9,368 research outputs found

    The Globalization of Artificial Intelligence: African Imaginaries of Technoscientific Futures

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    Imaginaries of artificial intelligence (AI) have transcended geographies of the Global North and become increasingly entangled with narratives of economic growth, progress, and modernity in Africa. This raises several issues such as the entanglement of AI with global technoscientific capitalism and its impact on the dissemination of AI in Africa. The lack of African perspectives on the development of AI exacerbates concerns of raciality and inclusion in the scientific research, circulation, and adoption of AI. My argument in this dissertation is that innovation in AI, in both its sociotechnical imaginaries and political economies, excludes marginalized countries, nations and communities in ways that not only bar their participation in the reception of AI, but also as being part and parcel of its creation. Underpinned by decolonial thinking, and perspectives from science and technology studies and African studies, this dissertation looks at how AI is reconfiguring the debate about development and modernization in Africa and the implications for local sociotechnical practices of AI innovation and governance. I examined AI in international development and industry across Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria, by tracing Canada’s AI4D Africa program and following AI start-ups at AfriLabs. I used multi-sited case studies and discourse analysis to examine the data collected from interviews, participant observations, and documents. In the empirical chapters, I first examine how local actors understand the notion of decolonizing AI and show that it has become a sociotechnical imaginary. I then investigate the political economy of AI in Africa and argue that despite Western efforts to integrate the African AI ecosystem globally, the AI epistemic communities in the continent continue to be excluded from dominant AI innovation spaces. Finally, I examine the emergence of a Pan-African AI imaginary and argue that AI governance can be understood as a state-building experiment in post-colonial Africa. The main issue at stake is that the lack of African perspectives in AI leads to negative impacts on innovation and limits the fair distribution of the benefits of AI across nations, countries, and communities, while at the same time excludes globally marginalized epistemic communities from the imagination and creation of AI

    Facilitating prosociality through technology: Design to promote digital volunteerism

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    Volunteerism covers many activities involving no financial rewards for volunteers but which contribute to the common good. There is existing work in designing technology for volunteerism in HumanComputer Interaction (HCI) and related disciplines that focuses on motivation to improve performance, but it does not account for volunteer wellbeing. Here, I investigate digital volunteerism in three case studies with a focus on volunteer motivation, engagement, and wellbeing. My research involved volunteers and others in the volunteering context to generate recommendations for a volunteer-centric design for digital volunteerism. The thesis has three aims: 1. To investigate motivational aspects critical for enhancing digital volunteers’ experiences 2. To identify digital platform attributes linked to volunteer wellbeing 3. To create guidelines for effectively supporting volunteer engagement in digital volunteering platforms In the first case study I investigate the design of a chat widget for volunteers working in an organisation with a view to develop a design that improves their workflow and wellbeing. The second case study investigates the needs, motivations, and wellbeing of volunteers who help medical students improve their medical communication skills. An initial mixed-methods study was followed by an experiment comparing two design strategies to improve volunteer relatedness; an important indicator of wellbeing. The third case study looks into volunteer needs, experiences, motivations, and wellbeing with a focus on volunteer identity and meaning-making on a science-based research platform. I then analyse my findings from these case studies using the lens of care ethics to derive critical insights for design. The key contributions of this thesis are design strategies and critical insights, and a volunteer-centric design framework to enhance the motivation, wellbeing and engagement of digital volunteers

    Tourism and heritage in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone

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    Tourism and Heritage in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) uses an ethnographic lens to explore the dissonances associated with the commodification of Chornobyl's heritage. The book considers the role of the guides as experience brokers, focusing on the synergy between tourists and guides in the performance of heritage interpretation. Banaszkiewicz proposes to perceive tour guides as important actors in the bottom-up construction of heritage discourse contributing to more inclusive and participatory approach to heritage management. Demonstrating that the CEZ has been going through a dynamic transformation into a mass tourism attraction, the book offers a critical reflection on heritagisation as a meaning-making process in which the resources of the past are interpreted, negotiated, and recognised as a valuable legacy. Applying the concepts of dissonant heritage to describe the heterogeneous character of the CEZ, the book broadens the interpretative scope of dark tourism which takes on a new dimension in the context of the war in Ukraine. Tourism and Heritage in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone argues that post-disaster sites such as Chornobyl can teach us a great deal about the importance of preserving cultural and natural heritage for future generations. The book will be of interest to academics and students who are engaged in the study of heritage, tourism, memory, disasters and Eastern Europe

