'Third World'perspectives on cyberfeminism

Oxfam GB 'Third World' perspectives on cyberfeminism Author(s): Radhika Gajjala Source: Development in Practice, Vol. 9, No. 5 (November 1999), pp. 616-619 Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Oxfam GB Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23317590 . Accessed: 21/10/2013 15:51 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. . Taylor & Francis, Ltd. and Oxfam GB are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Development in Practice. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 129.1.62.221 on Mon, 21 Oct 2013 15:51:19 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Radhika ment Gajjala at a Daily Health Cabanatuan Information Philam Road, in Contact Inquirer. Action de 9 Network, Homes, In the presence and Quezon when What is to do lived existence we are in cyberfeminism as nology Gajjala scriptions and people carry into fancy bara and TV and even to-meh-do you're Ask an are real is figure in to get on the don't that there even of the world by the White sus narratives of Western on discussions when suspect. (From 616 wonder the level how issues of we This an and knowledge, and of communication cussions e-mail message from Development ar 'civilised' are descriptions ver constructs from as just technological World' progress the South as have some cyberfeminist in Practice, ignorant Volume is by dis a dis and within that Acknowledging opened for a up spaces the in ways to mainstream as Third as It accommodates I suggest nology, well possibilities contexts. Other West cyberfeminism technologies counter between (Black, as the of production development. of re scholarship the non-Western that Western on and of 'Third times the to be the tensions about is a is so 'exotic' ignorant, feminisms, etc.) impossibilities ... so most discourse and as feminism cussion humankind Africa, draws Viewpoint to that on and ignorant. onto take de and of development people cyberfeminisms sometimes to justify which populations dialogue I knowledges religions, These Man. have 'Orientalist' as needing construct This of 'tech served underdevelopment World, not... of 'dark' Southern also South? notion a colonial in the rhetoric apparent ernised) know these eas user contexts Said (1978) East, to create helped in and the the cultures, Middle presented train inter to think when we the Indian trying seem of Asia lating standing communicating are the ...if doesn't of an and that of airline esteem side constantly danger say English? who time En what instead berth...but upper net ...we we self compartment the first for our coke American speaking anyone 3-tier in and write in an your Bar pepsi know you the other on person out to Santa juice juice do can get kitkats and do to-mah-to ing and have drink speak ... but... glish we ...we ...we computers cellphones cars on fridges and or project. of the cieties our also struc World' nations of the in while technologies production colonialists' our equaliser'.1 the colonised about the the of faith relevant North great South? economic like Edward how the our Western critique the Scholars shown in in 'Third the ignorant? Western(ised) identities, more will Viewpoint how contradictions revitalising to people whether on a regain to use that tures the to and as women use ways friendly telephones, 'First technology, of socio-cultural finding have in the constructed relevance How creating We we the Other-ed Third World' perspectives of Western are cyberfeminism City 1104, Philippines. Fax: + 63 (2) 927 6760; E-mail: < [email protected] > . Radhika to someone and column op-ed World' World'.) Professor Philippines, twice-weekly Philippine tails: the 'Third International is Associate of University publishes Action He (HAIN). the the Health NGO, Network use that are of some of tech visions that the construction of the is nevertheless implicit narratives. It is beyond 9, Number This content downloaded from 129.1.62.221 on Mon, 21 Oct 2013 15:51:19 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 5, November in 1999 'Third the of scope conflicts or this definite However, I do hope that lead to may search resolve to paper suggest to for contextual a provoke further the and a solutions. Rhetoric of development/under development During the of nations the in which America, Asia, were rent European 'the underdeveloped' of gaining and cultures and industrialisation, and opment' was solution to cur belief that labelled as and rhetoric of in an so. the and lifestyles of were and instrumental over-arching the certain in (which 'better' turn modes were economists. There the and modes lead inevitably supposed patterns) led to is the within implicit that to feminist a Western this forms of 'progress', production/consumption will to the democratisation of the areas underdeveloped of the world. Embedded ment is linear, within the the concept progressive culture is For velopment. like magazines against protests as Pepsi move market' Development Time economic in Practice, a that