The role of digital development in women's citizenship formation: an intersectional approach.
Lead Research Organisation:
The Open University
Department Name: Faculty of Arts and Social Sci (FASS)
Abstract
The use of Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D), or Digital
Development, has come to the forefront of International Development. The focus of the latest 2016
World Development Report ('Digital Dividends'); the creation of a set of Principles for Digital
Development ; or DFID's 2015 review of digital in development programmes 1 are examples of this.
Despite inequalities in access, the use of digital technologies is gradually increasing in developing
countries, potentially providing new opportunities for groups to create political spaces and
challenge the status quo through alternative forms of communication. However, a recent evidence
review by the Overseas Development Institute found that most studies on ICTs and women's
empowerment focus on the economic aspect and "rarely draw connections between women's
economic power and their voice and influence in society or politics"2. Leading academics have also
raised the concern that most ICT policies lack a gender analysis at inception3 and others have
highlighted the need for an intersectional approach to understanding the role of digital development
in women's status and political influence4 5. In addition, concerns have been raised about the
potential of digital development to amplify existing inequalities and "intersecting forms of
discrimination" (Cummings, 2015). Despite the gaps in evidence, the use of ICTs for supporting
women's agency and political influence is a key concern for development6.
Kenya, labelled the 'Silicon Savannah', is a recognised IT Hub in Sub-Saharan Africa and the
government is currently updating its 2006 ICT Policy. However, concerns have been raised on the
lack of a "targeted gender process'7.
Research has pointed out the existence of a "a significant gender gap in the political
participation among young women in Kenya"8. This is in a context where youth are particularly
susceptible to multiple layers of conflict and discrimination9 which stop them from becoming "fullyfleged
citizens", as Alcinda Honwana describes in her work on "waithood" (2012). Overall, there is
a need for evidence on the ways in which digital development can contribute to young women's
citizen formation and Kenya offers the the right context in which to do so.
Development, has come to the forefront of International Development. The focus of the latest 2016
World Development Report ('Digital Dividends'); the creation of a set of Principles for Digital
Development ; or DFID's 2015 review of digital in development programmes 1 are examples of this.
Despite inequalities in access, the use of digital technologies is gradually increasing in developing
countries, potentially providing new opportunities for groups to create political spaces and
challenge the status quo through alternative forms of communication. However, a recent evidence
review by the Overseas Development Institute found that most studies on ICTs and women's
empowerment focus on the economic aspect and "rarely draw connections between women's
economic power and their voice and influence in society or politics"2. Leading academics have also
raised the concern that most ICT policies lack a gender analysis at inception3 and others have
highlighted the need for an intersectional approach to understanding the role of digital development
in women's status and political influence4 5. In addition, concerns have been raised about the
potential of digital development to amplify existing inequalities and "intersecting forms of
discrimination" (Cummings, 2015). Despite the gaps in evidence, the use of ICTs for supporting
women's agency and political influence is a key concern for development6.
Kenya, labelled the 'Silicon Savannah', is a recognised IT Hub in Sub-Saharan Africa and the
government is currently updating its 2006 ICT Policy. However, concerns have been raised on the
lack of a "targeted gender process'7.
Research has pointed out the existence of a "a significant gender gap in the political
participation among young women in Kenya"8. This is in a context where youth are particularly
susceptible to multiple layers of conflict and discrimination9 which stop them from becoming "fullyfleged
citizens", as Alcinda Honwana describes in her work on "waithood" (2012). Overall, there is
a need for evidence on the ways in which digital development can contribute to young women's
citizen formation and Kenya offers the the right context in which to do so.