    The Metaverse: Survey, Trends, Novel Pipeline Ecosystem & Future Directions

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    The Metaverse offers a second world beyond reality, where boundaries are non-existent, and possibilities are endless through engagement and immersive experiences using the virtual reality (VR) technology. Many disciplines can benefit from the advancement of the Metaverse when accurately developed, including the fields of technology, gaming, education, art, and culture. Nevertheless, developing the Metaverse environment to its full potential is an ambiguous task that needs proper guidance and directions. Existing surveys on the Metaverse focus only on a specific aspect and discipline of the Metaverse and lack a holistic view of the entire process. To this end, a more holistic, multi-disciplinary, in-depth, and academic and industry-oriented review is required to provide a thorough study of the Metaverse development pipeline. To address these issues, we present in this survey a novel multi-layered pipeline ecosystem composed of (1) the Metaverse computing, networking, communications and hardware infrastructure, (2) environment digitization, and (3) user interactions. For every layer, we discuss the components that detail the steps of its development. Also, for each of these components, we examine the impact of a set of enabling technologies and empowering domains (e.g., Artificial Intelligence, Security & Privacy, Blockchain, Business, Ethics, and Social) on its advancement. In addition, we explain the importance of these technologies to support decentralization, interoperability, user experiences, interactions, and monetization. Our presented study highlights the existing challenges for each component, followed by research directions and potential solutions. To the best of our knowledge, this survey is the most comprehensive and allows users, scholars, and entrepreneurs to get an in-depth understanding of the Metaverse ecosystem to find their opportunities and potentials for contribution

    Inovação, empreendedorismo e desenvolvimento económico em África: Uma abordagem pós-positivista e "topo da pirâmide" para Moçambique

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    Esta tese desenvolve uma investigação abrangente sobre o empreendedorismo africano, revisitando o seu quadro concetual tradicional e posicionando-o enquanto elemento fundamental das estratégias de desenvolvimento para a África Subsariana (ASS). Explorados os diferentes impactos do empreendedorismo de oportunidade e do empreendedorismo de necessidade na região, efetuou-se uma pesquisa sobre a situação dos vários países da ASS que participaram no Global Entrepreneurship Monitor na última década, com vista a compor o status quo hipotético do empreendedorismo regional, ao qual juntámos um estudo empírico original e com elementos metodológicos inovadores sobre a atividade empreendedora em Moçambique. O alcance das estratégias empreendedoras implementadas na ASS é avaliado através de um estudo dos polos africanos de inovação tecnológica e do empreendedorismo digital que neles tem vindo recentemente a emergir, a que juntámos um levantamento original do tech hub de Maluana. Por fim, a partir destes casos e de uma leitura política das opções económicas do estado moçambicano com impacto sobre o ecossistema empreendedor, desenvolve-se uma proposta de teoria da mudança, numa lógica pós-positivista, para suportar medidas de política pública desejáveis para a eclosão de um empreendedorismo de “topo da pirâmide” em Moçambique.This thesis develops a comprehensive investigation of African entrepreneurship, revisiting its traditional conceptual framework and positioning it as a fundamental element in development strategies for Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Exploring the different impacts of opportunity entrepreneurship and necessity entrepreneurship in the region, an analysis was carried out on the situation of the various SSA countries that participated in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor in the last decade, with a view to composing the hypothetical status quo of the entrepreneurship in the region, to which we added an original empirical study with innovative methodological elements on entrepreneurial activity in Mozambique. The reach of entrepreneurial strategies implemented in the SSA is assessed through a study of the African tech hubs, or innovation hubs, and the digital entrepreneurship that has recently emerged there, to which we have added an original survey of the Maluana tech hub. Finally, based on these cases and on a political reading of the economic options of the Mozambican government with an impact on the entrepreneurial ecosystem, a proposal for a theory-of-change is developed, within a post-positivist approach, to support desired public policy measures for the emergence of a “top of the pyramid” entrepreneurship in Mozambique

