Website: https://cmaitland.ist.psu.edu/icts-and-refugees/
Investigators:
- Dr. Carleen Maitland, Penn State University (Principal Investigator)
- Ying Xu, Penn State University
Description:
Our initial work in Za’atari Syrian refugee camp on mobile and Internet access and use led to a study of the potential for refugees to collect and analyze data on their own capacities and assets as a component of an Asset Based Community Development approach. Community-led development is a focus for UNHCR and developing tools and processes for mapping assets and capacities, whether on physical or online cartographic maps or through other information products, will help provide a critical tool in community development and recovery. Through training on asset mapping with ODK collect and Kobo UNHCR, we collectively created an asset inventory together with Syrian refugees and aid agencies. The initial findings through surveys and focus groups show an increased level of participation and sense of community among refugees.
Publications:
Communication Behaviors When Displaced: A Case Study of Za’atari Syrian Refugee Camp.
Ying Xu, and Carleen Maitland. 2016. In Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD ‘16). ACM, New York, NY, USA
Community-Level Access Divides: A Refugee Camp Case Study. Paul Schmitt, Daniel Iland, Elizabeth Belding, Brian Tomaszewski, Ying Xu, and Carleen Maitland. 2016. In Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD ‘16).ACM, New York, NY, USA.
A Social Informatics Analysis of Refugee Mobile Phone Use: A Case of Za’atari Syrian Refugee Camp.
Carleen Maitland, and Ying Xu. 2015. The 43rd Research Conference on Communications, Information and Internet Policy(TPRC ‘15). Arlington, VA, United States.
Promoting Participatory Community Building in Refugee Camps with Mapping Technology.
Ying Xu, Carleen Maitland, and Brian Tomaszewski. 2015. In Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD ‘15). ACM, New York, NY, USA.