Social Media + Society, 10 (1), 20563051241237271, March 2024

Digital transformation and the use of interconnected digital technologies have opened up new opportunities across the world and hold promises for enhanced productivity and development for all. However, research from around the globe has proven that urban poor women are less likely to be digitally active, limiting the realization of its benefits. This study provides an insight into the mobile phone technology experiences of urban poor women at the resettlement site Perumbakkam in Chennai, India. A purposively selected group of women from the resettlement site participated in a workshop that focused on the usage of mobile technology. Post-workshop, the shared experiences of these marginalized women have provided insight into the interactions between gender and communication technology at resettlement sites. The researchers discovered that there was a growing awareness and recognition among the women about how technology could benefit their lives. They expressed eagerness to learn more about utilizing the new technology, particularly for economic improvement. However, structural barriers, particularly patriarchal gender norms, have thus far hindered women from fully harnessing the potential of mobile technology.

Local Environment, 29 (7), 919-931, February 2024

Bridges are important physical structures in a cityscape. With spaces in urban areas, becoming increasingly precious and important, even the bridges and their columns have gained a significant role in voicing city stories. Art on bridges are cultural expressions of urban narratives. The presence of artwork on the bridges also reduces the chances of these sheltered places from becoming hubs for antisocial activities. The study analyses the role of art on three important bridges in Chennai expounding on the communicative city theory. Coming up after infrastructural developments in the city, the artwork on these bridges serves as representatives of urban narratives. They include stories of social equity, environmental awareness and city activities, thereby promoting a positive city identity. The study also denotes the importance of increased community engagement to advance individual and community based participation in creating sustainable cities and diverse city communities.

Environment, Development and Sustainability, 26, 29539–29556, February 2024

In the past two decades, slum evictions in Indian urban cities have been justified by the need for development, leading to the resettlement of slum residents in outlying areas far from their original homes. While some existing articles have focused solely on the challenges faced in resettlement sites, many have proposed solutions that rely on governing bodies. However, resettled individuals, especially women, continue to face vulnerability in their livelihoods. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the situation for resettled women. Information and communication technologies have been identified as potential tools to address the challenges faced by the urban poor. This study aims to identify feasible and accessible solutions to enhance livelihoods by examining the patterns and purposes of smartphone usage among urban poor resettled women and explore the potential of leveraging smartphones for sustainable livelihoods, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the study investigates their acceptance level of smartphone technology using the technology acceptance model (TAM). The study focuses on urban poor resettled women residing in Perumbakkam, one of the largest resettlement sites in India, situated in Chennai. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods was used, with a digital questionnaire distributed via WhatsApp for quantitative data collection, and qualitative interviews conducted over phone calls to comply with COVID-19 safety measures. The findings highlight the growing empowerment of women from resettled communities. Smartphone usage among urban poor resettled women is influenced by individual circumstances and preferences, with younger women utilizing smartphones more pervasively than older counterparts. The pandemic has increased their reliance on smartphones and prompted them to access health and educational apps they previously did not use. The study emphasizes the significant implications of improving smartphone access for women in urban resettled communities, as it can contribute to sustainable livelihood development.

Book Title: Feminist Futures of Work: Reimagining Labour in the Digital Economy, 9, 127-142, 2023 

Poor communities facing marginalization can benefit the most from the opportunities digital communication technologies provide. However, the digital divide clouds the realization of these opportunities, especially for women. This chapter sheds light on the issue of resettlement in Chennai city in the context of housing rights of urban poor women with a focus on the role of Mobile Technology for Development (MT4D) in mitigating the negative impact of the entire process of resettlement. Our MT4D experiments in the field with affected women also present the dynamics of the interactions between gender, technology, and poverty in the urban resettlement context. The researchers opine that adoption of a techno-optimism approach using MT4D will not only effectively solve many issues which arise due to lack of information in resettlement sites, but can also serve as a tool to help women in resettlement sites to migrate into digital economies.