    Child exploitation in Cape Town : an exploratory-criminological investigation

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    Abstract in English, Afrikaans and XhosaHuman trafficking, which incorporates child exploitation, as interrogated and presented in this thesis, accentuates the significant contribution of criminology to comprehending the illegal manipulation, exploitation, and trafficking of persons, and specifically children. It expands and enhances the theoretical constructs and recommends justice through decisive, dedicated, and holistic intervention programmes and relevant strategies to defend the inherent rights of all citizens. This study serves as an instrument to profile human traffickers and their victims as well as their target selection and recruitment approaches. The research concerns South African child exploitation in the context of human trafficking and employs specific criminological theories to promote effectiveness and discovery. These theories are uncovered, scrutinised, and examined in this research to ascertain the correlation and alignment (or lack thereof) with the human trafficking phenomenon. This study contributes to the field of human trafficking in post-modern criminology. The data obtained from the participants during the interviewing phase, together with information from the literature review, confirms evidence of human trafficking incidents occurring in Cape Town with a strong undercurrent of child exploitation practices. The overall conclusion is that certain forms of child exploitation are visible, namely forced labour practices that include domestic servitude, and children engaged in street hawking and sexual exploitation. Furthermore, Cape Town is perceived as a sex tourism hotspot and the involvement of local gangs and taxi operators in the sex industry is obvious. The sexual exploitation of minors by parents on the Cape Flats, in particular, is an issue fuelled by poverty, unemployment, and alcohol and substance abuse that affect numerous households in impoverished areas. Since Cape Town is a major seaport city with a constant movement of foreign vessels, there is evidence of foreign fishing boats that employ forced labour practices. Abandoned seamen in need of care are often discovered on foreign vessels in Cape Town harbour, which is a transgression that requires more attention. This study shows that the basic principles of human trafficking, namely the recruitment, movement, and control of victims, apply and are manifest in numerous incidents in South Africa. The general view of all participants is that the South African government has made significant progress with the establishment of the Prevention and Combatting of Trafficking in Persons (PACOTIP) Act (2013) and there is an expectation amongst participants that the act will serve as a benchmark to assess trafficking going forward. Considering the hidden nature of trafficking and the scarcity of South African research on the subject, the overall findings of this study are significant. This probe into trafficking contributes to the discipline of Criminology as indicated in this study.Mensehandel, wat die uitbuiting van kinders insluit, soos ondersoek en aangebied word in hierdie proefskrif, beklemtoon die beduidende bydrae van kriminologie tot die begrip van die onwettige manipulasie, uitbuiting en handel in persone en spesifiek kinders. Dit brei die teoretiese konstruksies uit en versterk dit en beveel geregtigheid aan deur besliste, toegewyde en holistiese intervensieprogramme en relevante strategieë om die inherente regte van alle burgers te verdedig. Hierdie studie dien ook as 'n instrument om mensehandelaars en hul slagoffers te profileer, wat ook hul teikenkeuse en werwingsbenaderings uitlig. Die navorsing handel oor Suid-Afrikaanse kinderuitbuiting binne die konteks van mensehandel en wend spesifieke kriminologiese teorieë aan om doeltreffendheid en ontdekking van die misdaad te bewerkstellig. Hierdie teorieë word in hierdie navorsing ontbloot en ondersoek om die korrelasie en aansluiting (of gebrek daaraan) aan die mensehandelverskynsel vas te stel. Die verwagting is dat hierdie studie 'n beduidende bydrae sal lewer tot die veld van mensehandel in die post-moderne kriminologie. Die gegewens wat tydens die onderhoudfase van die deelnemers verkry is, sowel as inligting wat voortspruit uit die literatuur, bevestig dat daar getuienis is van mensehandel-voorvalle wat in Kaapstad plaasvind met 'n sterk onderstroom van kinderuitbuitingspraktyke. Die algehele gevolgtrekking is dat verskillende vorme van uitbuiting van kinders sigbaar is, wat dwangarbeid en huishoudelike dienste insluit, kinders wat besig is met straatsmousery asook die seksuele uitbuiting van kinders. Verder word Kaapstad as 'n brandpunt vir sekstoerisme beskou en die betrokkenheid van plaaslike bendes en taxi-operateurs in die seksbedryf is voor die