Collecting data in Chennai City and the limits of openness

Authors

  • Nithya V Raman

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15353/joci.v8i2.3044

Abstract

This paper describes the experiences of researchers at the Transparent Chennai project as they tried to collect data about two city services: public toilets and buses. Researchers found it difficult or impossible to get access to the data they were seeking, in part because the government itself did not seem to have the data they were asking for. The paper describes the implications of their experiences for the broader debates on open - data.

Author Biography

Nithya V Raman

Nithya V. Raman is an urban planner and researcher based in Chennai, whose work has focused on questions of government accountability and citizen participation, informal settlements and land rights, urban policies, and urban poverty. Most recently, she founded and continues to head the Transparent Chennai project, housed at the Centre for Development Finance, IFMR. Her work has been published in EPW, Seminar, Caravan, in newspapers, and as book chapters. She has a BA in political science from Harvard University and a Masters in urban planning from MIT.

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Published

2012-04-04

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 2 (2012): Special Issue: Community Informatics and Open Government Data

Section

Notes from the field