ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the origins and background of the social technology network (STN), including some considerations of the political landscape in the 2000s. It analyses the diverse framings of social technology (ST). At the beginning of the new century, some Brazilian institutions and social movements realized the need not only to challenge market-driven strategies of economic growth but also to search for new approaches to tackling poverty and social inequality. The work of framing and the vision of the STN resulted from the encounter between these different actors. The chapter describes the main spaces where ST was able to develop, and provides some relevant examples of reapplied technologies. It discusses some results and lessons that can be learnt for path construction from the history of the STN. The chapter concludes with some final remarks on the contribution of the STN to understanding grassroots innovation in Latin America.
