This conference funded by the International Development Research Centre – Canada,  is being organized in support of the growing community of researchers and practitioners conducting research on the social, cultural, psychological, economic, political, and other transformations brought about by information and communications technologies (ICT) in the Asia-Pacific region.

The conference provides a forum for discussing life in the information society. Over 75 papers will be presented by researchers from different countries and disciplines on the usage and effects of ICTs on culture and society. Further, it is relevant to bring together people doing work on the impact of ICTs in the South, where the context presents new challenges and implications.

The conference will showcase an diverse set of panels comprising outstanding papers from around the world who are investigating the diverse impact of ICTs on people, work and communities in the Asia Pacific.  The conference
panels include:

• ICTs & Politics/Democratization/Social Movements

• ICTs & Political Mobilization

• ICTs & Online Relationships

• Mobile Phone Relationship

• E-Learning

• E-Governance

• M-Commerce

• ICTs & Rural Development/Agricultural Communities

• ICTs & Identities

• Digital Divide

• Technology Adoption

• Bridging Access

• ICTs & Work

• Call Center Work

• Virtual Organizations

• ICT Policy/Privacy/Legal Issues

• ICTs & Gender

The Conference expects to bring together 300 representatives from the academe, government, ICT industry, ICT-related societies, private sector and other development institutions from over 25 countries.  With this, the conference organizers expect that a lively exchange of ideas on the diverse aspects of ICT research will be generated.

The conference fee covers the conference materials, lunch, snacks and beverages:

• $150 (for  participants from economically developed nations (per capita income over $10,000 US)

• $100 for participants from economically developing nations (per capita income less than $10,000US) and students

The registration forms together with the tentative conference agenda can be downloaded above.    

NOTE: This conference is being organised by the Philippine ICT Researchers Network through the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) of the University of the Philippines. Please contact  Ms. Cheryll Soriano of the Conference Secretariat at research.ict(at)gmail.com  for all inquiries

Rohan Samarajiva, Executive Director of LIRNEasia gave a presentation on ICTs and disaster warnings (presentation slides available below. The underlying paper, in pre-publication form, is also given below. Its final version will shortly be published by New Media and Society.

• Mobilizing ICTs for early warning: Lessons from the 2004 tsunami, Rohan Samarajiva, IAMCR, Taipei (presentation slides)
• Mobilizing information and communications technologies for effective disaster warning: Lessons from the 2004 tsunami (underlying paper, pre-publication) | accompanying graphics

Asantha Sirimanne, of LankaBusinessOnline who led the team of journalists who were the first to report the tsunami story, gave a talk entitled ‘No Warning,’ which is available below.

The summary report on the conference is given here

Rohan has circulated a paper titled Mobilizing information and communications technologies for effective supply of disaster warnings: Lessons from the 2004 tsunami. The paper is the basis for the discussion. Asantha will elaborate on the media aspects that flow out of the paper.

The current colloquium discussion are being blogged in real-time. Please refresh this page every few minutes to see the changes. Please post questions and comments you may have on the paper that was circulated for the discussions.
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Rohan–lets talk about my paper. Titled Mobilizing information and communications technologies for effective supply of disaster warnings. I will basically follow the structure of the paper in my presentation. How human beings get hazard warnings to decison makers. The most controversial part is the last section on market failure and government failure in the area of hazard detection and warning.

Public good not supplied by market is difficult for even the govt to provide. This is the market failure aspect. Govt failure is that although it is its responsibilityto provide hazard warning it fails to do so. Primarily because of poor governance in many developing countries. But not all govt fail. Clinton put effort to get a good disaster management system in place even though the payoff may not have been during his tenure. Whereas politicians in our part of our world think only short term and disaster management system doesnt have short term political benefits.

Thailand just conducted an elaborate evacuation drill today. The Thai govt is more serious than ours is to an extent. The guy who has played a catalyst role in Thailand is Smith Dharmsoroja, who was fired from his job [he was head of the Met dept] because he asked the Thai govt to prepare for a possible Tsunami. Now he heads the Tsunami related activities under the Prime Minister’s office. Unfortunately in Sri Lanka we dont have such a person or the political will to appoint someone who can be effective.

Anthony Downs say that all politicians are primarily driven by the need to get (re)elected, similar to the “rational economic maximing individual.” If you look at it from state theory–a “renteer state” or “predatory state” in conditions of poor governance, politicians want the money NOW before the next election, it is just not about getting re-elected. In such a circumstance creating a disaster management system that works and may not have short-term benefits for politicians is difficult.

Malathy: Market failure–regulation, what happens when you have government failure?

Rohan: Civil society groups are the alternative.

Asantha:there is a media conference in taipei. in the 2nd plenary Rohan and Asantha will be presenting.