Tag: Interview

NEWS: kiwanja.net Economist interview

kiwanja.net was recently interviewed by the Economist for a Technology Quarterly article examining the role of – and potential for – the mobile web in developing countries. This is the second time kiwanja has appeared in the Economist. The first – last November – covered the use of FrontlineSMS in Nigeria and Pakistan. This latest Economist article is available here

There has been increasing interest in the mobile web in recent months, which has also seen the creation of a new W3C Mobile Web for Social Development Group, co-chaired by kiwanja’s Ken Banks and W3C’s Stephane Boyera. Ken’s recent PC World article – Mobile Phones and the Digital Divide – also discusses the issues and challenges facing the mobile web in developing countries. This widely read article has been picked up by a number of sites, including ICT4Peace, appropriate it and Many Possibilities

NEWS: Ken Banks interviewed by anthropology researchers

Ken Banks has been interviewed by researchers at the University of Texas for a forthcoming book focussing on how anthropologists are contributing to the development of technologies that address the challenges of globalisation. According to the books authors, “The phenomenon of globalization has generated many opportunities for anthropologists to make a practical difference in the lives of people around the world”. They were particularly interested in kiwanja‘s focus on human-centred, grassroots, appropriate technology solutions, and the application of anthropological theories and techniques in its wider work

The book – which currently goes by the working title of “The Practice of Anthropology: Addressing Challenges of Globalisation” – is due for publication late next year. The research project has also been awarded a seminar at the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe and a Presidential Session at the next meeting of the American Anthropological Association. Further details on this – and the book publication date – will be made available nearer the time