Abstract:
Post-conflict scenarios present a significant challenge for humanity. Decades of peace-building experience has shown that the development of strong and representative state institutions is key in ensuring that the post-conflict scenario does not revert back to warfare. The role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in this process is not yet widely understood, and this paper aims to understand the breadth and depth of coverage of this research nexus over the past decade (2003-2013). More than 2000 research artefacts from the fields of information systems, political science / development studies and communication science were reviewed, out of which 34 were selected for analysis. Results indicate a growth in this area of research with a focus on the use of ICTs in post-conflict contexts, although the role of ICTs is seen as marginally positive. At a granular level, use of ICTs for administrative and economic objectives has been well researched, while a gap exists in utilisation of ICTs for political, judicial and security purposes as part of the peacebuilding process. Most of the recommendations reached are focused on policy and capacity building. Half of the papers reviewed utilised a case study approach, with ‘country level’ being the favoured unit of analysis; Liberia, Kosovo and Afghanistan were the most researched countries. A significant gap in knowledge exists at the ‘local level’ of analysis and also on the potential role of Enterprise Architecture (EA) as a blueprint to help shape the peacebuilding process.
