Michael Gurstein
Encyclopedia
Dr. Michael Gurstein is best known for his work in the development and definition of community informatics
as the area of research and practice concerned with enabling and empowering communities through the use of Information and Communications Technology. He was born in Edmonton
, Alberta
, but grew up in Melfort, Saskatchewan
and did his first degree at the University of Saskatchewan
in Philosophy and Politics.
Gurstein holds a PhD in Social Science from Cambridge University. He worked for a number of years as a Management Consultant with his firm, Socioscope undertaking research linking organizations to information technology. While working as a Management Adviser at the United Nations in New York he was offered a post as Associate Chair in the Management of Technological Change at the University College of Cape Breton. While on Cape Breton Island
he founded the Centre for Community and Enterprise Networking (C/CEN) as a community based research laboratory (what has now come to be known as a Living Lab
) exploring possible applications of Information and Communications Technologies to support social change in what was then one of Canada's most economically disadvantaged regions. C/CEN, established in 1996, was a pioneer in among other areas online conference management (and did the first online conference with simultaneous translation using IRC and court translators to provide text translation in French simultaneous to the direct meeting being transcribed in English). The Centre also undertook the first NetCorps
placement (in Angola) as well as providing on-line support to the local Cape Breton Music industry http://www.cbmusic.net/.
Gurstein's book Community Informatics: Enabling Communities with Information and Communications Technologies (Idea Group, 2000) and the conceptual framing for Community Informatics grew out of his experiences in Cape Breton. The book was the first major publication in the Community Informatics field and introduced the term "Community Informatics" into wider usage as referring to the research and praxis discipline underpinning the social appropriation of ICT
. Within the area of Community Informatics a major contribution has been Gurstein's introduction of the notion of "effective use" as a critical analytical framework for assessing technology implementation superseding approaches based on the more commonly accepted frameworks such as that of the "Digital Divide
".
He is the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Community Informatics http://ci-journal.net, was Foundation Chair of the Community Informatics Research Network http://www.ciresearch.net and moderates the Community Informatics http://vancouvercommunity.net/lists/communityinformatics and Community Informatics Researchers http://vancouvercommunity.net/lists/ciresearchers elists. He is currently the Executive Director of the Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training http://www.communityinformatics.net, in Vancouver Canada, Research Professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology
in Newark, New Jersey
, and Research Professor at the University of Quebec (Outaouais). He is also a member of the High Level Panel of Advisers of the UN's Global Alliance for ICT and Development. http://www.un-gaid.org/en/advisers. He has also served on the Board of the Global Telecentre Alliance, Telecommunities Canada, the Pacific Community Networking Association and the Vancouver Community Net and is a member of the High Level Panel of Advisors of the (UN) Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development.
Gurstein is now writing an influential Community Informatics blog at http://gurstein.wordpress.com.
Community informatics
Community informatics , also known as community networking, electronic community networking, community-based technologies or community technology refers to an emerging field of investigation and practice concerned with principles and norms related to information and communication technology with...
as the area of research and practice concerned with enabling and empowering communities through the use of Information and Communications Technology. He was born in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, but grew up in Melfort, Saskatchewan
Melfort, Saskatchewan
Melfort is a small Canadian city in Saskatchewan, approximately southeast of Prince Albert, northwest of Saskatoon and north of Regina.According to The World Gazetteer, its population as of 2004 was 5,400...
and did his first degree at the University of Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
in Philosophy and Politics.
Gurstein holds a PhD in Social Science from Cambridge University. He worked for a number of years as a Management Consultant with his firm, Socioscope undertaking research linking organizations to information technology. While working as a Management Adviser at the United Nations in New York he was offered a post as Associate Chair in the Management of Technological Change at the University College of Cape Breton. While on Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
he founded the Centre for Community and Enterprise Networking (C/CEN) as a community based research laboratory (what has now come to be known as a Living Lab
Living lab
A living lab is a research concept. A living lab is a user-centred, open-innovation ecosystem, often operating in a territorial context , integrating concurrent research and innovation processes within a public-private-people partnership.The concept is based on a systematic user co-creation...
