In this paper, published in the Journal of Development Communication, author Ricardo Ramírez suggests that epistemological lessons gleaned from the field of natural resource management (NRM) may be useful in understanding the potential that information and communication technologies (ICTs) may hold to enhance the development of rural, remote regions around the world. Ramírez is motivated by the belief that the role and impact of the new technology is "so vast that a multidisciplinary approach is needed to appreciate it"; in this article, he outlines such an approach.

In the opening section of the piece, Ramírez introduces the metaphor of the "kaleidoscope" to explain what he characterises as a "leap of faith" into the unknown. That is, he asks: can the promise of new technologies produce positive goods that justify the investments (e.g., in telecommunications networks) needed to create and sustain them? Ramírez alludes to underlying social, regulatory, and economic barriers which might perpetuate the digital divide within some communities - suggesting that understanding how ICTs' potential to foster development in rural, remote areas involves something more akin to an art than a science.

To help strengthen this assessment process, Ramírez proposes 4 pillars to shape the building of a "new epistemology" that could facilitate understanding of ICTs as tools for rural and remote community development. In doing so, he draws on NRM, a field that - like technology - he sees as involving multiple dimensions, disciplines, and stakeholders. He does so based on his conception of both "fields" as involving many variables and indicators, along with increasing unpredictability and complexity. The 4 pillars he identifies are:

1. Acknowledging diversity in paradigms - the "modern" paradigm is here contrasted with the "post-modern" paradigm. In short, Ramírez suggests that the technologies and policies that have driven and that sustain ICTs are rooted within the modern paradigm (one characterised as reductionist, top-down, standardised, and centralised), whereas their performance and impact is best appreciated in the post-modern paradigm (linked with terms like "participatory rural appraisal", "bottom-up", "holistic", "interaction", and "disaggregation"). The author suggests, however, that - from an analytical/research perspective - the post-modern paradigm can effectively embrace elements of the modern one.
2. Embracing pluralism - Ramírez again presents an apparent contrast, this time between NRM's approach, on the one hand, and the field of ICTs for rural development, on the other. He suggests that NRM has evolved in recognition of the need to acknowledge, incorporate, and accommodate multiple interests - developing an epistemology that involves action-research methodologies such as collaborative management, collaborative learning, and linked local learning. While ICT research had, of this writing, not yet explored a multi-disciplinary epistemology, according to Ramírez, he suggests that there is promise in bringing to bear some of NRM's epistemological insights on the ICT assessment process.
3. Embracing a systems approach - As is echoed by some of the contrasts outlined above, systems theory has been used in NRM in recognition of the fact that ecosystems are complex and largely unpredictable, with multiple layers and intrinsic feedback and communication features. Ramírez describes this line of theory as holistic, in that it addresses overall patterns and relationships. He contends that even "hard system engineers" engaged in technological issues can perhaps find insight in a system of analysis such as soft systems methodology (SSM). This approach involves engaging principal stakeholders of a system - e.g., an ICT system - by placing their voices and perspectives at the centre, thereby acknowledging them as the owners of the problem or issue. A first step in SSM is the visualisation of the problem or issue, which results in the production of diagrams known as "rich pictures" which illustrate the complexity of connections between and among stakeholders.
4. Emphasising learning and participation - Ramírez reviews research stressing the importance of engaging ICT users in the process of defining what they want to achieve with technology. Studies have found that this degree of involvement is important in achieving ICT impact. Citing Richard Heeks, however, Ramírez cautions that "participation" should not be embraced uncritically as a strategy without attention to such factors as the political and cultural context, the motivations of those who are encouraging the participation, and the willingness and ability of potential participants.

In conclusion, when assessing the potential of ICTs to foster community development goals, Ramírez suggests that an emphasis on learning, ongoing adjustment, and transparency can contribute to healthy, collaborative approaches to ICTs and development - just as they have done in the NRM context.

This article is available by subscription only. For details on how to acquire the article, visit the Asian Institute for Development Communication (Aidcom) website.