Paper Release & Webinar: ICT in Mexican Civil Society

Today, I'm proud to release a new paper entitled "Information and Communication Technology in Mexican Civil Society." It's based on the research Ana and I did in Oaxaca and Mexico City back in the fall, and is an overview of how the people, movements and organizations that make up civil society in Mexico have adopted new technologies including mobile phones and social media to facilitate and improve the effectiveness of their work.

The best part is a series of case studies represending the most effective tech-based initiatives of the past several years. The paper is available in both English and Spanish. If you’re interested, I will host a webinar tomorrow, Friday, January 21, at 12:30pm EST to offer an overview of the paper's findings and answer questions. Please RSVP to receive webinar instructions.

As a taste, here's an excerpt from one of the fascinating projects I profile in the report: a blogging platform for women called "Mujeres Construyendo." While not strictly "civil society," as it's set up as a for-profit endeavor, MC lives in the space of social entrepreneurship, somewhere between the business world and the nonprofit/civil society world. It's a great example of a project that leverages the power of the global network to address a specific gap in civil discourse:

"Mujeres Construyendo" is a blogging platform for Spanish-speaking women, created by Claudia Calvin Venero to address a "digital glass ceiling" she observed in Mexico. Venero has recruited over 350 contributors from all over the Spanish-speaking world, encouraging them to engage online, and teaching them the necessary skills; now, their writing covers issues ranging from international politics to the trials of being a mother. Over 4,000 women around the world are in the network of Mujeres Construyendo, many of whom have taken courses taught by Venero. Her courses touch on a range of women's issues, but the message to her students is always the same: they must overcome the "culture of silence" that keeps many Latin women from engaging in public dialogue, and recognize that the internet is a powerful space to raise their voices about the issues that affect their lives. Next year, she'll be offering a course exclusively for female legislators in Mexico, making them more aware of the "self-marginalization" of women, and encouraging them to raise their own voices online and in government.

Mujeres Construyendo is one of a handful of emerging online platforms for engaged citizens to share their ideas and experiences, and participate in public dialogue. "Revolución con Letras" is another: without the specific focus on women and women's issues, the site welcomes posts from citizens about social issues, and allows readers to identify the best, most useful articles. Sites like these are an important development for the engagement of Mexican civil society online, as they give platforms for even those people unaffiliated with any organization and without sophisticated technological skills to engage in public dialogue online. For the internet to successfully become a "second public sphere" in Mexico, sites like these will be essential.

I hope you enjoy the report!