Indigenous Approaches and Decolonising Digital Social Innovations

There is a growing need to move beyond Western-dominated frameworks in academic research and technology design, particularly in non-Western contexts like Africa. Western knowledge systems have historically shaped socioeconomic institutions, digital social innovations, and higher education in Africa, often marginalising indigenous knowledge and practices. The research proposes implementing indigenous knowledge in co-designing and developing digital solutions with marginalised communities in South Africa to decolonise digital social innovation. The project would use participatory action research methods to collaborate with local tech companies and communities in South Africa's Gauteng region to achieve social justice through culturally relevant digital innovations.