Appropriate technology in social context, an annotated bibliography

THE SUBJECT OF THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY IS THE LAST OF THOSE CRITERIA -- THE CONSISTENCY OF A TECHNOLOGY WITH ITS SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT. THE "SOCIAL" IMPACT OF A PROJECT USUALLY REFERS ONLY TO CHANGES IN EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME DISTRIBUTION. BUT TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT OF APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY, A BROADER CONCEPTION OF THE "SOCIAL CONTEXT" IS NEEDED. IT MEANS THE WHOLE SET OF SHARED VALUES, BELIEFS, AND INSTITUTIONS THAT JOIN PEOPLE IN COMMON ENDEAVOR. EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT IMPLANTING A SOCIALLY "INAPPROPRIATE" TECHNOLOGY IN A VILLAGE CAN HAVE TWO RESULTS: EITHER THE TECHNOLOGY IS REJECTED OR THE VILLAGE MAY "DIE" AS A SOCIAL ORGANISM. THE MATERIAL INCLUDED IN THIS BIBLIOGRAPHY GIVES A UNIFIED IMPRESSION OF HOW TO APPROACH THE PROBLEM OF MATCHING TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY. IT IS DRAWN FROM FOUR SOURCES: DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES, THE APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES, VILLAGE-BASED PROGRAMS, AND SOURCES OF TECHNICAL INFORMATION. THE 180 REFERENCES INCLUDE ABSTRACTS.