Refugees and Information Technology: Greater Opportunities or Novel Concerns?
Fida Afiouni, Charlotte M. Karam, John E. Katsos, Randa Salamoun, Benson Honig, Jennifer S. A. Leigh, Sophie Alkhaled, Michael Coniff, Charlotte M. Karam, John E. Katsos, Randa Salamoun, Raymond Saner, Lichia Saner-Yiu, Hans van Dijk · Academy of Management Proceedings · 2019
The current realities concerning the global refugee crises are challenging: protracted crises in variant geographic locations, substantial population displacement with over 68.5 million refugees worldwide, donor fatigue and decreasing amounts of aid, host community fatigue and increasing levels of frustration. In the context of the Syrian refugee crisis specifically, daily life challenges make survival difficult. At the same time, Syrian refugees are reported to be the most technologically enabled refugees. The press has extensively reported on their use of personal technologies such as smartphone devices and have engaged in debates on a number of related questions. For example, there has been much debate about the safety threats, the governance parameters, privacy dynamics, and the choices concerning technology purchases that may limit other possible resource attainment and many other issues. Such issues lead us to explore the role of information and communication technologies in refugee adaptation to this major disruption, including refugee integration. The general aim of this symposium is to bring together researchers and practitioners from management, innovation, entrepreneurship, social and information technology fields to discuss, and debate the role of technology in the response of refugees and refugee communities as well as other stakeholders to the current global refugee crises. The hope is to carve out pathways forward for research, theory development and practical policy interventions vis-Ã -vis refugee crises that focus on the intersections and interactions between technology and the personal efforts of the refugees. Impact of ICT on Community Participation in Refugee Camps Presenter: Raymond Saner; CSEND research SDGs RBC Presenter: Lichia Saner-Yiu; Centre for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development Social Innovation for the Win: How an “AirBnB for Refugees” Shapes Refugee Integration Presenter: Hans Van Dijk; Tilburg U. Presenter: Sophie Alkhaled; Lancaster U. Management School Presenter: Lena Knappert; Tilburg U. Presenter: Gabi Dodoiu; - Presenter: Quita Muis; tilburg uni Refugees and feminist notions of work: how the smartphone transformed power dynamics and work Presenter: Randa Salamoun; American U. of Beirut Presenter: Charlotte M. Karam; American U. of Beirut How to improve societal impact by technology firms in fragile and conflict settings Presenter: John E. Katsos; American U. of Sharjah Presenter: Jason Miklian; U. of Oslo ICTs and resettlement of refugees: Practitioner stories from the trenches Presenter: Michael Coniff; Rochester Refugee Resettlement Services