ICT in the Arctic - Two elements for consideration

This paper suggests explanations for the constrained utilisation and availability of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Arctic Areas. Part of these constrains reside in the properties of ICT. These properties are premised on infrastructural settings as they can be found in spatial settings that have “centre” characteristics. The available means of ICT in “rural” settings (e.g. satellite based Internet) are often subjected to competitive demands of the public and private sector In addition, the availability of ICT is constrained by the effects of liberalised telecommunication markets and privatised incumbent providers. This paper examines the question of how indigenous people’s culture and knowledge sets (Traditional Knowledge/TK) might be threatened if ICT is also available. It argues that ICT has a strong “western-rationalistic knowledge” bias and that this is at odds with and threatening the legitimacy of TK. In particular, the mode of communications embedded in western technology is incompatible with TK. Providing better ICT equipment in the Arctic areas seems to be dependent on the willingness of politicians to take more interventionist actions in the telecommunication market and the awareness of designers concerning the problems of applying ICT in these areas. No solutions can be conceived to protect the legitimacy of TK when indigenous people are engaged in ICT.