Daniel Greene - Book Talk: The Promise of Access

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Machine Agencies / Algorithmic Media Observatory

Daniel Greene presents from his new book, The Promise of Access that asks why do we keep trying to solve poverty with technology?

<a href="http://dmgreene.net/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Daniel Greene</a> presents from his new book, <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/promise-access" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">The Promise of Access (MIT Press)</a> that asks why do we keep trying to solve poverty with technology? What makes us feel that we need to learn to code—or else? In The Promise of Access, Daniel Greene argues that the problem of poverty became a problem of technology in order to manage the contradictions of a changing economy. Greene shows how the digital divide emerged as a policy problem and why simple technological solutions to complex social issues continue to appeal to politicians and professionals who should (and often do) know better.Greene shows why it is so hard to get rid of the idea—which he terms the access doctrine—that the problem of poverty can be solved with the right tools and the right skills. This way of thinking is so ingrained that is adopted by organizations that fight poverty—which often refashion themselves to resemble technology startups. Drawing on years of fieldwork, Greene explores how this plays out in the real world, examining organizational change in technology startups, public libraries, and a charter school in Washington, DC. He finds that as the libraries and school pursue technological solutions, they win praise and funding but also marginalize and alienate the populations they serve. Greene calls for new political alliances that can change the terms on which we understand technology and fight poverty.BiographyDaniel Greene studies the futures of work as an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland’s College of Information Studies. More about his research can be found at: http://dmgreene.net/

The After Optimization Seminar Series is run by the <a href="https://www.amo-oma.ca/en/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Algorithmic Media Observatory </a>and the <a href="https://machineagencies.org/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Machine Agencies</a> based out of the <a href="https://speculativelife.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Speculative Life Cluster</a> at the <a href="https://milieux.concordia.ca/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Milieux Institute for Arts, Culture and Technology</a> at <a href="https://www.concordia.ca/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Concordia University</a> in Montreal.

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Daniel Greene - Book Talk: The Promise of Access

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