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES/P000649/1 | 01/10/2017 | 30/09/2027 | |||
| 1949663 | Studentship | ES/P000649/1 | 01/10/2017 | 31/03/2023 | Anna Colom |
| Description | New nuanced evidence on the types of intermittent and mediated access to smartphones and otherwise widely accessed apps such as WhatsApp for some young people in Kenya, particularly for those facing intersecting oppressions such as being a woman, with low levels of formal education and living in a rural setting. New evidence on the role of smartphones and WhatsApp in enabling young people in Western Kenya to perform the citizenship capabilities they value and how this performative role is challenging issues on citizenship brought about colonialism and post-colonialism. |
| Exploitation Route | The award is still live and analysis underway. It is therefore early to say but these initial findings are being shared in academic conferences and it is planned that the outcomes will be shared to policymakers and civil society organisations using social media and mobile phones in activism and civic engagement. |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Description | I have shared preliminary findings with the civil society organisation that hosted me in Kenya and they have been taken into account by management (2019). The publication with DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794120986074 has had 783 downloads in 11 days (3 Feb 2021), and been in the top 25% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric according to which 59% of those who have engaged with the tweeted article are members of the public (41% are scientists). |
| First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
| Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Title | Using WhatsApp for focus group discussions |
| Description | After using WhatsApp for conducting online and mobile focus group discussions, I have presented the method at a Qualitative Analysis workshop and a meeting of the School of Psychology and Counselling at The Open University. I will also be presenting it at the EQUIP (Qualitative Research in Psychology in Europe) 2020 conference. I have also written a journal paper that is currently in the process of submission for potential academic publishing. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This method provides new affordances that has enabled me to include different study participants from different backgrounds and contexts whilst providing high ecological validity and deliberative discussion. |
| Description | Professional Placement at Africa's Voices Foundation (Oct-Dec 2018) |
| Organisation | Africa's Voices |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | I was able to undertake a collaboration with Africa's Voices Foundation thanks to a professional placement funded by the Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership ESRC award. Africa's Voices is an organisation I have professionally and academically been interested in for a number of years for their use of mixed methods research and digital technologies to generate citizen-driven data and social change. The organisation's vision is very relevant to my career focus and experience researching the role of Information and Communication Technologies in international development, and, in particular, in East Africa. In line with the professional exchange nature of the placement, it was agreed with the host organisation that I would contribute to the organisation by bringing in my professional experience as a senior research manager working across a number of African countries, especially Kenya. This professional experience includes embedding theories of change and designing and managing mixed methods research to inform and evaluate development outcomes, as well as supporting the development of research skills across diverse teams. During this placement I specifically contributed with: • Evaluation design: I supported the design of evaluation studies across a number of projects, including a project designed to use radio in interaction with SMS technology to understand the views from people living in refugee camps on the beliefs and social norms hindering girls' education. • Team development: I supported both staff and partners in thematic analysis whilst learning the particularities of doing this in combination with the use of machine-learning driven data systems. During the process, I also learnt about the potential for combining this analysis with automated processes that can support analysis at scale. • Strategy: I took part in the organisation's strategy development meetings. In these, I contributed with my experience in the sector but also learnt about the potential and strategic implications of combining traditional mixed-methods social science with computational machine learning based approaches. • Project management: I supported the management of two projects, including meeting with project partners and understanding the implications that using radio in interaction with SMS data flows has for project design and project risk management. • Research analysis and dissemination: I contributed to analysis, reporting and disseminating research studies to partners and donors. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The partner equipped me with knowledge of and experience in rigorous innovative research using digital methods to research development outcomes, including machine learning techniques and Africa's Voices own interface for thematic analysis of digital data. I learnt about the implications for evaluation and research design when the data is generated from SMS flows and a diversity of SMS conversational packages. The partner exposed me to new challenges and solutions for ethics and data management, particularly when surveys are done via SMS flows. In the process of data management, I was exposed to using Python for the first time, in this case for the purpose of data de-identification. At the time of the placement, I was also writing a forthcoming chapter on using radio as a participatory digital research method, for a SAGE publication on participatory research methods. The partner collaborated by sharing the details of their interactive radio approach as a research method to be included as a case study in the chapter. |
| Impact | The outcomes have been listed above and include strategy development for the role of interactive radio in citizen-driven data and social change, team skills development, and successful completion of a number of research projects, including dissemination to partners and donors, resulting into direct policy and practice advice. This is a multidisciplinary collaboration combining my background in media and communication, international development and social and behaviour change communication with the host organisation's experience in politics and international studies, and computer science and software engineering. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Open University video |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The video was shared by the Open University, supervisors and colleagues on social media across a number of platforms. I have not accessed potential impact, such as requests for more information by audiences, other than reactions in Facebook shares which showed new learning. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppnBIlw60x0 |
| Description | Presentation at Moi University (Kenya) Graduate Research Seminar and Public Lecture |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | In July 2019 I shared the research study under this award at Moi University in Kenya during a Graduate Research Seminar and Public Lectures day. The seminar day was hosted by the Graduate Studies Directorate, Research Directorate, Department of History and Government, and the Department of Publishing and Media Studies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |