For reasons Alison is aware of, I've been unable to submit my online webliography until now. Sorry for the confusion, everyone else. I'll be doing this week's presentation too. See you in the tute!
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Computers and the Communication of Gender
Elizabeth Lane Lawley’s article is an exploration of feminism within the field of technology, focusing on virtual creation of gender. She outlines certain trends, how the digital generation has changed our reliance on technology, how the internet is sexualised more so for women, and how this disturbs male supremacy, leaving critics and analysts, predominately male, ruffled and prone to warning. The article also looks at differing views, from Jan Zimmerman’s view that women can gain control by being part of the development of technology, however argues that this does not give importance to grass-root movements and the power of users. Lawley sees the flexibility of transforming identity as a freeing task, one that is no longer restricted to the physical body and one that may help to dissolve gendered bias. As a paper that was written first in 1993, with its latest page modification set at 2008, it is perhaps not the most current piece in existence, yet it is a useful study as a pre-existing text of a growing gender/technology theory, I would suggest this report be used as the key in arguing the guiding question. The author is an assistant professor of Information Technology at the Rochester Insititute of Technology in New York.
Online Technology and Networking Some Gender Perspectives
Hari Srinivas’s paper for the most part, is a broad view of technology and networking, and to a certain level, looks at what this means for women in the workplace. It states its focus is based primarily at the small and medium enterprises working in the Japanese, Indian, Venezuelan and South African technology networks, and unfortunately, seems rather generalised and somewhat out-dated, with references to half-forgotten browsers such as Netscape. Nonetheless, it does bring up some good points about technology, that in “terms of television, radio or newspaper, the vast majority of participants are passive”, and how with digital communication, women have a more active platform on which to work on. Srinivas states that it is the lack of access that has created disadvantage between the genders, and drives it as the centre of her argument. This piece would work better as a side-text to use, or perhaps as research to better augment the essay.
Gender perspectives on health and safety in information processing
Ruth Pearson’s article observes health and safety in association to technology, and makes specific mention of attitudes towards women in view of data entry. She warns that women are in danger of reverting to a lower class basis again, as more and more women work technologically menial tasks, rather be involved in the development process. The article also looks at health risks, that rumour women suffering more from RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) and birthing issues. This would make a good point for how the physicality of the body and the social connotations of how feeble women are still dominating women issues. Pearson herself is a lecturer at The University of East Anglia, UK, and in the research field of information technology and gender analysis. As a text, this report is a online version of a pre-existing publication, and holds more than just one scholar's opinion as the website in which it is attached to, holds the entire book volume, which may also present useful information.
A Gender Perspective to ICTs and Development
The report by Anita Gurumurthy focuses on women who have little opportunity to access technology, and its main objective seems to be a encouragement of how women can overcome the odds. The emphasis of the piece is on ICT (Information and Communication Technology), and how policies within companies are gendered, and brings up suggestions as to how to overcome gender opposition overall. Gurumurthy has some fascinating examples of how women have risen to use technology, such the Women to Women video and Akshaya e-program, though there is little about men in general. However, it must be noted these are only small examples, they don’t point to an active revolution or awareness. For this to be used in an essay, it might be cautious not to place too much weight on Gurumurthy's argument, and instead use the positivity as an example. The site in which the piece comes from is a online documentation of world summit issues, mainly centering on German-based topics, which the site is hosted by.
A gender perspective on Internet use: consequences for information seeking
Ann Britt Enochsson’s article is an assessment report on findings based within a Swedish classroom, looking at how attitudes towards the Internet and technology differ between boys and girls. As a case study, it looks at a specific example of how children are gendered to technology at a young age, and outlines how social expectations influence the use of computers, coming to the conclusion a lack of IT education for girls. She also discusses how it is perceived that the use of internet for young girls is intrinsically linked with the media and sexuality, a concern of parents who may restrict assess within the home sphere. This article would support the guiding question’s attitude of masculine control and female participation, as Enochsson uses select questioning as part of her research, by asking a boy and a girl the same question and comparing the difference in vocabulary and understanding. While it is a restricted glimpse into a large field of research, and perhaps the lack of statistics underpin her argument, the source provides a fascinating look at how early gendered indoctrination begins. However, it might be said that this should be a supplement, rather than the focus of the essay.
References
Enochsson, AnnBritt, 2005, "A gender perspective on Internet use: consequences for information seeking" http://informationr.net/ir/10-4/paper237.html, accessed 15/10/10.
Gurumurthy, Anita, 2003, "A Gender Perspective to ICTs and Development", http://www.worldsummit2003.de/en/web/701.htm, accessed 15/10/10.
Lawley, Elizabeth Lane, 1993, "Computers and the Communication of Gender" http://www.itcs.com/elawley/gender.html, accessed 15/10/10.
Pearson, Ruth, 1995, "Gender Perspectives on health and safety in information processing" http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu37we/uu37we0v.htm, accessed 15/10/10.
Srinivas, Hari, 2008, "Online Technology and Networking: Some Gender Perspectives" http://www.gdrc.org/gender/ait-paper.html, accessed 15/10/10.
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