Mobile Phones and Development in Africa

Does the Evidence Meet the Hype?
Erscheinungsjahr 2024
ISBN: 978-3-031-41887-7
Verlag: Springer Nature Switzerland

Buch, Englisch, 174 Seiten, Format (B × H): 148 mm x 210 mm, Gewicht: 261 g

Reihe: Palgrave Studies in Agricultural Economics and Food Policy

This book focuses on the impact of information technology on the lives and livelihoods of rural households in sub-Saharan Africa, where simple mobile phones have leapfrogged traditional communication and financial technologies, and thus, arguably, offer some of the greatest potential for development. Drawing on primary and secondary research from a variety of disciplines, the authors examine the evolution of mobile phone coverage and adoption in sub-Saharan Africa over the past two decades, before exploring the main channels through which mobile phones can affect development. They then review initiatives on “digitizing development” and evaluate empirical evidence on their impact. The book argues that digital has yet to live up to the hype, ending with a set of questions that stakeholders should ask (and answer) when using digital technology for promoting development.

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Cariolle, Joël

Aker, Jenny C.

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Wissenssoziologie, Wissenschaftssoziologie, Techniksoziologie
• Technische Wissenschaften Elektronik | Nachrichtentechnik Nachrichten- und Kommunikationstechnik Drahtlostechnologie
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Wirtschaftssektoren & Branchen Primärer Sektor Agrarökonomie, Ernährungswirtschaft
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Volkswirtschaftslehre Internationale Wirtschaft Entwicklungsökonomie & Emerging Markets

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Where there is no phone.- 2. The Economics of the Phone.- 3. Digitizing Development.- 4. Living up to the Hype?.- 5. Rethinking ICT4D?.- 6. Conclusion.

Über Autor(innen)

Jenny C. Aker is Professor of Development Economics at the Fletcher School and the Department of Economics at Tufts University, Non-Resident Fellow at the Center for Global Development, Senior Researcher at Wageningen University, and co-Chair on “Digital Trust” at the Fondation pour les Etudes et Recherches sur le Développement International (FERDI).

Joël Cariolle is Research Officer at the FERDI (France) and Associate Researcher at the CERDI – University Clermont-Auvergne. He conducts research on digitalization and development, and he contributes to the FERDI “Digital Trust” Chair.