Culture and Politics in The Information Age

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1 1 Culture and Politics in The Information Age The 21 st Century is experiencing an enormous development in the use of information, communication technology, especially with the development of the use of the computer digital technology, Internet and . It has become a potent force in transforming social, economic and political life at both local and global level. It has actually become one of the major instruments that are making a global village of the world. According to Burbach, the epoch of Globalisation and the information age are completely intertwined, one could not exist without the other. It is the technology that facilitates the globalisation process. The two symbiotically feed off each other 1. There is no doubt that unless a nation or country involves itself in the current trend of this development by incorporating information communication technology into its system, it may rule itself out of the development in the 21 st century. Bergdah pointed out that it is such a precious resources that the fate of any modern nations in all essentials is connected to their capacity to develop and exploit it. He further predicted that in future, countries that do not develop this aspect would be left behind in the cultural, scientific and economic development 2. This prediction is not far fetched in the century we are now. From Mombassa in Kenya to Geneva in Switzerland, information and communication were not as swift and effective in past years as they are in this century. Information communication Technology has helped lines of communication, trade between the north and south and has assisted in the creation of more understanding of relationship, differences and the use of power that exists between the different regions. ICT has become a major means of networking among organisations from both the countries of the North and South and also at regional and national level. It has helped to foster faster access to information and better participation in discussions on the issue of development. It has aided the current trend of the constant use of the Internet as a forum for discussions, conferences and meetings, reducing the constraints faced by participants in such conferences and meetings by development practitioners. For example the establishment of the Non-governmental organisations (NGO) Forum of Uganda and International NGO s has become a major platform for NGO s to contribute to public policy through advocacy, networking, partnership development and information exchange. Warren Myamugasira, the Forum National Co-ordinator noted that, access to information is a basic human right and effective utilisation of computers is becoming one of the ways to fight poverty 3 At the same time, this 21 st century development is allowing more interference and influence and in how politics is practice in a nation and between and also have adverse effect on the culture of the people and their identity and thus have a bigger effect on the developmental process of such people in general. 1 Burbach R, Globalisation and postmedern politics (London: Pluto press 2001)pg Berghahl B. IFLA,s programme Advancement of Librianship in the Third World ALP: A proposal For the Future.( Stockholm: Swedish Library Association 1989)pg 41 3 Warren Myamusagasira. (

2 2 Culture, a pivotal force of Development sustainability. It is no longer a new phenomenon that culture plays a pivotal aspect in development process. Development process needs to continue to be practiced in a holistic form, to incorporate the social, economic and, at its root, the cultural aspects in society. Going beyond the manipulation of economic growth indicators that reflect advancing industrialisation and modernisation. Culture and its traditional values has been argued well as harbouring a latent dynamism which can be activated top bring developmental change in ways that cause minimal harm to identity and integrity of the people. In one of the UNESCO document Culture was noted to represent a complex set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features that characterise and define a society or social group 4 ( It represents the way of thinking, living and acting in a society, the very fabric of society and the internal force upon which the process of development survives. This realisation of the role of culture in development was articulated in the 1975 joint OAU/UNESCO Accra inter-governmental conference on cultural politics in Africa. This has further firmly been affirmed in the subsequent meetings in Mexico at the conference of 1982, United Nations general Assembly in 1986 and World Conference on Culture and Development in Africa in To continue to attain sustainability in development, development work and processes should carry along culture of the people. Culture in Information Age As earlier noted the advent of ICT in 21 st is having profound influence on pattern of social change, relationship of one nation states with the other and is becoming a powerful tool of influence on the cultural practices, beliefs, values and Identity of people. This global development is not ubiquitous, nor is it a uniform development. It affects people differently in different places and can have different consequences for people in different setting. According to Kaye (1995) Good information can provide a competitive edge to the organisation who knows more that the competitors 5. Access to such good information in this century is still inextricable from the existing inequalities of access to information, resources and power. Barbach 6 noted that the Burbach R. (2001) pg61

3 3 media conglomerates as one of the major force that is suing information technology to shape cultures and societies in the name of market capitalism, however other groups like multinationals organisations and nations where this group are dominant are also having the same effects on the culture of the people. Although the use of the ICT should help as a medium for a good communication of cultural values and diversities in the world, it is rather becoming a means of portraying some cultures as a more ideal above the rest. When we look deeply into the effect of the ICT in the southern countries, its advantages seems to be outweighed by its harm in culture of the people. One of the major problems is that it has not been adapted to strengthen the cultural values of those people from this region of the world. Amartya noted that the contemporary world is dominated by the west, and even through the Imperial authority of the erstwhile rulers of the world has decline, the dominance of the west remains as strong than before, especially on cultural matters 7. The vast majority of the world computers, telephone lines, newspaper output and information technology are located in the North. Fifty percent of the world s computers are in the United States alone and more computers are in the city of New York than the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa. There is no doubt that the power over this development lies in the North. This disparity in the power of this development has created avenue for ICT to be used as instrument of hybridisation of the values and the beliefs of this group of people. It could however also be better said that the people of the south have not developed their capability in using ICT to strengthen their own cultural values and belief. This use of the ICT is more seen in force in the role played by the international media and the film industry that penetrated more into the southern region than the use of the Internet. This in effect is causing demeaning of the culture at local level, posing great challenges and danger to local cultural variation and creating problem about their identity, Barrie explains that this global force is making it harder for local identities to survive. Although the current process is more of hybridisation, if caution is not taken, local cultures will soon be completely eroded 8. This in some ways has meant resistance from some organisations and government who has the ability to do so. Such example of resistance is seen more from the Arab World which is able to some extent protect their values against the proliferation of other cultures through censorship of information and communication that is passed across to its nation. This on some other occasions has met a more extreme contestation from the often-called Islamic Fundamentalist. Although it could be argued that the role played by the government in this case is a violation of the human right of their people but it could be noted that every government also has the responsibility to protect what it sees as values in it society. 7 Amartya, s. Development As Freedom (Oxford: Oxford Press 1999) pg Barrie, A. Politics: An introduction. (London: Routledge 1997)pg.

