Investigating the Use and Appropriation of Digital Technology in Contexts of Infrastructural Limitations

Infrastructural limitation in different forms such as in technological, social, and political aspects affect the adoption and use of technology. Thus, it is important to understand how digital technology is appropriated for current and future use in such contexts. This research investigates how digital technologies are used and appropriated in environments characterized by infrastructural limitations, focusing on grassroots efforts in Bangladesh and the United States. Using qualitative methods and participatory approaches, the research aims to characterize existing socio-technical strategies employed by users to navigate infrastructural limitations, and to co-design future directions for interactive technology to leverage existing practices to overcome the limitations of infrastructure and power dynamics.