Suchergebnisse

In the so–called twilight of hierarchy, networks have been celebrated for their lateral linkages, which often lead to the development of lateral discursive spaces, especially in industries where the premium is on innovation and creativity. However, the two lateralities—technological and social—do not readily come together at the margins, and require considerable work. This article examines the efforts to translate lateral connectivity into lateral discursive space—the Tanami Network in Australia and Tribal Digital Village in the US—by native peoples, communities especially motivated to generate such spaces. These two grassroots efforts highlight facets of development such as ritual communication and liminality which are important for the intended beneficiaries, but are rarely seen in the projects designed by external experts that focus on economic development and delivery of services.

Over 50% of people in poverty in the United States no longer have a landline telephone, and this same population is more likely to have a no-contract cell phone plan requiring the continuous purchase of minutes. As a result, the poor may increasingly experience short-term phonelessness, which may disrupt access to healthcare and other services. To explore this we conducted 37 client interviews and 7 staff interviews at two free health clinics. Cell phone disconnection was a regular occurrence that delayed access to care and threatened client privacy. Temporary disconnection also contributed to lost employment, lost welfare benefits, and strains on social support networks—all of which are critical for optimizing health. Results are interpreted through a lens of technology maintenance, which argues that the poor will struggle to maintain digital access after ownership and public availability are realized. The potential worsening of health inequalities and related policy implications are discussed.