4 4 Looking as some countries where such facilities like that in the Arab world could not be afforded, it will become a real difficulty for them to be able to put in place a proper means of enabling their cultural heritage to be preserved. Politics in information Age The transformation of the telecommunication and Mass media, that Burbach categorised in three major innovations of: Television, particularly colour TV, as a mass phenomenon; the placing of synchronous satellites in orbit that instantly transmit media signals around the world; and the rise of internet and the personal computer which makes it possible to send and access information around the globe at any particular moment 9 has created an international media culture that profoundly affects politics. ICT has become a major instrument in helping to reach towards a freer and fairer electoral processes and elections. The use of electronic balloting system as seen in the last election in America, the constant influence of the International media Observers, and the use of International television conference as seen in the case of the last Palestine-Israel Peace summit in England are few of many benefit of ICT in relation to politics in this age. However problem and difficulty comes when the power of the ICT is being used to execute personal agenda in an International setting. This is making the Nation-states to now increasingly respond to trans-national economic interest, particularly those of foothoose and entirely deterritonalized finance capitalists and trans-national cooperatives. In the 21 st century media has been used more by nations and organisations that have more power on the medium as a weapon to achieve their socio-economic benefit at all costs. Am example would be the sudden turn around in the image of Mohammed Gaddafi of Libya. Although not a completely positive one, but a surprise on how this has been done to a level, by international media just because of socio-economic interest of some nations and organisations. This has shown how manipulative ICT has become in the 21 st century. It is becoming clearer that politics among this weak nations is know longer serving the need of their local people as much as it is use to accomplish the purpose of this international power. Bagdikian wrote as early as 1983 and latter reiterate this view in 1997 in the preface of his fifth edition that some handful of giants has created what is in effect a new communications cartel. Aided by the digital revolution and its acquisition of subsidiaries that operates at every step in the mass communication process 10.( This use of the ICT at the global level as a means of accomplishing economic interest should be curtailed. Although it could be argued that it is a process of globalisation but is this process achieving development at all level. The use of ICT in a local 9 Burbach R. (2001) Pg71 10 Bagdikian B.H The Media Monopoly5th Edition (Boston: Beacon Press 1997) pg.ix

5 5 politics by other nations and Trans-national organisation should rather be use to help alleviate their local problems rather than adding more to it. It should be more of presenting objectives view and helping development of Nations rather than as a means of accomplishing theirs own agenda. The sovereignty and the autonomy of nation states still needs to be respected and protected more by examining the international laws and re-enact a new one if needed to look into how to guide the use of info-tech by those powers on the issue sovereignty of nation sates and its relationship with globalisation. Conclusion In conclusion I would like to point out that the growth of ICT itself is not disadvantageous to development, most especially on the issue of culture and politics. But it became so as powers are exercised over it by some organisations and nations. It looks like the advances in the technology which is well known to be slow in progress in the third world is a disadvantage to them. In most cases there is no balance of information and the current growth has not done justice to this. As earlier noted the role of culture in development is pivotal and the system of hybridisation of culture of others has to be cautioned. If this continues it could only resulted in two things. Firstly. To strengthens the hegemony of the whole world and bring the whole world to a lesser diverse society. And secondly it could cause more reaction form groups of concern people and individuals as seen in the resurgence of the fundamentalists all over the world. Both which without doubt will be disastrous for all countries in all regions. The effect of this will go beyond this generation and this should always be at the back of the mind of the powers behind the veil when such power is being exercised. There is also a need for increase in the capacity of the people of the south for ICT to achieve its positive purpose more in the world. Although there are many in ways this could be done, I will suggest four, which I have concluded to be of a greater importance. 1.To help in increasing the technological ability of the countries of the south and encourage its people, most especially the youth to get more engaged in the study of ICT. This will not however be accomplished without access to resources for that purpose. It will be imperative for modern information techniques in the local and the library. In a country like Nigeria, It will take over fifty students to share a computer for use in the tertiary institutions, that will even be possible in a setting where this is available. To use this medium outside school provision is out of the reach of an ordinary student. 2.To create more awareness programmes on the use of ICT, and increase the participation of more non-governmental organisations in this process, so that they will implement more projects that are focused towards this areas.

6 6 3. To encourage the leaders of this nations in the south into allocating more funding into projects that are focused on ICT. 4. To create avenue for international community to look into the use of power of the multinationals in regards to the impact of the ICT on the life of the people at local level and to make necessary guiding law to this effect where necessary.

7 Bibliography 1. Amartya, s. Development As Freedom (1999) Oxford: Oxford Press Barrie, A. Browning GK. Higgins R, Rosamond and Turner J (1997) Politics: An introduction.london: Routledge. 3. Bagdikian B.H The Media Monopoly5th Edition (Boston: Beacon Press 1997) 4. Berghahl B. IFLA,s programme Advancement of Librianship in the Third World ALP: A proposal For the Future (1989). Stockholm: Swedish Library Association 5. Burbach R, Globalisation and postmodern politics (2001) London: Pluto press havard.ed/cr 7