Technological Determinism: How Technology Causes Social Change in Africa

Technological determinism is the principle that simplifies the relation between the cultural and social aspects of a society with the technology present in that specific society. This theory identifies technological advances as the central catalytic element in the step towards social evolution, which means that the introduction of new technology or the advancement in previously present technology causes society to adapt and change according to its uses and characteristics.

Technological determinism is described in The Social Construction of Technological Systems as the sociology of technology, which must study not only sociological aspects but historical aspects of technology and their affect on society.

The principles involving technological determinism can be perceived in two different ways, hard or soft. Regent University states that hard determinists consider technological advancement as an independent faction of society. Technology creates powerful regulation within society and society stripped of free will is forced to conform to the needs of technology. Soft determinists, however look at the determinist principles more loosely viewing the interaction between technology and social circumstances by acknowledging the guiding force of technology while also regarding society's responsibility in the final outcome of a situation.

The introduction of mass communication technology, such as internet, in Africa has been studied in order to see how technological determinism will affect the development of African nations, whether it will aid in nations becoming more globalized and improve national infrastructures, allow the expansion of rebellious forces in war torn nations, or have no affect on the cultural dimensions of a remote sub-Saharan region. Folu F. Ogundimu of the Globalization Research Center -Africa believes that introducing regions of the sub-Sahara to contemporary communication technology would create a huge development in the region, not only technologically, but also socially, allowing individuals to freely access and participate in public and political systems.

Ethics and the Internet in West Africa states that technological determinism is the primary factor in improving the state of Africa. Improving accessibility to the internet and other mass communications throughout Africa creates a portal to better understand social, political, and foreign affairs, creating a more knowledgeable society. But determinism doesn't move in a way that is ethically responsible.

The introduction of technology can be used to exploit those that don't fully understand it. Ethics and the Internet in West Africa states that governments should not trust development and social evolution to the theories of technological determinism because the consequence may be change for the worse, instead of improvement.

That is why Joseph Goguen of the University of California argues that technological determinism cannot exist without the strict regulation of social network. According to technological determinism society has a minimal role in the ultimate outcome. Technology affects society negatively or positively by chance and according to theorists William Ogburn society must adjust to the consequence, thus social change occurs.

Technological determinism is often confused as inevitable technological progress. Inevitability thesis regarding to technology means that technological progress is inevitable and that progress leads to inevitable social progress. Goguen says that this is a false assumption. Progress is generally defined as positive movement that improves humanity, but the availability of more technologically advanced weapons in Africa have actually done the exact opposite. The development of lighter weapons, a technological progress, makes it possible for younger children to join in warfare, which causes the death rate of children to increase, thus causing society to digress.

It is obvious that technology and social evolution are correlated, but observing the role that the introduction of technology has played in Africa seemingly undermines the theory of technological determinism. Technological determinism creates a model that can be used to understand how technological advances cause social change, but when with additions of complex realisms of society, especially the developing societies in Africa, determinism does not fully explain the relationship between society and technology because of its lack in flexibility.