Support to Review for Technological Innovations and Human Development Nexus

Contract

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The design of products and services has profound and complex relationships with human capabilities. Indeed, many products and services – from technological innovations to social innovations - are developed with the aim of expanding valuable freedoms and powers and have indeed made important positive contributions. Examples include medical technologies that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives, ICTs empowering people to play a more active role in shaping their social and political environment, organizational forms such as cooperatives that can likewise empower people and open networks that enable people to pursue a common mission. Other products and innovations are more questionable in capability terms—social networks’ dark side include widespread of fake news, attention manipulation and dark UX/UI practices.

Investigating the nexus of human capabilities, technology, design and social innovation require contributions from many academic disciplines, since questions in this area touch upon other themes such as governance, individual versus collective choice, participation, power, ideology, culture, values and norms, cognitive frames, economy, and ecosystems. All these also need to be set in the context of global dynamics such as between the global North and global South. Hence, it calls for a transdisciplinary approach that also includes collaboration between academia and non-academic partners for conducting research appropriately. It requires bringing together researchers and practitioners of diverse disciplinary backgrounds for discussion, exchange of information and joint project development.

The purpose of this review is threefold: (i) review and update bibliography database to include most recent developments in 2022-23; (ii) scan for emerging practices in the areas of Technological Innovations and Human Development and lessons learned; (iii) review and update list of researchers and practitioners in the area. Participation in this review will help online volunteer to obtain good understanding of Technological Innovations and Human Development, connect with practitioners and researchers in the area, and use innovative visualization and analysis techniques.

The online volunteers will conduct review of literature and emerging practices in the areas of Technological Innovations and Human Development. More specifically this includes: 1. Review and update bibliography database to include most recent developments in 2022-23. 2. Scan for emerging practices in the areas of Technological Innovations and Human Development and lessons learned 3. Review and update list of researchers and practitioners in the area

Bachelor’s (or higher) in Development, Economics, Management, or related field with strong interest in technologies, innovations, design, and human development.