) exploring possible applications of Information and Communications Technologies to support social change in what was then one of Canada's most economically disadvantaged regions. C/CEN, established in 1996, was a pioneer in among other areas online conference management (and did the first online conference with simultaneous translation using IRC and court translators to provide text translation in French simultaneous to the direct meeting being transcribed in English). The Centre also undertook the first NetCorps
NetCorps
NetCorps was a volunteer-organizing coalition consisting of nine Canadian non-governmental organizations , funded by the Canadian International Development Agency and managed by the NetCorps coordination unit...
placement (in Angola) as well as providing on-line support to the local Cape Breton Music industry http://www.cbmusic.net/.
Gurstein's book Community Informatics: Enabling Communities with Information and Communications Technologies (Idea Group, 2000) and the conceptual framing for Community Informatics grew out of his experiences in Cape Breton. The book was the first major publication in the Community Informatics field and introduced the term "Community Informatics" into wider usage as referring to the research and praxis discipline underpinning the social appropriation of ICT
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
. Within the area of Community Informatics a major contribution has been Gurstein's introduction of the notion of "effective use" as a critical analytical framework for assessing technology implementation superseding approaches based on the more commonly accepted frameworks such as that of the "Digital Divide
Digital divide
The Digital Divide refers to inequalities between individuals, households, business, and geographic areas at different socioeconomic levels in access to information and communication technologies and Internet connectivity and in the knowledge and skills needed to effectively use the information...
".
He is the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Community Informatics http://ci-journal.net, was Foundation Chair of the Community Informatics Research Network http://www.ciresearch.net and moderates the Community Informatics http://vancouvercommunity.net/lists/communityinformatics and Community Informatics Researchers http://vancouvercommunity.net/lists/ciresearchers elists. He is currently the Executive Director of the Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training http://www.communityinformatics.net, in Vancouver Canada, Research Professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology
New Jersey Institute of Technology
New Jersey Institute of Technology is a public research university in Newark, New Jersey. It is often also referred to as Newark College of Engineering ....
in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, and Research Professor at the University of Quebec (Outaouais). He is also a member of the High Level Panel of Advisers of the UN's Global Alliance for ICT and Development. http://www.un-gaid.org/en/advisers. He has also served on the Board of the Global Telecentre Alliance, Telecommunities Canada, the Pacific Community Networking Association and the Vancouver Community Net and is a member of the High Level Panel of Advisors of the (UN) Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development.
Gurstein is now writing an influential Community Informatics blog at http://gurstein.wordpress.com.
Principal Publications
- Gurstein, M. What is Community Informatics (and Why Does It Matter)?. POLIMETRICA, 2007 http://eprints.rclis.org/archive/00012372/01/WHAT_IS_COMMUNITY_INFORMATICS_reading.pdf
- Gurstein, M. (Ed.) Community Informatics: Enabling Communities with Information and Communications Technologies, Idea Group Publishing, Hershey PA, 2000
- “Effective Use: A Community Informatics Strategy Beyond the Digital Divide”, First Monday, December 2003. http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue8_12/gurstein/index.html (translated into Russian and Spanish)
- "Flexible Networking, Information and Communications Technology and Local Economic Development", First Monday, Feb. 1999 http://firstmonday.dk/issues/issue4_2/index.html.
- Gurstein M., and Civille, R., Towards a Citizen’s Technology: Final Report to the Ford Foundation on a Sector Analysis of the Community Informatics Systems Sector, 2004.
- Gurstein M., Menou M., and Stafeev S., (Eds.) Community Networking and Community Informatics: Prospects, Approaches and Instruments. Part 1: Global Experience St. Petersburg, CCNS, 2003 (English and Russian)
External links
- http://www.ciresearch.net
- http://ci-journal.net
- http://www.communityinformatics.net
- http://web.njit.edu/~gurstein
- http://vancouvercommunity.net/lists/ciresearchers
- Introduction to Community Informatics video-Michael Gurstein