Research papers

In 'Where did the mysterious CIRP come from – A short alternative (almost sub-altern) account of its history' Parminder Jeet Singh, unpacks the politics of 'enhanced-coperation'. The article recounts the IT for Change's continued efforts towards a more inclusive debate on this topic at various internaional forums and the resistance put up by certain stakeholders from the global North to such steps being taken.

In August 2012, IT for Change was approached by the United Nations Project Office on Governance (UNPOG), for inputs to their research on "Role of e-Government to Promote Gender Equality in the Asia Pacific". Our submission argues for the need to move beyond the blind spot of the value neutrality of technology in e-governance policy design, by adopting a cohesive, well-deliberated strategy for exploring the opportunities offered by digital transformations for gender equality.

IT for Change's research study on 'Exploring an institutional model for Samudaya Jnana Kendras (Community Knowledge Centres)' explores the possibility of setting up state-initiated, community knowledge centres ( Samudaya Jnana Kendras) in various rural locations across the state of Karnataka. This study which was carried out for the Karnataka Knowledge Commission between January-August 2011, was accepted by the Commission in January 2012.

At IT for Change (ITfC), we focus on a grounded analysis and exploration of the possibilities that Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) offer for deve

Parminder Jeet Singh was invited by the South Centre, the Geneva-based inter-governmental thinktank, to address the developing country diplomats on global Internet-related policies and the appropriate institutional mechanisms for this purpose.

IT for Change was one of the five civil society members of the 'Task Force for the Effective Implementation of Section 4 of the RTI Act' constituted by Department of Personal and Training, Government of India. IT for Change also led the sub group of the Task Force on digital means for proactive disclosure. The report of the consultation was submitted to the Task Force. IT for Change also organised the digital disclosures track of the national level consultation workshop organised by the Task Force, whose report was also submitted to the task force.

IT for Change wrote a paper titled 'A development agenda in Internet Governance - Outlining global public policy issues and exploring new institutional options' for the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) seminar on global Internet Governance that took place on 1-2 September 2011 at Fundação Getulio Vargas, in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). The event was organised by the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations, with support from the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee and the Centre for Technology & Society, as well as governmental and non-governmental actors from India, Brazil and South Africa.

Under the 'Gender and citizenship in the Information Society' Research programme, Anita Gurumurthy and Arpita Joshi undertook visits to three tele-centre initiatives which showed a keen understanding of the gendered nature of technology use and society, especially targeting their programme to ensure reaching  marginalised women. The programmes covered were -

For the tenth anniversary of Feminist Media Studies, Kumarini Silva and Kaitlynn Mendes engage with Carolina Escosteguy and Anita Gurumurthy about the degree of impact that feminism and feminist media studies have had, can have, and should have, in the global "South". The conversations show the importance of investigating the local, while simultaneously acknowledging global shifts in knowledge production and distribution.