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Abstract
This paper presents selected findings from the evaluation of a feminist action research project that aimed to enhance Queensland rural women’s access to interactive communication technologies (ICTs). Project activities aimed to be empowering and inclusive. They included online conversation groups, workshops and audioconferences. A model of women’s empowerment is used that comprises social, technological, political and psychological forms of empowerment. The evaluation results suggest that many participants experienced each of these forms of empowerment. The online group welink (women’s electronic link) was considered particularly important in facilitating women’s empowerment. However, the analysis also indicated various disempowering effects of participating in the project. Case studies of two participants illustrate these contradictory effects. These results suggest that enhancing rural women’s technological empowerment is urgently required, given that use of ICTs is becoming increasingly important to their leadership and participation in community development. Strategies for enhancing rural women’s empowerment are suggested.
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June Lennie
June Lennie holds a postdoctoral fellowship with the Centre for Service Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane. Her significant research and consulting experience encompasses various fields, including rural women’s use of communication technologies, gender and community participation processes, and the social impacts of technologies. During 1996-1997 she was a researcher with an award-winning feminist action research project involving Queensland rural women and new communication technologies. Her doctoral research critically evaluated the methods used in this project. June’s current research aims to build the capacities of rural people (particularly women) in participatory planning and evaluation related to communication technology initiatives.
