ICT, Intermediaries, and the Transformation of Gendered Power Structures

Author List: Oreglia, Elisa; Srinivasan, Janaki;
MIS Quarterly, 2016, Volume 40, Issue 2, Page 501-510.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are believed to hold much potential to empower women, both socially and economically, in low-income and rural communities. In this paper, we focus on rural women who mediate ICT use as telecenter operators in India and as helpers and enablers for family members in rural China. We explore under what circumstances they may be able to renegotiate existing gendered power structures. We argue that acts of reconciling or confronting the different spaces they inhabit can allow intermediaries to remake their own identities and positions in their community. This process, rather than the potential associated with ICTs, is where spaces for empowerment often lie.
Keywords: Gender; intermediaries; Global South; China; India; ICT; mobile phones; telecenters
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#158 0.304 capital social ict communication rural icts cognitive society information well-being relational india societal empirically create develop disadvantaged technologies explore china
#34 0.180 negotiation negotiations using potential power agreement paper bases partners ending negotiators offers visualization messaging instant audio e-marketplaces provide positions agents
#128 0.107 dynamic time dynamics model change study data process different changes using longitudinal understanding decisions develop temporal reveal associated state identifies
#103 0.100 exploration climate technology empowerment explore features trying use employees intention examining work intentions exploring autonomy exploitation innovate feature understanding individual
#45 0.096 community communities online members participants wikipedia social member knowledge content discussion collaboration attachment communication law virtual membership structures forms activities
#212 0.081 business digital strategy value transformation economy technologies paper creation digitization strategies environment focus net-enabled services processes insights challenges key response
#218 0.053 role roles gender differences women significant play age men plays sample differ played vary understand critical greater implications relatively offered