Communication technologies and cultural identity a critical discussion of ICTs for development

In this paper we discuss the design and deployment of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the developing world - specifically, the issues of culturally sensitive design and subjectivity through an analysis of the hardware, software, and deployment of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) computer. In our analysis we examine the design of the OLPC computer, and discuss its deployment within the context of information fetishism in the west. The goal of this paper is to encourage a critical discussion of the ways in which technologies are being designed for and deployed in developing nations.