 3
Development per se 3 3
Government/
Participation 2 2
Gender 1 1 2
51.
52. Methods of Data Collection
1
1
1
2
3
5
7
7
11
9
Scripts (storytelling)
Photo-stories (storytelling)
Photo-diary (storytelling
Literature Review
Focus-group interviews
Written accounts/association of words
Surveys
Observations/field notes/ethnography
Interviews
Multi-method
53. Methods of Data Collection
1
1
1
2
3
5
7
7
11
9
Scripts (storytelling)
Photo-stories (storytelling)
Photo-diary (storytelling
Literature Review
Focus-group interviews
Written accounts/association of words
Surveys
Observations/field notes/ethnography
Interviews
Multi-method
54. Methods of Data Analysis
1
0
1
1
1
1
2
5
7
12
does not specify
Central nucleus/periphery
DCS (Discourse of the collective Subject)
Metaphors (manually)
Linguistics (morpho-syntaxis, semantics)
Argumentation
Automated Content Analysis (es: T-Lab,…
Advanced statistics
Reflection on results
Content Analysis (Atlas, Nvivo…)
55. Methods of Data Analysis
1
0
1
1
1
1
2
5
7
12
does not specify
Central nucleus/periphery
DCS (Discourse of the collective Subject)
Metaphors (manually)
Linguistics (morpho-syntaxis, semantics)
Argumentation
Automated Content Analysis (es: T-Lab,…
Advanced statistics
Reflection on results
Content Analysis (Atlas, Nvivo…)
58. What is the current status of studies about
Social Representations in ICT4D?
59. • Field is m u c h l e s s s t u d i e d
• Similar studies have demonstrated S R T f i t s the
domain(s) and purposes of this study
• Methodology: m i x e d m e t h o d s seem to fit well ‒
rigor needed in ICT4D
What is the current status of studies about
Social Representations in ICT4D?
60.
61. What are the social representations of
CMCs in Mozambique
(according to different stakeholders)?
70. 1) Results
1 2 3 4 5 6
Molding
the polis
through
the
community
radio
Learning
informatics
at the
telecenter
Computers
as possibly
connected
typewriters
Users edu-
tainment
experience
of the radio
What we
sell is
photocopie
s : An
instrument
al view of
telecenters
services
The CMC
as a
bureaucra
tic
umbrella
71. 1) Results
1 2 3 4 5 6
Molding
the polis
through
the
community
radio
Learning
informatics
at the
telecenter
Computers
as possibly
connected
typewriters
Users edu-
tainment
experience
of the radio
What we
sell is
photocopie
s : An
instrument
al view of
telecenters
services
The CMC
as a
bureaucra
tic
umbrella
75. 2) Results
Community Radio 60.9%
Inbound 46.1%
Outbound 4.8%
Within 34.3%
Telecentre 7.4%
Inbound 6.5%
Outbound 0.4%
Within 0.4%
TOT # Interviewees 230
86. Is Social Representations a suitable Theory
for advancements in the ICT4D domain?
...Design-Reality Gap is addressed
87. Is Social Representations a suitable Theory
for advancements in the ICT4D domain?
...integrated view: Initiating Agencies
expectations & Local Ownership
...Design-Reality Gap is addressed
88. Is Social Representations a suitable Theory
for advancements in the ICT4D domain?
...integrated view: Initiating Agencies
expectations & Local Ownership
...insights on appropriation and reinvention
of a (new) object
...Design-Reality Gap is addressed
89. Is the Methodology applied within this study
suitable for the field (ICT4D)?
90. Is the Methodology applied within this study
suitable for the field (ICT4D)?
...mixed methods allow triangulation
91. Is the Methodology applied within this study
suitable for the field (ICT4D)?
...photo-elicitation allowed for gaining
different insights
...mixed methods allow triangulation
92. Is the Methodology applied within this study
suitable for the field (ICT4D)?
...photo-elicitation allowed for gaining
original insights
...mixed methods allow triangulation
94. 1) What are the social representations of CMCs in
Mozambique?
2) Is Social Representations a suitable Theory
for advancements in the ICT4D domain?
3) Is the Methodology applied within this
study suitable for the field (ICT4D)?
95. THANK YOU!
Journals
• Rega, I., Vannini, S., Fino, E., Cantoni, L. (accepted). Exploring the Meanings
of Community Multimedia Centers in Mozambique: A Social Representations
Perspective. Submitted to Information Technology and International
Development, (ITID).
• Vannini, S., Rega, I., Cantoni, L. (accepted). Information and Communication
Flows through Community Multimedia Centres: Perspectives from Mozambican
Communities. Submitted to Information Technology for Development (ITD),
Special Issue on ICT and Development in Africa.
• Rega, I, Vannini, S., Cantoni, L., (submitted). Using Photo-elicitation to Explore
Social Representations of Community Multimedia Centres in Mozambique.
Submitted to Information Technology for Development (ITD).
Conference Proceedings
• Vannini, S., Aguirre, L., Rega, I., Cantoni, L. (2013). Images of Community
Multimedia Centres in Mozambique: a participatory photo-elicitation study,
in Proceedings: IFIP WG 9.4: Social Implications of Computers in Developing
Countries, Ocho Ríos Jamaica, 19-22 May, 2013.
• Vannini, S., Rega, I., (2012), Inbound and Outbound Information and
Communication flows: Perspectives from Community Multimedia Centres in
Mozambique, in Proceedings: CIRN 2012 Community Informatics Conference:
'Ideals meet Reality' Monash Centre, Prato Italy 7-9 November 2012.