ABSTRACT
Drawing from a longitudinal study of Scandinavian and UK community-ICT initiatives, this chapter contributes to the information-society policy discourse by examining tensions existing between policy and attempts to address social exclusion through community-ICT initiatives. It begins with an analysis of seminal information society policy documents at international and national levels and contests that the techno-economic determinism of many policy documents results in social tensions that can act as barriers to a more inclusive way of life. Attempts by the UK government to address social exclusion at community level are examined and a case is made for more participatory approaches to the design, implementation and development of community-ICT initiatives. Having contextualised the community informatics discourse within a participatory framework, the chapter concludes with a preliminary examination of the literature relating to the use of participatory tools and techniques at local level. This brief review of the literature forms an introduction to a research project currently being planned at the University of Brighton.
