About
What We Do
The world needs interdisciplinary research solutions to tackle the global epidemic of unequal access to digital information and to identify pathways to greater digital access. The Knowledge Exchange Research Group (KERG) conducts research and presents solutions to the growing crisis of inequitable access to information and knowledge production in Black communities living in an information-driven world economy. KERG emphasizes that resolving issues related to restricted knowledge exchange requires collaboration among international researchers, activists, and the wider public.
Therefore, we:
- Research virtual and brick-and-mortar infrastructures that Black communities
have difficulty accessing. - Develop solutions to facilitate equitable knowledge exchange among world
citizens of African descent. - Conduct research and development on building platforms for new media
technologies for Black communities to build their information base.
KERG Vision
We envision African-descended communities around the world with unencumbered access to digitized information about their communities and the world they live in. To facilitate this goal, we are committed to the following initiatives:
- Understand how groups marginalized based on race, class, gender, and nationality face daily challenges in gaining access to digital/new media platforms.
- Support Black communities’ development of more reliable and consistent access to information.
- To build digital platforms for these communities to exchange information within global networks.
- To effectively steer these projects, maintain ongoing dialogues with global communities and the public.
Mission Statement
KERG believes that knowledge exchange—whether through traditional mediums such as brick and mortar libraries, print magazines, books ,digital libraries, online magazines, and websites—should be globally accessible to all communities. Substantial access to digital information should not be based on wealth, nationality, race, or gender.
With the majority of financial, educational, and social transactions travelling through computer networks, global Black communities with challenged access to digitized information increasingly have limited input in these exchanges. Access to information is not just a right, but is necessary for the growth of any communities navigating in today’s world.
Without question, access to all forms of knowledge and information is essential for world citizens’ full involvement in society. KERG KERG research and projects builds on research dating back to the nineties to the present that reports the problem of a disproportionate number of Black communities without equitable connection to virtual world communications. This subpar access creates an environment where many populations are disconnected from information that could address social injustices. From a citizen in a small US town trying to gain knowledge of environmental violations in their community, to a scholar at an African university attempting to access international online academic databases, limited information negatively impacts global citizens right to fair access to services and research.