The political ontology of collaborative water governance

This article examines the various definitions of, and analytical approaches to, collaborative water governance (CWG). While the concept’s usage has increased over the past decade, there lacks any deep engagement with the concept of the political at the heart of CWG. This article argues that contemporary approaches to CWG risk emptying the concept of its utility and coherence. Correcting this deficiency requires a focus on the social and ideational constructions of water. This will strengthen future collaborative water arrangements and enable deeper appreciation of the ways the political makes and remakes what is possible in water governance

Quantity and quality of work in the platform economy

This critical and scoping review essay analyzes digital labor markets where laborintensive services are traded by matching requesters (employers and/or consumers) and providers (workers). It first discusses up to what extent labor platform can be treated as two-sided or multi-sided markets, and the implications of these classifications. It then moves to address the legal and regulatory issues implied by these technologies. From a theoretical point of view, using a framework where innovation is not neutral in the labor market, platforms have implications for the quantity of jobs, for the kind of skills and tasks which are exchanged, and in terms of bargaining power of the contracting parties. It includes a critical evaluation of the empirical evidence from a variety of source

Making ICT infrastructure, appliances, and services more accessible and affordable in rural areas

Asserts that policy interventions must consider information and communication technology (ICT) and its users as a socio-technical system through which equitable access to ICT translates into sustainable benefits for rural residents. Infrastructure, appliances, and services influence the delivery of affordable ICT, and governments must provide innovative methods for ICT access in rural areas. Public agencies help develop infrastructure where incentives for private investment prove insufficient; public policy encourages demand for telecommunications through such mechanisms as universal access/universal service funds or support for low-cost devices. In developing economies worldwide, companies deliver financial services and new sources of income outside of conventional bank branches, through mobile phones and nonbank retail agents, and new services offer critical information for farmers to improve their livelihoods. The technical aspects of delivering content and services which rural users value reveal the influence of partners engaged in providing the service, the regulatory environment, business model, and the networks, infrastructure, and devices available