Open Development: Networked Innovations in International Development

The emergence of open networked models made possible by digital technology has thepotential to transform international development. Open network structures allow people to cometogether to share information, organize, and collaborate. Open development harnesses this power, tocreate new organizational forms and improve people's lives; it is not only an agenda for researchand practice but also a statement about how to approach international development. In this volume,experts explore a variety of applications of openness, addressing challenges as well asopportunities.

Open development requires new theoretical tools that focus on realworld problems, consider a variety of solutions, and recognize the complexity of local contexts.After exploring the new theoretical terrain, the book describes a range of cases in which openmodels address such specific development issues as biotechnology research, improving education, andaccess to scholarly publications. Contributors then examine tensions between open models andexisting structures, including struggles over privacy, intellectual property, and implementation.Finally, contributors offer broader conceptual perspectives, considering processes of socialconstruction, knowledge management, and the role of individual intent in the development andoutcomes of social models.

ContributorsCarla Bonina, InekeBuskens, Leslie Chan, Abdallah Daar, Jeremy de Beer, Mark Graham, Eve Gray, Anita Gurumurthy, HavardHaarstad, Blane Harvey, Myra Khan, Melissa Loudon, Aaron K. Martin, Hassan Masum, Chidi Oguamanam,Katherine M. A. Reilly, Ulrike Rivett, Karl Schroeder, Parminder Jeet Singh, Matthew L. Smith,Marshall S. Smith

Copublished with the International Development Research Centreof Canada (IDRC)

Katherine M. A. Reilly is Assistant Professor in the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University.