Towards Desirable Futures

Community Informatics’ Role in Averting the Planetary Ecocide

Abstract

The 20th anniversary of The Journal of Community Informatics signifies a milestone in the evolution of community informatics (CI) as a field dedicated to empowering communities through the strategic use of information and communication technology (ICT). This article offers some personal reflections on the origins and evolution of CI, tracing its roots to seminal works by scholars such as Michael Gurstein. It also tells the story of how urban informatics was inspired by CI as a distinct field of scholarship to study the interplay between people, place, and technology in urban environments. Building on this foundation, the present challenges and opportunities facing CI are explored, including issues of digital inclusion, ethical implications of emerging technologies, and the transformative potential of ICTs for social change. Looking ahead, the article envisions desirable futures for CI grounded in a life-centred approach that acknowledges the interconnectedness of humans and non-humans within larger ecological systems. Embracing a more-than-human paradigm, CI is uniquely positioned to advocate for ecological justice, amplify the voices of marginalised human and non-human communities, and foster collaboration between humans and the environment to create and protect resilient and sustainable habitat for life on this planet. Through these efforts, CI can contribute to a more just, equitable, and sustainable future for all living beings, averting the planetary ecocide that threatens our shared existence.