Community Informatics Group

Community Informatics (CI) focuses on helping diverse communities use Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) to meet their goals, bridge digital gaps, and empower citizens. It involves applying ICTs in areas like health, community organization and development, cultural activities, civic management, and e-governance.

CI is a multidisciplinary field of research and practice bringing together academic and community partners using methods such as participatory action research. Collaborations with marginalized people whose community cultural wealth and traditional knowledge are especially sought to provide essential guidance to Western science as CI strives for community building and the socially “effective use” of Information and Communications Technologies for social good. CI is concerned with how ICT can be useful to the range of traditionally excluded populations and communities, and how it can support local economic development, social justice, and political empowerment using the Internet. CI is a point of convergence concerning the use of ICTs for diverse stakeholders, including community activists, nonprofit groups, policymakers, users/citizens, and the range of academics working across (and integrating) disciplines as diverse as Information Studies, Management, Computer Science, Social Work, Planning, and Development Studies. Emerging issues within the CI field include: community access to the internet, community information, online civic participation and community service delivery, community and local economic development, training networks, telework, social cohesion, learning, e-health, and e-governance.

The Journal of Community Informatics is an online, open-access journal led by members of the iSchools Community Informatics Group. The editors seek to ensure that the content of the journal is global in scope, encouraging the submission of articles from the developing world. For more information, please visit the journal website.

The iSchools Community Informatics Group seeks to engage the entire iSchools consortium, including welcoming new members, interested in advancing the field of community informatics. If you are interested in joining the CI Group please contact Dr. Colin Rhinesmith or contact the iSchools staff.