This is a planning grant to assist in the preparation of multidisciplinary research on information technology, culture and social institutions. The aim of the project is to determine the social context and impacts of communications and spatial information technologies on the formation, strategies and effectiveness of a global coalition of non-governmental and grass-roots organizations resisting the expansion of the shrimp farming industry in tropical coastal zones of the developing world. A parallel examination will be done of the industry's efforts to counter the activities of the global resistance network. The planning conference will bring together social and natural scientists involved in research on information technologies, society, acquaculture, and representatives of activist NGOs. The lead researcher will conduct pilot research in Latin America on shrimp acquaculture to complement research in Asia. The workshop, to be held at the University of California, Santa Barbara, will allow project collaborators and investigators to design a program of research on how new information technologies affect the formation and maintenance of resistance as well as industry networks in this one case-study industry. The resulting research should be valuable in advancing our understanding of how global coalitions of interest groups use new technology to influence policy and social practice.
