Social Science Research Council

The relationship between IT & Civil Society is a core focus of the ITIC program. Our goal is to build knowledge about the use of information technology by civil society actors (from NGOs to alternative media), especially regarding transnational activities and networks. The project also examines the international governance of IT, particularly the decisions and policies about IT at the global and regional levels. Our concern is to draw out the implications of such decisions for the activities of civil society actors.

This effort brings international groups of scholars and practitioners together to collaborate at meetings, online, and through the exchange of writings. The results of this collaboration are published in the form of papers and reports. We seek to disseminate these results to a wide audience of practitioners and scholars.

In the Fall of 2003, we published two comprehensive knowledge reports. The first report focuses on the international governance of information technology and its implications for civil society networking. In conjunction with this effort, we have organized a research network in order to expand on the knowledge and analysis presented in the report. The network is engaged in writing papers, discussion and collaborative projects related to IT governance. 

The second report examines the use of information technology by civil society organizations. Similarly, we have organized a research network to focus on this topic. This network is also engaged in papers, discussion and collaborative projects. 

In December 2003, the research networks met in Geneva, Switzerland at a workshop on IT Governance and the Politics of Civil Society, which followed the World Summit on Information Society.