Course Outline This course explores the relationships between settler colonialism, the growth of digital networks and applications, community development, and digital self-determination. It re-frames problems like the ‘digital divide’ by illustrating how Indigenous peoples and communities are taking ownership and control of solving them. It recognizes that this work faces significant challenges. Historic and ongoing[…]

Community networking projects like Bamaji Telephone Service also rely on partnerships, typically between local communities, network operators, and funders from government, private sector, or civil society organizations. For Indigenous groups located in expensive or challenging to service regions, these partnerships are necessary to provide services in regions that otherwise lack a business case. Put differently,[…]

Around the world, government involvement in ICT4D typically begins by building core infrastructures in urban centres. It then addresses gaps in targeted regions and populations, and ends by filling any remaining holes. In Canada, the federal government’s activities during the 1990s and 2000s – which were led by Industry Canada – followed this general approach.[…]

Four Directions Teaching is another example of an Indigenous digital media project which presents traditional stories and Elder teachings in an interactive website. The project reflects Indigenous cultural protocols regarding the digital storage and representation of community-held knowledge. Four Directions was set up by Dr. Jennifer Wemigwans, Anishnaabekwe (Ojibwe/ Potawatomi) from Wikwemikong First Nation, near[…]