Paper details
| Paper authors | Susanne Jaspars (SOAS, University of London); C. Sathyamala (International Institute of Social Studies, The Hague and Institute for Human Development, New Delhi); Tamer Abd Elkreem (University of Khartoum); Iris Lim (SOAS); Yasmin Houamed (SOAS); Somjita Laha (IHD). |
| In panel on | Humanitarian Accountability in Technology |
| Paper presenter(s) will be presenting |
In-Person / |
Abstract
Since the last decade, digital technologies have become an integral part of almost every society, and hence also of humanitarian, food and social assistance. Thus, these technologies are used on the most marginalised, food insecure and crisis affected populations. This makes transparency and accountability important. There is also the need to examine how these technologies have the potential to feed into structural inequalities, and how to mitigate that. Almost all digital technologies involve powerful national and global businesses.
In this paper, we argue that the digitalisation of food assistance mimics aspects of colonialism, because of the intrinsic power asymmetries and because it involves political, economic, and cultural domination. The interest of the companies involved may conflict with those of reaching the most marginalised and crisis affected populations. We first examine the key actors and practices involved in digitalised food assistance, building on evidence from Sudan, India and the UK, followed by a global comparison, and an analysis of the effect on power relations. In concluding, we identify issues that humanitarians (and those working in social welfare) need to know and analyse to inform populations, to mitigate harm, and to advocate for change.