to inform ries practices. and potential political identity on lying a clusion route theo a poetic, and and theory focus on than and define does current technologies tain specific rejecting and the women 5, November which stereotypes. in which factors tech to ma utilised our not the field 1999 This content downloaded from 129.1.62.221 on Mon, 21 Oct 2013 15:51:19 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions a tech electronic experiences. impose of and and political in as accept applications cultural, poli with of new currently Cyberfeminism evitable feminist on ... New a offers practice implications re of ex It and the without language reconstructing divisive. has passionate, unity for rather as cyberfeminist through nology and such Sandra tics the issues and appropriation. nipulate 9, Number scholars a philosophy logic or with Paterson:2 as to create of software 1992) to Nancy de as a form of several Cyberfeminism and kinds asynchronous of (1990; Haraway ual Volume works Harding producers, concerned designing The the system the are corporations as India related also it. moderators, in all synchronous are in on designers, and We empow interested or engage spaces. Cyber research multimedia actively nologies portray are and web-page who are in and are of that the Internet list-administrators this towards multinational suggesting of articles continually such of consumer part instance, in nations regression, a being 'enlightened' progressive The history. touted of develop narrative Enlightenment issue the technologies that are believe for activism According development technological of so-called 'free is ourselves. internet on-line We is control of cybertechnologies use spaces ering Donna production lead of notion industrialisation, of to to women. hardware. Western to importance discourse of De and hegemonic consumption growing of to create on-line establishment authorisation—by world—of notion seek programmers, world institutionalisa in the The velopment. like and take to empower attempt e-mail wide. Professionalisation life for share should the use appropriate women tion Ted to cyberfemi cyberfeminists women Cyberfeminists 'Devel inequality of to benefit everyday approaches all possibilities the necessary to do supposedly the context arrival is said several feminists which pursue the provided techniques poverty What to the within created are nism. to very in the South revolutionise con democracy Cyberfeminisms There A The the by obstruct citizen. most articulated, access rapid average Latin were need somehow the and or would cable and offered choices freedom. Turner's on cyberfeminism perspectives culture period, former world. universal goal categories either was the II Africa, colonies, underdevelopment instilled War post-World name and critique dialogue brand sumer alternatives. World' new main sex Empowerment of new of electronic 617 Radhika Gajjala media can mystification and ness and definition the A 'empowered'. to colonialists or it believed, on parasitical dependence patronage. The Southern are because, state they cultural their and and stripped during British rule, industrial India beneficial producers their of cover a loss self with People forms rant', life were and Southern modes structed as 'backward' peoples of the ered. ture a Verhelst away without determination. (1998) times suggests, systematic communities 618 by re 'traditional'. thus ideo led local and The the women na from is self the disenfranchisement colonising Development of Do fixes ... create by the de-em In material and obstacles listing to of 'prog cyberfemi of 'empowerment' 'technological rather ... new they hierarchies? offer basic in of political, Such South use task great than address (Shiva problems' by 'desta problems bilising livelihoods in the Third World'. Their work of the situation, analysis still within a certain of thought ress that to empower world. it does that fact or women that more on all totally exploit and appears to women over the ignore the dominate be the on an assures as Internet in participating automatically these certain a more world.3 egalitarian not misunderstand that communication that the in Practice, that of prog using women do women power-fields notions it, frame perspectives not there women, more North and communication technologies, While or assumes implicitly mainstream and as I read paradigm technology linked Do of the some the is it true indicator for the solving sumption leaves as an access and describing is not struc and But re-empowerment. They such access faced well prescriptions other context of or or technology Mavrocordatos context access ('Western') con which as Internet to use world's merely if power in the social, the as North structures? injustices within access South the to re-empower to perform a reduction context, nist learn will cultural ress' wish power powered of the various access or Internet economic this is de-empow that and who seem within of technologies. itself guarantee of 'igno and government kinds of to Third