Big Data and International Development: Impacts, Scenarios and Policy Options
In the world of data, size obviously matters. But how much will it matter in the end, in what ways will these effects be felt and by whom. Perhaps most … Continue reading
Big Other: Surveillance Capitalism and the Prospects of an Information Civilization
This article describes an emergent logic of accumulation in the networked sphere, ‘surveillance capitalism,’ and considers its implications for ‘information civilization.’ Google is to surveillance capitalism what General Motors was … Continue reading
Is capitalism “mutating” into an infotech utopia?
Ann Pettifor reviews Paul Mason’s recent book PostCapitalism: A Guide to Our Future “Mason is optimistic about technology’s ability to eliminate pricing, to free up knowledge and to empower society … Continue reading
Privatizing Censorship, Eroding Privacy: Freedom on the Net 2015
Internet freedom around the world declined for the fifth consecutive year in 2015 as more governments censored information of public interest while also expanding surveillance and cracking down on privacy … Continue reading
Rethinking Interdisciplinarity across the Social Sciences and Neurosciences
Open Access Book – This book offers a provocative account of interdisciplinary research across the neurosciences, social sciences and humanities. Setting itself against standard accounts of interdisciplinary ‘integration,’ and rooting … Continue reading
Theories of Change: time for a radical approach to learning in development
The Theory of Change approach, with its focus on continuous critical reflection, demands a radical shift towards more and better learning in development thinking and practice. No new tool or … Continue reading
Are theories of change living up to their potential?
Theories of Change provide a framework to explain not just what a development program does, but how and why it does it. Even more importantly, Theories of Change uncover the … Continue reading
Stuffing data gaps with dollars: What will it cost to close the data deficit in poor countries?
We calculate a financing gap for data needs based on an analysis of existing survey coverage for three pillars of development data: the population census, living standard surveys, and health … Continue reading
5 Forecasts for the Future of African Cities
An innovation expert in Nigeria shares his thoughts on how economic expansion and innovation will transform the continent. For Africa, the 21st century is largely a tale of its cities. The … Continue reading
