Governing Data, Governing Power: A Framework for Participatory Data Governance in the Global South
TL;DR
The participatory data governance (PDG) framework is introduced, which operationalises data governance into four key elements and provides an analytical tool to examine how and to what extent community members influence decision-making on the data systems that shape their lives.
Abstract
Digital data play an increasing role in development projects in the Global South, yet ensuring that the data needs of local communities (particularly marginalised groups) are met remains a critical challenge. Building on Richard Heeks’ structural data justice model, this paper conceptualises data governance as the locus where power relations materialise into data (in)justices. It introduces the participatory data governance (PDG) framework, which operationalises data governance into four key elements and provides an analytical tool to examine how and to what extent community members influence decision-making on the data systems that shape their lives. Applying the PDG framework to case studies in the Global South shows that participation varies across key data governance elements within single projects and enables a more fine-grained and critical analysis of how institutional contexts structure opportunities for meaningful participation and progress towards data justice.