Digital Technologies, Data and Development

This group covers all aspects of the relationship between the development process and digital systems (data, information, technology, platforms, ecosystems, etc.) in recognition of the ever-growing role of digitalisation and datafication in development.  It covers both strategic/policy and tactical/project levels; both technical and socio-political issues; and encompasses all lifecycle aspects: readiness, design and development, adoption, use and impact.

Convenors

Richard Heeks (University of Manchester)
richard.heeks(at)manchester.ac.uk

Gianluca Iazzolino (University of Manchester)
gianluca.iazzolino(at)manchester.ac.uk

Next event:

At DSA2025, the Study group will be supporting panels on:

• Digital agriculture in crisis (P44)
• Artificial intelligence opportunities for developing transformative positive change in future food systems (P52)
• Making an impact: ethnographic approaches to producing ‘good data (P51)
• Platform economy, precarious work and future of gig workers’ rights: discussing the development with the lens of ‘decent work’ (P54)

Previous meetings

The group has held panels each year at the DSA Annual Conference:

• in 2024, a panel on Data Justice for Development
• in 2023 a panel on Digital Transformation for Development
• in 2022, three panels on:
  • Reimagining mobile livelihoods, rethinking digital ‘grey’ economies
  • Researching the post-pandemic city through digital ethnography
  • Role of digital technology and innovations in bridging gender-inequality for just sustainable futures
• on “China’s Digital Expansion in the Global South” in 2021
• on “Digital Development Leadership” in 2020;
• on “Digital Development” in 2019;
• on “Digital Inequalities and Development” in 2018;
• and “Connectivity at the Bottom of the Pyramid: ICT4D and Informal Economic Inclusion” in 2017.

July 2016, University of Manchester

Big and Open Data for International Development

The workshop produced:
a) a future research agenda for “data-intensive development”
b) a network site for researchers and practitioners working in data-intensive development, which you are invited to join
See the abstracts and presentations from the workshop.

October 2014, University of Manchester

IT Sourcing and Development: New Drivers, Models and Impacts

Download the report

 

July 2013, University of Manchester

New Models of Innovation for Development

Download the report (PDF); view the papers

 

June 2011, LSE

Understanding Development Through Actor-Network Theory Workshop

View the working papers (go to Actor-Network Theory for Development in the drop-down)

 

Other outputs

New Models of Inclusive Innovation for Development

The special issue of Innovation and Development journal on “New Models of Inclusive Innovation for Development” has now been published. This incorporates six papers from the 2013 ITD Study Group meeting on innovation and development, held at the University of Manchester; three of which are on permanent open access. The overview paper – is available via open access. It defines and analyses inclusive innovation, and identifies future policy and research priorities.