Panel Two

Institutional Frameworks for Global Knowledge poses the question: to what extent is sci/tech knowledge a public good? Can it be used for social justice? 

Raoul Weiler, an engineer from Belgium, teaches at a Catholic university and is a member of the board of the Club of Rome.  which is sponsoring a conference on capacity building next year. Because of the intellectual heritage he sees the knowledge as common to all of us. Cognitive justice says that all knowledges are equally valid in relation to each other. This counters the negative impact of western science which places itself above other knowledge systems. He quoted a S. African who pushed for recognition of indigenous knowledge as lessening the alienation some have from western science.

Sustainability is an overarching concept. I thought it was utopian and now it's a necessity.Weiler quotes S. African President Mbeki who said that S. development won't happen unless people can use the ICT effectively.  850 million are illiterate indicating there are all sorts of divides, not just technological.  Poor countries will become ignorant countries.  "Only by eliminating poverty can we dream of a sustainable society."  He cites J. Stiglitz saying that education is basic in achieving this.

He asks if health is a public good, and if it is then society will have to change. With regards to intellectual property, he talked about the critics of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and how they are more open to public interest groups and how to protect human rights and consumer rights. Mention of the Geneva declaration on the future of WIPO

Brooke Partridge, HP emerging market solutions, thinks social justice is a concern of corporations. Her company has targeted developing countries through philanthropic giving, but we need to increase profits to justify those expenditures on donations. We are working on developing technologies that benefit developing countries. We have to understand those markets of which 70% are governments. Most companies are not looking at this, but they have had programs for South Africa. She advocates "selling to the bottom of the pyramid" or more accurately the middle of the pyramid--not the poorest of the poor. As a result of the i-communities they have launched the multi-user 441 desktop solution which uses Linux.

Pedro Hepp, a consultant for the Ministry of Education in Chile, started in the early 1990's with the Enlaces (Links) project.  Most children now have access in their schools. It may not be the fastest, nor are there enough computers, but 85% of the teachers also know how to use the tools for improving skills. ICT is the official new curriculum, and about 1,100 schools are open to the community for use bythe public. The kids do not lose by being connected; they gain.  He is optimistic about this.  What is amazing is that this program has survived seven ministers of education and three presidents. 

Bowker is interested in the business model for an institutional framework.  HP sees that as the way they are working with governments. However, most governments do not have an open policy about their own information.  Development of geo-spatial data has been boosted in Denmark and the U.S. by the open policies, but hindered in the UK (and many other places) by its geodata policy.

Weiler would like to see framworks that are more open and where less power resides with one sector (like corporate publishers). We should not leave knowledge in an economic system.   Hepp said that governments don't like to work with big companies, and that's a big mistake. He sees the need to establish common ground for a pilot project.

Bowker: There's a problem with calling something local or indigenous knowledge. It's a problematic term for urban dwellers.
Weiler: the disappearance of cultures and languages means we need to brake the slide into fewer languages and cultures.  Mention of UNESCO's conference on cultural diversity.
Hepp: he talked about the Mapuche Indians in Chile who are using ICT to expand their culture; they are not being wiped out by international web sites.

Partridge was asked about their projects and how they were sustained and how did they make a profit? She said they just talked about the issues and needs of a target community and not about technology. She said they also work with development NGOs and for-profit groups to develop the local solutions (her favorite term).

Comments

[Steve Cisler]

Here are the unanswered questions for panel two:

The industrialized world required many centuries to arrive at the production and use of modern technology. What important steps of this inherent social progress will be lost by the injection of modern technology into developing countries?

The industrialized world required many centuries to arrive at the production an use of modern technology. What important steps of this inherent social progress will be lost by the injections of modern technology into developing countries?

Brooke spoke about a lack of corporate investment/support in your efforts. What collaborative efforts, if any are you considering with other corporations?

Brooke: what happens to the local community now that your three year project is over? who will pay for the maintenance/upgrading of the lab equipment? Will people who used to work for you in your lab be laid off? Hp benefits by using live lab. What does the community get out of the experience?

Brooke: can we hear more examples of how HP makes a profit from the bottom of the pyramid?

It should be simple to put a hole that you can reseal in Inkjet cartridges to make them recyclable. HP can still make money selling ink. What hasn't HP done it?

It seems that "IT in development" consists of solutions ins search of problems. What specific problems are IT solutions the best possible answer to? Is it the case that we have technologies in search of markets, or are IT solutions truly an efficient answer to real problems?

What definition of knowledge is presupposed in cognitive justice. Is it justified true belief? What relation to truth does knowledge have?

What conditions are necessary for the successful building of a digital knowledge commons in emerging societies?

Several points were made about capacity building. Basic education and skill development is essential but real capacity is build by experience in applying knowledge and skills. What kinds of institutions can offer applied experience in science and technology where there is a limited private sector?