The Importance of Science And Technology For Developing Countries

Throughout history, the development of new technology has been absolutely vital for both human survival and human progress. We as a species constantly come across situations where our alternatives are either adaptation or survival and one of the main tools with which we adapt to changing conditions is with the discovery and implementation of new technologies. Another reason we strive to create new technology is not only to eke out a meagre existence but to improve our living conditions as much as possible. Technology is the primary vehicle through which humanity progresses and in the future, technology could serve to eliminate much of the biggest problems facing us as a species such as world hunger, poverty, lack of access to education and other issues.

Arguably the portion of the world most in need of technology and all the socioeconomic development that comes with it is the Third World, where living conditions are worst and technology is neglected relative to the rest of the world. Abdus Salam, the 1979 Nobel laureate in physics, once made the observation that science in developing countries is looked upon as a "marginal activity" and even considered "an ornament". This dismissive view of the power of technology to transform lives is one of the many impediments facing Africa. Lack of enough capital to properly fund technological education and research and development is another huge obstacle. Another is the lack of infrastructure and proper management to implement changes in technology policy. A reversal of these technological misfortunes can only come about as a result of renewed focus on technological education (especially in colleges and universities) and research and development in the Third World.

Despite all the obstacles facing the developing world in its journey to become as technologically proficient and aware as the developed world, there is much hope to be found all across the Third World. A shining example of the entrepreneurial and knowledge seeking spirit that is widespread all over the developing world is the story of William Kamkwamba, a Malawian teenager who used blue gum trees, bicycle parts, and materials that he collected in a local scrapyard to power his family's home. Despite being forced to leave school due to lack of tuition money and having to face the derision of his fellow villagers for undertaking a seemingly fruitless endeavor, William utilized his limited acess to education and his own ingenuity to transcend expectations and improve his life conditions and those of his family and fellow villagers. In doing so, he has provided me and others with reason to believe in the ability of the developing world to embrace technology and empower themselves with it.

I believe the research sources  used for this blog posting were credible and good sources because of the bibliography of the first source which was a research paper authored by faculty at Eastern Mediterranean University in Gazimagusa, North Cyprus. I feel confident in this source due to the comprehensive bibliography which includes such notable and trustworthy references such as Weekly Science and World Scientific. My other source was the Wall Street Journal's article on William Kamkwamba. I felt confident in using the Wall Street Journal because it is one of the most universally recognized publications in the world and widely accepted as a very credible news source.

Sources:
http://fie-conference.org/fie95/4c4/4c44/4c44.htm
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119742696302722641.html?mod=hpp_us_editors_picks

Internet Censorship In Developing Countries

Censorship is a primary tool for consolidating power and suppressing opposition in authoritarian governments and with the Internet becoming one of the major channels of information flow in modern society, Internet censorship has become an integral component of stifling information flow. Many countries practice some form of Internet censorship and most of the motivations for this censorship are similar: the need to control information flow. The reasons for this need vary however. In theocratic regimes (especially in the Middle East) any content that is regarded as immoral in the governing religion is blocked. This includes everything from pornography to gambling sites and in some cases (specifically Yemen) any material that seeks to convert its citizens to religions besides the government endorsed one. Th The other major motivation for Internet censorship is to suppress political opposition and to consolidate governmental power. Iran  The practice of Internet censorship is especially prevalent in Islamist and communist regimes and almost exclusively single party states. Of the twelve countries listed among the "Enemies of the Internet" list compiled by Reporters Without Borders, seven practice either some form of Islamism or some form of Communism and virtually all of the countries are basically single party states (some are single party states in practice rather than name). Freedom of information and uninhibited flow of information are fundamental pillars in building the foundation of a democratic society. Given free reign to seek out the information they need, citizens will be able to make informed decisions about politics and other aspects of of their own lives. Therein lies the danger of authoritarian regimes allowing their citizens total  and uncensored access to the Internet and therein lies the reason why freedom of information is so important to the national progress of developing countries and must be maintained at all costs.

Information used in this blog gathered from:
http://en.rsf.org/list-of-the-13-internet-enemies-07-11-2006,19603

"Battle For The Soul Of The Internet":http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981132,00.html

I just read an interesting Time magazine article written in March of 2005 that described many of the issues surrounding the newly widespread use of the Internet and made a few interesting predictions as to the future of the young technology. The article starts by recounting the story of Laurence Canter and Martha Siegel, who by sending a simple message advertising their services as a husband and wife law firm became one of the first large scale Internet spammers. The case of Canter and Siegel raised a lot of issues that persist to this day such as Internet spam, the commercialization of the Internet, the rampant advertisements and the issue of proper Internet etiquette. The issues have become much more complex and have multiplied greatly as the Internet's population has increased to almost 2 billion people. At the time of the Time article's publication, the Internet's population was only about 25 million, an increase of almost 76 times. The article somewhat accurately predicts that the Internet will be a major technology in the future but fails in its prediction of the importance of the technology. It also speaks about the double sided sword aspect of the Internet, documenting the Clinton's administration's difficulty in incorporating the Internet into the education system due to the fear that providing children access to the Internet was also providing them access to the pornography that can be found on the Internet. These issues still exist in other forms today. We as a society are constantly trying to strike a balance between the negative and positive influences that technology has on our lives. I found the article very interesting both for its eerie premonitions and its wildly inaccurate predictions on the future of the Internet.

