Indonesian Intellectuals Offer Decolonial Framework for AI and Social Work in Global South

Indonesian intellectuals are stepping into the global conversation about artificial intelligence, digital identity, and algorithmic governance, particularly concerning their impact on social welfare systems.

A new book, "Digital Social Work Across Africa and Asia: A Decolonial Framework for the Future of the Global South," published by UI Publishing, marks a significant contribution from Indonesia. Authored by Siddhartha Paul Tiwari, Prof Adi Fahrudin, and Dr. Fentiny Nugroho, the work aims to establish a decolonial framework for understanding digital social work, centering the experiences of Africa and Asia.

This publication is notable for being the first to specifically theorize Digital Social Work using Africa and Asia as an intellectual landscape, rather than merely as subjects of theories developed in Europe and North America. The book draws on cross-national policy analysis, decolonial studies, and field research involving 234 frontline social workers across various African and Asian countries.

Historically, literature on digital transformation in social work has largely been based on the experiences of developed nations with mature digital infrastructure and established welfare systems. However, the book highlights the vastly different realities in Asia and Africa, where digital technology adoption occurs amidst challenges of poverty, infrastructure gaps, shared device ownership, linguistic diversity, and the lingering effects of colonial history on social service systems.