LINKS is the first Argentine Civil Association specialized in the research and development of Information Society. LINKS members are experienced researchers and practitioners (Access their resumes in spanish), who have been working for years on the social aspects of Information Society and on the social uses of ICTs. Their books, papers, and publications, both in Spanish and in English, can be seen at tne Infoteca Section.

LINKS members have developed research and consultancy work for UNESCO, IDRC, ICA, Pan Americas Partners, FAO, among other organizations.

They have recently developed a research on ICTs and Poverty Alleviation in Latin America and the Caribbean, for IDRC, Canada, 2003. As LINKS President, Dr. Finquelievich has participated, in January 2004, of the workshop on ICT and sustainable development, in Bangalore, India, where she got acquainted with Indian and Asiatic researchers on ICT and society. (See Infoteca).

The activities on research, consultancy and assessment carried on by LINKS are based on the following foundations:

• The education, training, and experience of LINKS members. As academics, public officials, and liberal professionals; they participate in theoretical, operational and empiric research activities, as well as in educational, managerial, and dissemination actions.
• LINKS participation in international networks with Universities, research centers, community networks, international organizations, and enterprises, in Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, Australia, US, and Canada (Social Sciences Research Council, Digital Cities, Institute for Connectivity in the Americas, Community informatics Researchers, among others)

The areas in which LINKS invests its research and development capacities are:

Information Society

• Theoretical analysis on Information Society.
• Research on the social impacts of ICTs, and on social appropriation of ICTs.
• Assessment and proposals on policies and strategies for Information Society
• Analysis and assessment of public policies on social, economic, and political use of ICTs.
• Definition of indicators to measure the evolution of Information Society in diverse areas.
• Analysis of ICTs dissemination on the social, economic and political structures.

Information Society Economy

• Development of specific methodologies and indicators
• Research on ICTs and local sustainable development local
• Research on technopoles and Science and Technology Parks.
• Research on networked enterprises

Education and training

• Research about ICTs uses and dissemination in the primary, intermediate, and high educational systems.
• Research and proposals for educational policies for the Information Society
• Management of educational institutions.
• E-learning.
• Articulations between Universities and communities
• LINKS members teach at the following institutions: University of Buenos Aires, National Technological University (Buenos Aires), Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), Universidad San Andres (Buenos Aires), Technological Institute of Buenos Aires (ITBA), University of Quilmes (Argentina), Master of Communication EnREDando (Barcelona, Spain), Universidad de la República (Montevideo, Uruguay), Universidad Autónoma de Mexico (Mexico), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) among others.

Science and Technology Policies

• Articulations between S&T and education

Community Networks

• Research on community networks in the Information Society.
• Research on the social impacts of ICT-supported community networks
• Policies and strategies proposals for ICT-supported community networks
• Management of global ICT-supported community networks

Governance in Information Society

• Theoretical research on e-government.
• Research on the social impacts of e-government initiatives.
• Assessment and proposals for e-government policies.

LINKS establishes articulations between its research, management, consultancy, training, and educational activities in order to reach a positive synergy among them. These activities are complemented with the organization of virtual and face-to-face workshops, virtual networks open to the community, seminars, and conferences.