that, with access to that technology 1994). the capability in 'the different people have need tra thought identity Therefore, do and of in this the tures or producers. suggests of and managerial explicitly were (1990) Women ing and of underdevelopment stripping people South structures. themselves and declared of the they undeniable connected gain era, The knowledge production to to the enlightenment, local context, this forms under among implicitly by more than confidence. of were was traditional expert were replaced In production as of pro markets of Western of well example, which lost outmoding logical their as economy sulting to and in the modes sub-continent. and are forcibly ditional community almost aid For away. products or structures, production the traditional Western global are the whether reasons, it is they 'equalising' and and unjust, to remain crisis systems, to address preferable 're-empowerment'. need and traditional to the British in people innate structures historically, were mass and the or just that are to blame economic eroded in not regions belief identities, social duction is economic present benevolent, term. social of the South systems for their and being modernists early be the today's powerless if in the what used community top-down, economic cultural, of Cyberfeminism World' of cyberfem absolute is implicit Contrary it may powers, notion tools. is repeatedly individual patronising de the ap Whatever implies of the belief to these 'empowerment' in the discussion inism and arid re-empower Empowerment ment term the from of technology, of access propriation The result only power define Volume me. is power. structures much of 9, Number This content downloaded from 129.1.62.221 on Mon, 21 Oct 2013 15:51:19 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions I do believe I also believe established our in the everyday lives, 5, November 1999 NGOs: whether the we North South are need use to have Internet for the world as well exists. I also spaces', all has of lived is that 'Third World' the address of women over that and the com argu cyberfeminist see they as not does the feminism, kitchen? soup http://echonyc.com:70/0/Cul/ Cyber/paterson E. Said, New Orientalism, (1978) York: Books. Vintage V. Shiva, Delhi: T. Verhelst, London: Kali Women and Develop for Women. No (1990) Zed Home: to Health Ecology, New ment, Close (1994) Reconnect Without Life Roots, Books. that I am deny of in the to as to create oppression complexities that know what resolve women's think What mainstream to e-mail, strains would contexts. the prescriptions texts different cyberfeminists plexities ing women the Internet, cyberfeminism not of web-publishing, to an (as myself benefits and via 'public be able etc. potential network I the in the women to and access enjoy 'listing', Thus technologies. individual) the South. in located geographically or the in the global ladles lived con The author Radhika and Green State ing West Hall, < in at Bowl Technologies Contact University. details: 315 Telecommunications, Green Bowling OH Green, Bowling Professor Assistant New of Department South. is Gajjala Multimedia State University, USA. 43403, E-mail: >. radhikbgnet.bgsu.edu Notes 1 2 'Third World' Other of 'First See is to used World' the signify regions. NGOs: http://echonyc.com:70/0/Cul/Cyber/ paterson 3 See archives discussion the posite.uqam.ca/videaz/wg3/, section Perspectives The Conference: and the June Gender Virtual to Communicate Right of Communication May-26 'The of 11 Rights', 1998. This as 1 D. science, borgs: son (ed.) don: Routledge. they D. a regenerative others', and Paula the Gibeon Treichler (eds.) (1998) the process story', for inappropri 'Development of re-empowerment: Development in Practice identities? Are NGOs If in 4 that need and broaden How can dence Are in Practice, Volume 9, Number 5, November they to 'success' made in the find alterna or represent de models? covers often what NGOs, are the in order weak changes to deepen impact? NGOs there resentative the delivery development to be and in a globalised as welfare—ladles equipped funding to North indicated): a role will alternative questions international refers primarily global tive nesses Cultural 8( 1): 8—20. Development 3 Cary for NGOs to have it be four or otherwise kitchen—or liver Routledge. A. Mavrocordatos, of mon Grossberg, are will on Northern unless If NGOs soup Lon promises politics in Lawrence London: and 'The (1992) sters: theatre J. Nichol to this paper, (in NGOs service 2 ate/d Nelson in Linda 1980s', relate world, cy socialist Feminism!Postmodernism, Haraway, Studies, for and technology, in the feminism 'Manifesto (1990) is a reflection paper ern References Commins Stephen NGOs Haraway, kitchen? soup at http://comm in the global ladles establish autonomy ways (or for them locally 1999 This content downloaded from 129.1.62.221 on Mon, 21 Oct 2013 15:51:19 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions their from indepen governments? to be rooted) both and rep global? 619