UKAIS is delighted to invite member of the UK Information Systems academic community to a webinar delivered by Dr. Hemamali Tennakoon, Brunel Business School, on the 8th of July at 1pm. Dr. Hemamalin’s presentation is entitled “Rethinking Necessity: Evaluating the Role of Technology in Indigenous Communities”. Please find below an Abstract and the speaker’s bio.
Abstract:
Indigenous communities worldwide are often seen as marginalised, especially those in remote areas with limited access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues emphasizes that ICT should support cultural diversity and help preserve indigenous languages, identities, and traditional knowledge. While digital inclusion is widely viewed as a tool for social and economic development, concerns remain about the potentially harmful, addictive nature of digital technologies.
Although studies have explored indigenous interactions with technology in countries like Australia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Malaysia, there is a lack of research on Sri Lanka’s indigenous people—the Veddhas—who make up less than 1% of the national population. Existing studies focus mainly on socio-anthropological aspects, with little interdisciplinary research on ICT’s impact. This study addresses that gap by collecting qualitative data through semi-structured interviews with Veddha individuals in Dambana village, Sri Lanka, in December 2024. The research explored technology use and its influence on livelihood, education, literacy, cultural identity, and attitudes toward ICT. Data saturation was reached after 16 interviews, likely due to the sample’s homogeneity and focused research questions.
Preliminary findings reveal that technology is not viewed as essential by the Veddha community. While younger individuals show slightly more openness, the overall sentiment is that technology may disrupt traditional ways of life and cultural identity. The community places a high value on the human-nature connection and does not see ICT as a necessary path to socio-economic development.
Bio:
Dr. Hemamali Tennakoon is a Senior Lecturer in Strategy and Management at Brunel Business School, Brunel University London. She brings a wealth of academic and industry experience to her role, having previously served as a Senior Lecturer in Management at the University of Aberdeen. Prior to that, she was the Head of Business School and Senior Lecturer at the Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology, a collaborative institution with Staffordshire University (UK) and Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (Malaysia). Dr. Tennakoon began her career as a Research and Policy Development Specialist at Sri Lanka CERT|CC, a government-affiliated organization under the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka. There, she contributed to national-level information security policy development, training, and research. She holds a B.A. (Hons.) in Business Administration from Staffordshire University, and Master’s degrees from the University of Colombo and Kingston University London. She earned her PhD from Kingston University, focusing on online information security, privacy, and social commerce. She is a Fellow of the British Computer Society. Her research explores the human side of technology use, particularly how privacy and security concerns shape online behavior. She has published in leading journals such as Computers in Human Behavior, Information Technology & People, and the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies. Dr. Tennakoon has presented her work at prestigious forums including the Finland Futures Research Centre, Finland Futures Academy and the British Academy of Management conferences.