hand liggend. Veral die seksuele uitbuiting van minderjariges deur ouers op die Kaapse Vlakte is 'n kwessie wat aangevuur word deur armoede, werkloosheid en drank- en dwelmmisbruik wat talle huishoudings in arm gebiede raak. Aangesien Kaapstad 'n belangrike hawestad is met 'n voortdurende beweging van buitelandse seevaartuie, is daar bevestiging van buitelandse vissersbote wat van dwangarbeid gebruik maak. Verlate seevaarders wat sorg benodig word gereeld op buitelandse bote in die Kaapstadse hawe ontdek en is 'n oortreding wat meer aandag verg. Hierdie studie toon dat die basiese beginsels van mensehandel, naamlik die werwing, beweging en beheer van slagoffers, van toepassing is en manifesteer in talle voorvalle in Suid-Afrika. Die algemene siening van alle deelnemers in hierdie ondersoek is dat die Suid-Afrikaanse regering beduidende vordering gemaak het met die instelling van die Wet op die Voorkoming en Bestryding van Mensehandel (2013) en dat daar onder die deelnemers 'n verwagting is dat die wet 'n maatstaf sal wees om mensehandel te beoordeel in die toekoms. Met inagneming van die verborge aard van handel en die gebrek aan Suid-Afrikaanse navorsing oor hierdie onderwerp, is die algehele bevindings van hierdie studie betekenisvol. Hierdie ondersoek na mensehandel dra by tot die dissipline van kriminologie soos in die studie aangedui word.Ukurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni, okubandakanya ukuxhaphaza abantwana, njengoko kugocagocwayo kwaye kwenziwa kule thisisi, kugxininisa igalelo elibalulekileyo lolwaphulo-mthetho ekuqondeni ukuxhaphaza ngokungekho mthethweni, ukuxhaphaza, ukurhweba ngabantu, ngakumbi abantwana. Iyakwandisa kwaye iphucule ukwakhiwa kweethiyori kwaye icebisa ubulungisa ngokusebenzisa iinkqubo zokungenelela ezigqibeleleyo, ezinikeleyo, nezibandakanya konke kunye nezicwangciso ezifanelekileyo zokukhusela amalungelo abo bonke abemi. Olu phononongo lukwasebenza njengesixhobo sokubonisa ukurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni kunye namaxhoba abo kunye neendlela zabo zokukhetha kunye neendlela zokugaya abantu. Olu phando luchaphazela izenzo zokuxhaphaza abantwana zoMzantsi Afrika kwimeko yokurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni kwaye lisebenzisa iithiyori ezithile zolwaphulo-mthetho ukukhuthaza ukusebenza ngokukuko kunye nokufumanisa. Ezi ithiyori ziyavezwa, ziphicothwe, kwaye zavavanywa kolu phando ukuqinisekisa ulungelelwaniso kunye nokulungelelaniswa (okanye ukusilela kwako) kunye nomcimbi wokurhweba ngabantu. Kulindelwe ukuba olu phononongo luza kuba negalelo kwicandelo lokurhweba ngabantu ngolwaphulo-mthetho lwasemva kwexesha langoku. Idatha efunyenwe kubathathi-nxaxheba ngexesha lesigaba sodliwanondlebe, kunye nolwazi oluvela kuncwadi, iyangqina ukuba bukhona ubungqina bezehlo zokurhweba ngabantu ezenzeka eKapa ezinesimo esomeleleyo sokuxhaphaza abantwana. Isiphetho esipheleleyo kukuba iindlela ezithile zokuxhaphaza abantwana ziyabonakala, nezinyanzelisa imisebenzi yabasebenzi ebandakanya ukukhonzwa emakhayeni, kunye nabantwana ababandakanyeka ekuthengiseni ezitalatweni nasekuxhaphazeni ngokwesondo. Ngapha koko, iKapa lithathwa njengeyona ndawo yokhenketho lokwabelana ngesondo kwaye ukubandakanyeka kwamaqela emigulukudu nabaqhubi beeteksi kuyacaca. Ukuxhatshazwa kwabantwana ngokwesondo ngabazali kwiCape Flats, ngakumbi, ngumba ophenjelelwa yindlala, ukungabikho kwemisebenzi, kunye nokusetyenziswa gwenxa kotywala neziyobisi ezichaphazela amakhaya amaninzi kwiindawo ezihlwempuzekileyo. Kuba iKapa sisixeko esisesona zibuko likhulu sihamba rhoqo kwiinqanawa zakwamanye amazwe, kukho ubungqina bokuba amaphenyane okuloba aphesheya aqeshe abantu ukuba basebenze ngenkani. Oomatiloshe abalahliweyo abafuna ukhathalelo bahlala befunyanwa kwiinqanawa zamanye amazwe kwizibuko laseKapa, ulwaphulo mthetho olufuna ingqalelo engakumbi. Olu phononongo lubonisa ukuba imigaqo-siseko yokurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni, eyile yokugaya, ukuhamba, nokulawula amaxhoba, iyasebenza kwaye iyabonakala kwiziganeko ezininzi eMzantsi Afrika. Uluvo ngokubanzi lwabo bonke abathathi-nxaxheba kukuba urhulumente woMzantsi Afrika wenze inkqubela phambili ebonakalayo ngokusekwa koMthetho woThintelo nokuLwa ukurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni (2013) kwaye kukho ulindelo phakathi kwabathathi-nxaxheba lokuba lo mthetho uzakusebenza njengomlinganiso wokuvavanya ukurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni. ukuya phambili. Ukuthathela ingqalelo imeko efihliweyo yokurhweba ngabantu ngokungekho mthethweni kunye nokunqaba kophando lwase Mzantsi Afrika ngalo mbandela, iziphumo zophando zizonke zibalulekile. Le projekthi yokurhweba ngabantu ngokurhabaxa inegalelo kuqeqesho lweCriminology njengoko kubonisiwe kolu phando.Criminology and Security ScienceD. Lit. et Phil. (Criminology
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