Historical Overview of Technology and The Developing World

During my last post I gave a little introduction about the topic of technology and its impact on the developing world and I thought it would be a good idea (also my professor made me) to give a brief historical overview on the topic. I hope a little background information and history would help us better understand the topic and enrich the rest of the knowledge gained through reading this blog.

Technology has been an integral component of the human experience since the beginning of time and this also rings true for the developing world where technology has been being implemented for hundreds and hundreds of years.  Some Third World countries that are considered less technologically savvy than their First World counterparts in this day and age were once bastions of technologically advancement. Sumer (which is modern day Iraq) was the birthplace of many of the most important agricultural innovations of all time. Currently monumental innovations in agriculture such as irrigation, large scale cultivation of land, mono-cropping and the use of a specialized labor force originated from Sumer. Sumer stands as one of the many examples of past technologically advanced civilizations who preceded modern countries who are relatively lagging in technological advancement. These countries have a heritage of technological advancement but have faced economic and social hardships that have hampered recent technological development.



Despite these setbacks however, the technological future of the developing world looks bright. Developing countries are closing the technological gap between them and the developed world. Countries such as China and India who were once considered Third World countries are now leading powers in the world largely due to advancements in technology. An article on the scientific impact of nations published in the magazine nature by David King (head of the UK Office of Science and Technology) shows that India, China, Iran and Brazil are the only developing countries among the 31 nations that comprise 97.5% of the world's entire scientific productivity. The remaining 162 developing countries constitute less than 2.5% of the world's total scientific productivity. This is a statistical discrepancy that needs to be addressed through increased investment and emphasis on technological research and development in the Third World. Much of India, China, Iran and Brazil's increased economic output and social progress has come about as a result of improved technology. China has solved many of its problems that as a developing nation it inevitably faces through the adoption of technology. Widespread food shortages were addressed through the development of hybrid grains such as hybrid rice which yields more crops and is less susceptible to diseases which destroy crops. Iran's nuclear program is a source of great pride in the country, a bargaining chip when it comes to the poker table of international politics and a vital energy source in a world that is trying to move away from its dependence on fossil fuels. These rapidly developing countries serve as an example to aspire to for the rest of the developing countries who are lagging behind in technological advancement.
The onus is on Third World countries to close the gap between them and First World countries with regards to technological advancement. Spending on technological research, development and education must be increased and an emphasis on adopting technology as an important part of society must be made. I believe that if these two tasks are accomplished a much brighter future lies ahead for the developing world.

Introduction To The Blog

In this blog I hope to explore and report on the various ways that technology is impacting the developing world. We will take a look at everything from the way technology is improving public health and education in developing countries to the impact social networking has had on politics in the Third World and many other interesting ways that technology is changing the lives of people living in developing countries. Technology has been quite possibly the biggest catalyst for improved standards of living since the beginning of time and with the rapid expansion of technology and development all over the world, the vital significance of technological advancement has become even more pronounced. I chose the topic of technology and developing countries because I come from Sudan where I have observed the monumental impact that technology has had on the country. Public health has been greatly aided by technological advancements in medicine and education and education and public opinion has been greatly affected by the advent of the Internet. The newly-widespread use of social networking sites has greatly influenced the way people in developing countries interact in various capacities. Everything from politics to society and even marriage proposals have been influenced by the adoption of websites such as Facebook and Myspace as integral components of one's social being. Social networking has caused a paradigm shift in the way that people all over the world relate to one another and this remains true for people living in developing countries. Technology permeates nearly every facet of society in countries all over the world and developing countries are no exception. The difference between developed and developing countries in regards to technology is how rapidly the expansion of technology is changing life conditions. While the introduction of better birth control technology and birth control education technology would not make too much of a difference in the life of an average American woman who already usually has a fair bit of education regarding birth control, the same technology would make a radical difference in the life of a rural Indian woman who probably has very little idea of proper birth control techniques due to lack of education and societal ideas regarding birth control in that area. Due to the introduction of this technology, the woman's life conditions are improved, those of her children are improved, and the overall welfare of India is improved due to the problem of overpopulation there being addressed at least in part by technology. The idea of technology improving the lives of the underprivileged and impoverished is very thrilling to me and I hope to impart some of that excitement to others via this blog.