The Coastal Communities Network: Community development, the Internet, and cultural change in rural Nova Scotia.

摘要

This thesis, The Coastal Communities Network: Community Development, The Internet, and Cultural Change in Rural Nova Scotia, is about what happens when humans and technology come together in times of cultural and economic change. More specifically, looking through the theoretical lens of Actor Network theory (ANT), it examines the developing relationships of rural Nova Scotian community development (CD) organizations' members with such information and communication technologies (ICTs) as e-mail and the internet. Using as its case study Nova Scotia's Coastal Communities Network (CCN) (who is also the partner in this research) and four of its member communities (Canso, Upper Stewiacke, Isle Madame and the Western [Annapolis] Valley Development Association), it then asks how this human/technology relationship has changed priorities, opportunities and networks in the context of sustainable economic development. Further, given that in rural communities, most CD leaders are also community opinion leaders, it also asks what role this interaction plays as a cultural change agent within the community at large.;The thesis research findings conclude that although ICTs are changing how these CD organizations conduct their day to day business in the rural culture of Nova Scotia, it would appear that computer-mediated communication is not the norm and face to face communication is preferred. Secondly, the impact of the speed of computer-based communication has also been felt in both a positive and negative way. The removal of the distance/remoteness factor made possible through the use of ICTs has allowed rural community development organizations to facilitate access to funding and other resources in a timely manner. However, the increased workload made possible through this facility of access is causing these organizations to become overloaded, resulting all too often in volunteer and staff burnout. With a small population base to draw upon for replacements, this is a problem which is becoming critical in rural areas. Thirdly, although the research participants might deny this, increasingly rural CD organizations are changing the emphasis of their sustainable development initiatives to foreground those which revolve around the use of ICTs (e.g., call centres, e-business, tourism marketing, etc.). There is a recognition of the importance of accessing the global market. To facilitate this, the community or organizational website has come to serve as an ambassador, representing them to the world on-line.