Information Technology in the Third World: Can I.T. Lead to Humane National Development?

Mass media, telecommunications, and computer technology can effect change in poor countries, but Third World leaders are often disappointed in the results. Professor Stover looks closely at information technology and communication as agents of economic, social, and political development in Third World countries, stressing that definitions of "communication" and "development" must include participation in the exchange of information and the attainment of humane values. He examines reasons why the current world information order does not meet the needs of the Third World and argues that the major difficulty in achieving the potential of information technology for humane development is a cyclical pattern involving technology and values. When countries acquire the physical means of communication, their leaders are tempted to control them, resulting in censorship that prevents genuine communication. Breaking this cycle is a major requirement in using information technology for development, and Dr. Stover discusses how this may be accomplished practically in developmental, Western, and Soviet contexts.