Calling for Help: Measuring the Social ...

Joshua Blumenstock is a Ph.D. candidate at U.C. Berkeley’s School of Information. His research focuses on the economic and social impacts of information and communication technologies in developing countries. In recent work, Blumenstock has shown how terabyte-scale data collected by mobile operators can be used to provide insight into the structure of informal insurance networks (Rwanda/Uganda); the socioeconomic impacts of mobile banking (Pakistan/Mongolia/Tanzania); and the effectiveness of anti-corruption campaigns (Afghanistan). He has received fellowships from the National Science Foundation, the Thomas J. Watson Foundation, and the Harvard Institutes of Medicine. Blumenstock holds a Master's degree in Economics from U.C. Berkeley, and Bachelor’s degrees in Physics and Computer Science from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT.

ABSTRACT
As mobile phones grow increasingly ubiquitous in developing countries, “Mobile Money” and other phone-based services are providing billions of individuals with novel opportunities for economic and social interaction. In this talk, I present a brief overview of my recent research that explores the social and economic effects of mobile phones in developing countries. I will focus on a recent paper that examines the role of Mobile Money in informal social institutions for credit and insurance. This study exploits a terabyte-scale database of phone calls, text messages, and mobile money transfers to analyze patterns of social interaction and, ultimately, provide insight into the role of mobile phones in Rwandan society. Taken together, the results indicate that phones have had a positive impact on the lives of some people but, absent intervention, the benefits may not reach those with the greatest need.

Questions??? Please contact Sarah McCormick sarahmae@uw.edu or 206-543-3396.

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