Computer-Enabled Project Spaces

Abstract

Come_IN computer clubs are an established approach to support inter-cultural and inter-generational learning in German neighborhoods. We explore the adaptation of the come_IN concept to the Palestinian context as a means to bridge the social and economic divide that has plagued West Bank society for a period of more than six decades. Social exclusion, political conflicts and prolonged military occupation have kept the refugee camps in a perpetual state of marginalization. In this paper we report on our work in Al Amari-a Palestinian refugee camp adjacent to the city of Ramallah. We examine how the computer club enables the emergence of social ties among residents of the camp and university students acting as tutors. Even though the ties are small-scale and informal, they have the potential to generate new and wider opportunities for exchange that may eventually support more social integration between the camp's marginalized population and the wider Palestinian population.

Participatory Design and Participatory Research

“…Moreover, research in HCI has also investigated the role of technology-enabled spaces in supporting refugees. An example of this are the projects of Yerousis et al [96] and Aal et al [1]. The authors studied the German computer clubs (Come-IN) and their implementation and impact in a Palestinian refugee camp.…”

Implications of Synchronous IVR Radio on Syrian Refugee Health and Community Dynamics

“…Participatory community mapping of refugee camps has been theorized to contribute to strengthening the community [29]. Likewise, computer clubs in Palestinian refugee camps engaged youth in capacity building activities and digital role playing [28,30].…”

“…Work conducted in spaces for refugee creativity [28,30] and the use of co-design methods with refugees [9] have highlighted the potential for refugees to have a more proactive role in the use of technology. However, recent technological deployments have focused on one-way dissemination of information to refugees [2,4].…”

Syrian Refugees and Digital Health in Lebanon

“…For example, in Jerusalem, Sawhney [31] describes an initiative for Palestinian youth to creatively express themselves through digital story telling. Similarly, Yerousis et al [39] established a computer club in refugee camps with the aim of strengthening social ties among Palestinian refugee youth in which university students would conduct capacity building exercises for the youth through informal computer learning. Digital role-playing has also been used in host countries to enhance the inter-cultural empathy of refugees entering schools [3].…”

“…Such an approach would deviate from previous designs that focus on management and control by social and healthcare workers [2,18,21,24,29,33]. Likewise, in a manner similar to the use of digital storytelling to advocate for Palestinian youth [39], there is real potential for digital platforms to have a dual role in sharing the experiences of women among themselves and documenting the experiences for the purposes of health advocacy. Any such documentation would be a valuable asset in communications with NGOs and government bodies.…”