Daniel McFarlane is a social scientist specializing in ethnographic research, particularly in the intersection of digital technology, business practices, and government policies. His research is motivated by concerns about inequality and societal injustices, aiming to understand how these factors contribute to and perpetuate inequalities while undermining community relations. With a constructionist perspective, he explores ways to reshape technology, business, and policy to mitigate inequalities and foster sustainable communities. His PhD focused on the socioeconomic impact of mobile phone services in Cambodia. With extensive experience in Asia and various fields such as education, international relations, and development, he has worked on research projects for organizations like the International Telecommunications Union, UNICEF, and UNESCAP. Currently, he is studying sustainable approaches to telecentres, community networks, and smart villages and islands for the ITU and the Internet Society.

Digital technology, development and social change; political and social drivers of digital divides; the platformization of economic and social relations; the social construction of the digital world; class relations, inequality and privilege in education, technology development, marketing, and innovation; the social construction of markets and the performativity of marketing and economics; political and apolitical dimensions of sustainability and social innovation discourses; public and private sector engagement and categorization of marginalized groups.