Innovation and technological advancements are continuous, evolving products of knowledge consolidation, human ingenuity, and adaptive capacity. New forms of communication, banking, farming, and transportation technology have transformed the physical and social landscape of a rapidly globalizing world. Innovation often emerges in the face of a challenge, when the status quo fails to adequately meet the needs of a population. Governments and international actors often emphasize the role of the state as the regulator and facilitator of innovation and technological advancement, particularly in the developing world. However, other forms of social and political ordering can often exert their own authority over and through technology, but they are often overlooked. Particularly where the state may have limited reach other public authorities, and legal frameworks (such as customary law and religious laws) may provide important frameworks for innovation to thrive.
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