Development 2.0? : the case of Kiva.org and online social lending for development

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dc.contributor.advisorDu Plessis, Jacob M. J.
dc.contributor.authorCarlman, Alisonen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherUniversity of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology.
dc.date.accessioned2010-02-11T14:00:59Zen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2010-08-13T15:00:22Z
dc.date.available2010-02-11T14:00:59Zen_ZA
dc.date.available2010-08-13T15:00:22Z
dc.date.issued2010-03
dc.descriptionThesis (MPhil (Sociology and Social Anthropology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
dc.description.abstractENGLISH SUMMARY: This study explores the application of Web 2.0 thinking to development studies. It specifically addresses ‗online social lending for development' as an example of ‗Development 2.0,‘ the subject of an ongoing conversation between the fields of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and international development. The paper has two aims: to develop a definition of Development 2.0, and to explore an empirical example of a Web 2.0 model that seeks to alleviate poverty. Reflecting on the literature pertaining to ICT for development (ICT4D), the investigator establishes preliminary principles of Development 2.0: facilitating citizen participation and voice, encouraging collaboration, increasing transparency and enabling relationships. These principles are then considered in the context of online social lending for development, with a particular look at Kiva.org, the microlending website at the center of the study. The empirical research for this case involved several months of interaction with some of Kiva‘s primary stakeholders in San Francisco, CA and Kisumu, Kenya. As a Kiva Fellow, the investigator engaged in participant observation, focus groups, analysis of secondary data, email interviews and weblog interviews with various people involved in the Kiva system. Stemming from this investigation, the author offers a descriptive and exploratory case study of Kiva‘s operations and its level of Development 2.0 integration. With reference to this Kiva case study and the initial Development 2.0 principles, the investigator offers a new definition: Development 2.0 is the application of Web 2.0 thinking to development studies. Development 2.0 practice takes advantage of networked social interaction and data generation, reaching the ‘long tail’ of the world’s poor; it actively employs transparency, collaboration, and citizen participation with the aim of continual, reflexive improvement in sustainable human-centered development. The author concludes that Kiva is a relevant example of Development 2.0, but it does not offer full transparency to all stakeholders, nor does it take advantage of the full possibilities of networked social interaction, which could lead to more holistic development for Kiva borrowers. The author argues that Development 2.0 principles have intrinsic value, and should be pursued as both a means and an end for ICT4D practice. The paper ends with a call for further research into Kiva, Development 2.0, and the practice of online social lending for development.en
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie stel ondersoek in na die toepassing van Web 2.0 beginsels vir ontwikkelingstudies. Dit spreek spesifiek ‗aanlyn sosiale lenings vir ontwikkeling‘ aan, 'n onderwerp wat debat ontlok tussen die velde van Inligting en Kommunikasie Tegnologie (IKT) en Internasionale Ontwikkeling. Die verhandeling het twee doelwitte: om 'n definisie vir Ontwikkeling 2.0 te ontwikkel en om ondersoek in te stel na 'n empiriese voorbeeld van 'n Web 2.0 model wat die verligting van armoede nastreef. Na 'n refleksie oor die literatuur wat met IKT‘s verband hou, stel die navorser die voorwaardelike beginsels van Ontwikkeling 2.0 vas: die fasilitering van burgerlike deelname en inspraak, bevordering van samewerking, verhoogde deursigtigheid en instaatstellende verhoudings. Hierdie beginsels word dan oorweeg in die konteks van aanlyn sosiale lenings vir ontwikkeling, met spesifieke ondersoek na Kiva.org, 'n mikro-lening webwerf wat sentraal tot hierdie studie staan. Die empiriese ondersoek vir hierdie gevallestudie het verskeie maande van navorser-interaksie met van Kiva se primêre rolspelers in San Francisco (VSA) en Kisumu (Kenia) behels. Die ondersoeker het as 'n 'Kiva Fellow‘ deur middel van deelnemende waarneming, fokusgroep onderhoude, benutting van sekondêre bronne, e-pos- en webblog onderhoude met verskeie persone betrokke in die Kiva stelsel in wisselwerking getree. Na aanleiding van hierdie studie, bied die navorser 'n beskrywende en verklarende gevallestudie van Kiva se werksaamhede en vlak van Ontwikkeling 2.0 integrasie aan. Met verwysing na hierdie Kiva gevallestudie en die aanvanklike Ontwikkeling 2.0 beginsels, bied die ondersoeker ‗n hersiene definisie aan: Ontwikkeling 2.0 is die toepassing van Web 2.0 beginsels tot ontwikkelingstudies. Ontwikkeling 2.0 praktyk trek voordeel uit netwerk-sosiale interaksie en data-generering, wat die ‘verste punt’ van die wêreld se armes bereik; dit streef aktief deursigtigheid, samewerking en burgerlike deelname na; tot die bevordering van die aaneenlopende, refleksiewe verbetering in volhoubare mens-gesentreerde ontwikkeling. Die ondersoeker kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat Kiva 'n relevante voorbeeld van Ontwikkeling 2.0 is, maar dat dit nie volwaardige deursigtigheid vir alle rolspelers bied nie, en nog minder van die geleentheid gebruik maak om voordeel te trek van die volle moontlikhede van netwerk-sosiale interaksie, wat tot meer holistiese ontwikkeling vir Kiva leners kan lei. Die ondersoeker argumenteer dat Ontwikkeling 2.0 beginsels 'n intrinsieke waarde het en nagestreef behoort te word in die praktyk as beide ‗n middel tot en ‗n einde vir ‗IKT vir Ontwikkeling‘ (ICT4D). Die verhandeling word afgesluit met 'n oproep vir verdere navorsing oor Kiva, Ontwikkeling 2.0 en die gebruik van aanlyn sosiale lenings vir ontwikkeling.af
dc.format.extent132 p. : ill.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/4226
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherStellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
dc.rights.holderUniversity of Stellenbosch
dc.subjectDevelopment 2.0en_ZA
dc.subjectSocial lending for developmenten_ZA
dc.subjectICT's and developmenten_ZA
dc.subjectCommunity developmenten_ZA
dc.subjectDissertations -- Sociologyen
dc.subjectTheses -- Sociologyen
dc.subjectMicrolendingen
dc.subject.otherSociology and Social Anthropologyen_ZA
dc.titleDevelopment 2.0? : the case of Kiva.org and online social lending for developmenten_ZA
dc.typeThesis
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