From Rural Village to Smart Village

Heather E. Hudson is a leading global authority on communications for development. She is Professor Emerita at the University of San Francisco, and former Director of the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER), University of Alaska Anchorage, and was previously the founding professor in new communication technology and policy at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on applications and impacts of communication technologies for socio-economic development, regulatory issues, and policies and strategies to extend affordable access to digital connectivity in rural and developing regions. She has planned and evaluated communication projects in northern Canada and Alaska and in more than 50 developing countries and emerging economies in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the South Pacific. She has consulted for government agencies, consumer and Indigenous organizations, the private sector, and international organizations including USAID, the World Bank, the ITU, UNDP, UNESCO, CIDA, IDRC, and the Commonwealth of Learning.Professor Hudson has held a Fulbright Policy Research Chair and a Fulbright Asia-Pacific Distinguished Lectureship, as well as a Sloan Foundation Fellowship at Columbia University's Institute for Tele-Information (CITI). She has published numerous articles and written or co-authored eight previous books on information and communications technologies (ICTs) for development, international communications, communications policy, and communication satellites.

"With myriad insights and examples, From Rural Village to Smart Village: Digital Connectivity for Development provides detailed accounts of how digital technologies are closing communication gaps and enhancing development in rural and remote regions of the world. The book is an important contribution to the field of development communication and social change.” John K. Mayo, Dean Emeritus, College of Communication, Florida State University, USA."This book is an important source for researchers and those working for change in developing economies. It is a comprehensive review of current trends and of communication technologies over the past several decades and their contributions in promoting that change. It is a must read!" Emile McAnany, Emeritus Professor, Santa Clara University, USA."Drawing on her extensive experience in field research, policy engagement, and program evaluation, Professor Hudson offers a comprehensive guide to the role of digital connectivity in rural development. Truly global in scope, the work analyses the opportunities and tensions shaping digital societies from Alaska to the Global South."Rob McMahon, Associate Professor, Communications and Technology, University of Alberta, Canada.

• 1. Introduction: Digital Connectivity and Development 2. The Information Society and the Digital Economy 3. Digital Learning: Education and Training 4. Telemedicine and E-Health 5. Agriculture, Natural Resources, and the Environment 6. E-Commerce 7. E-Government and Nonprofit Services 8. Languages, Cultures, and Gender 9. Field Research and Evaluation 10. Technologies to Extend Digital Connectivity 11. Digital Policy Issues and Strategies 12. The Era of Artificial Intelligence Epilogue: Lessons and Future Directions