This is one of two workshop papers that received a promotion to journal publications as part of this special issue of First Monday:
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This month: August 2015 Special issue: LIMITS 2015 — First workshop on computing within limits Today’s society is increasingly dependent upon and enmeshed with computing and technology. In parallel with advancements in computing, we have seen scientific developments in our understanding of the fundamental limits with which societies must cope. How can computing serve society in the future as the consequences of these limits? Papers from this workshop in this special issue consider new ideas and perspectives from researchers representing a number of different computer science disciplines. Overall, these papers represent a shift in thinking about computing, where societal and ecological needs become our highest priorities. |
Paper Abstract:
In 2010 Haiti experienced a catastrophic earthquake that destroyed a substantial amount of infrastructure in the capital of Port-au-Prince. Limited national resources and widespread poverty [1] have made the rebuilding slow and piecemeal. Five years later that infrastructure is still unevenly repaired and maintained. Nevertheless, the Haitian people have, by necessity, continued to adapt in order to take care of day-to-day activities. Based on a field visit, this paper describes some of the ways that infrastructure has re-emerged, gives examples of how people deal with the alternate infrastructures, how the infrastructures structure their lives and discusses what these lessons entail for how the developed world frames infrastructure in the face of similar challenges caused by global energy shortages.(permanent, local copy)
Published in First Monday
C.V.: JR-12