William Vogt Discusses His Article Featured on eM&P

William Vogt discusses his latest article on eM&P, Internet Penetration, Government Transparency, and Private Sector Development: Global Trends and an Analysis of Argentina as a Case Study. 

PAPER ABSTRACT
Growing global Internet access is commonly thought to be a liberalizing, transparency-building, and economically empowering influence for a modern society. This paper presents a qualitative and statistical study which suggests that greater Internet penetration generally eliminates economic barriers to growth and market entry by effectively combatting the most serious ills of corruption. However, the study also shows how one particular form of politics (populism) provides a notable exception to this trend. Through a case study analysis of a large, influential country with a populist tradition (Argentina), the paper shows that Internet growth can create a situation where corruption and democracy collude and ossify, increasing access to more citizens while simultaneously promoting a more opaque business environment.

William Vogt is currently a Master’s Candidate at Georgetown University’s Communication, Culture, and Technology (CCT) program, where he studies how Information Communication Technology (ICT) influences political and development issues in emerging markets, especially China.  He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Asian and Latin American Studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and has studied abroad in China (Beijing, Nanjing) and Ecuador.  He speaks several languages – including Chinese (Mandarin, Simplified), Spanish, and Portuguese. 

Interview Conducted, Filmed, and Edited by Angela Hart