Tag Archives: postcolonial computing

Mod#3-Post#3: Postcolonial Computing

Link to the article: Postcolonial Computing: A Lens on Design and Development

Research on broadening the participation in computing focuses mainly on culturally relevant teaching but rarely addresses the design and development of our tools. Postcolonial computing is a critical perspective asking questions about how technologies mirror the biases of humans that make or interact with them (Irani, Vertesi, Dourish, Philip, & Grinter, 2010). The authors consider it a mode of investigation in the process of design and analysis to expand the conversation around cross-cultural technology (Irani et al., 2010). The authors suggest four critical shifts in their HCI4D (Human-Computer Interaction for Development) approach that broaden the understandings of power, history, identity, and epistemologies. They present these fundamental shifts via cases of biases in technological design and development. Then, they suggest alternate formulations of design work, namely, engagement, articulation, and translation (Irani et al., 2010).

Some key points in the article that resonates well with my inquiry: 1- “Understanding the diverse forms design practice and contextual reasons for that diversity” (p.1319); 2- “embracing heterogeneity in design, rather than attempting to control or eliminate it” (p. 1319); 3- “staging of encounters amongst various stakeholders” (p.1319 ) rather than formulating the design as needs and outcomes.; 4- and recognizing that we aren’t designing “for static, nationally-bound cultures, but instead as interventions both in conversation with and transformative of existing cultural practices” (p. 1314). The key message I am taking from this article to my discussion of tools is that we need to dismantle the binary between technology and culture in the design and development process and investigate the intersections between them. Also, contexts and cultures need to be the starting point in design and development, rather than supplements to the initial model.

Few acronyms used in the article that haven’t been explained to the audience:- UCD (User-centered design), OLPC (One Laptop per Child), and ICT4D (Information and Communication Technology for Development).

Reference:

  • Irani, L., Vertesi, J., Dourish, P., Philip, K., & Grinter, R. (2010). Postcolonial computing: A lens on design and development. Paper presented at the 1311-1320. https://doi.org/10.1145/1753326.1753522

Mod#1-Post#1: Reversing the Trend-A glimpse at Pioneering Indigenous Technologies

The readings in this module demonstrate that the mainstream technologies are not culturally neutral. It has been argued that the web’s values reflect its builders — primarily Western and do not represent Indigenous perspective. As such, I desired to research innovations that reverse the trend.  Below are three notable developments representing local contexts and addressing the specific needs of  Indigenous cultures. One keynote the development process has Indigenous communities’ involvement at every stage of the technologies production (i.e., check the references for more information).

[1] #thisismymob

It is a smartphone application developed by researchers in the Engineering and Information Technology faculty at the University of Technology Sydney. According to the project’s director, Christopher Lawrence (2018, August 1), the project was inspired by the idea of “postcolonial computing.” It employs participatory design to grant the technology design is culturally relevant and accessible to the Australian local context.

(NITV News, June 19, 2018)

[2] SIKU

It is an Indigenous Knowledge Social Network (SIKU) smartphone application released in December 2019. The app was created by the Nunavut civil society group Arctic Eider Society with funding from the 2017 Google.org Impact Challenge. It is named after the Inuktitut word for sea ice (UNESCO Courier, 2019). The app aims to keep Inuit communities updated about sea ice conditions while hunting or traveling and recording and exchanging comprehensive traditional information and language amongst community members in a way that engages the younger generation (Arctic Eider Society, 2019, December 4). One important note about this app is the specialized privacy setting that ensures that Indigenous knowledge of its Indigenous users remains protected (Arctic Eider Society, 2019, December 4).

(Arctic Eider Society, 2019, December 4)

[3] When Rivers Were Trails

It is a 2D adventure educational game focusing on the impact of assimilationist allotment acts of the 1890s on the Anishinaabe community. The game is developed by Elizbeth LaPensée in collaboration with Games for Entertainment and Learning (GEL) Lab at Michigan State University and officially released in 2019. According to LaPensée (2021), “games can [be used to] express Indigenous cultures through self-determined representations” (p.293). The production combines indigenous ways of knowing, themes, and story-telling formats, such as non-linear paths that mimic conventional story-telling systems, utilizes indigenous characters, and places games in historical contexts.

(SGSChallenge, 2019, November 6)

References