Appropriating the Internet for Social Change: Towards the Strategic Use of Networked Technologies by Transnational Civil Society Organizations
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Appropriating the Internet for Social Change: Towards the strategic use of networked technologies by transnational civil society organizations A report by: Mark Surman Katherine Reilly A project of: Social Sciences Research Council Information Technology and International Cooperation Program November 2003 Appropriating the Internet for Social Change Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..........................................................................................................................3 1. INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................9 MAPPING OUT STRATEGIC USE .....................................................................................................................10 WHAT WOULD THE WORLD LOOK LIKE?.......................................................................................................11 2. LANDSCAPE..........................................................................................................................................14 REACHING FOR A CIVIL SOCIETY ..................................................................................................................14 FROM ACCESS TO APPROPRIATION ...............................................................................................................17 WHAT DOES CIVIL SOCIETY DO ONLINE? .....................................................................................................21 3. COLLABORATION..............................................................................................................................24 WHAT IS ONLINE COLLABORATION? ............................................................................................................25 CASE #1 – FRIENDS OF THE EARTH INTERNATIONAL ..................................................................................26 CASE #2 – JUBILEE 2000...............................................................................................................................29 CASE #3 – SUMMER SOURCE .......................................................................................................................31 4. PUBLISHING.........................................................................................................................................36 WHAT IS ONLINE PUBLISHING?.....................................................................................................................37 CASE #1 – INSTITUTO DEL TERCER MUNDO (ITEM)....................................................................................38 CASE #2 - ONEWORLD .................................................................................................................................40 CASE #3 - INDYMEDIA ..................................................................................................................................42 5. MOBILIZATION...................................................................................................................................46 WHAT IS ONLINE MOBILIZATION? ................................................................................................................48 CASE #1: ORGANIZING AGAINST THE MAI ..................................................................................................49 CASE #2: ORGANIZING SEATTLE ..................................................................................................................51 CASE #3: BIWATER CENSORSHIP CASE ........................................................................................................53 6. OBSERVATION ...................................................................................................................................57 WHAT IS ONLINE OBSERVATION? .................................................................................................................59 CASE #1 - OLISTICA ...................................................................................................................................60 CASE #2 – SARAI / WAAG EXCHANGE..........................................................................................................63 CASE #3 - CITIZENLAB..................................................................................................................................65 7. EMERGENCE........................................................................................................................................69 8. CONCLUSIONS.....................................................................................................................................71 EQUITY (NORTH + SOUTH)............................................................................................................................71 IMPACT (POLITICS)........................................................................................................................................73 TRUST (COLLABORATION)............................................................................................................................74 SUSTAINABILITY (MONEY) ...........................................................................................................................74 ENCLOSURE (1.0 VS 2.0)...............................................................................................................................75 A MOVEMENT AFOOT?..................................................................................................................................76 A WAY FORWARD? (AKA RECOMMENDATIONS)...........................................................................................78 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................................82 APPENDIX 1: INGO, ODA AND CONNECTIVITY FIGURES..........................................................91 Surman and Reilly 2 Appropriating the Internet for Social Change Foreword This report was prepared for the Social Science Research Council's (SSRC) Information Technology and International Cooperation (ITIC) program. The ITIC program exists to explore the relationship between information technology and civil society. Its goal is to build knowledge about the use and governance of information technology by civil society actors - from NGOs to alternative media - especially at the transnational level. The program brings international groups of scholars and practitioners together to collaborate at meetings, online, and through the exchange of writings. One of two initial 'knowledge reports' released by the program, this document focuses on the issue of how civil society organizations are using information technology. In conjunction with this report, SSRC has organized a research network in order to expand on the knowledge and analysis on this topic. The network is engaged in writing papers, discussion and collaborative projects related to IT governance. A companion report published at the same time as this one focuses on the international governance of information technology and its implications for civil society networking. A similarly structured research network has been formed on this topic. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) will hold the first World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva in December 2003, marking the end of the first phase of this international process. The two ITIC research networks will meet in Geneva directly following WSIS to discuss “IT and the Politics of Civil Society.” Acknowledgements In our interconnected world, a report like this is never solely the work of one or two minds. Dozens of people all around the world helped make this report a reality by sharing insights, experience, statistics and feedback. As the authors of the report, we wish to extend our deepest gratitude to all of these people. We would especially like to thank those who contributed the case material that brings this report to life. In particular, thank you to the Association for Progressive Communications for sharing unpublished research on the experience of those who are working to improve the strategic use of network technology within civil society. Also, thanks to Robert Latham and Marcela Sabino at SSRC who provided tremendous intellectual and logistical support through the process of writing the report. And, of course, the biggest thank you goes to our friends and families for their support - your contribution is incalculable. Surman and Reilly 3 Appropriating the Internet for Social Change Executive Summary As civil society, we are confronted with an opportunity – to use the Internet and other emerging network technologies to support our quest for global peace and social justice. Consider that we live in a world where almost anyone located in an urban centre can share their message globally with a free blog and a few dollars spent at an Internet café. Access is not– or will not for much longer be – a major communications stumbling block for civil society organizations. The more pressing need is for civil society to learn how to appropriate the technologies that we now have access to, bending and molding them so that they can be used more strategically and politically. While we can point to examples of innovative civil society applications, most organizations have not moved much beyond e-mail and basic web sites – and they have certainly not moved on to what might be called the ‘strategic use’