Social Media and Politics in Africa: Democracy, Censorship and Security

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Front Cover Praise Half Title About the Editor Title Page Copyright Contents List of illustrations List of contributors Acknowledgements 1: Mapping the study of politics and social media use in Africa Social media in Africa: disparities in use Researching social media in Africa Democracy and social media Security, surveillance and social media Note References 2: ‘“Igu sawir” gone too far?’ Social media and state reconstruction in Somalia Introduction Social media scholarship and Somalia Conflict and communications technology in Somalia The securitisation of media The state, social media and ‘Somalia rising’ (again) Conclusion Notes References 3: ‘We are not just voters, we are citizens’: social media, the #ThisFlag campaign and insurgent citizenship in Zimbabwe Introduction Social media and politics: theoretical reflections Methodology The emergence of the #ThisFlag campaign ‘Logging citizens back on to politics’:11 #ThisFlag protest actions #ThisFlag campaign and the emergent digital spaces of contention Between possibility and constraint: digital media and Zimbabwean politics Conclusion Notes References 4: Social media and protest movements in South Africa: #FeesMustFall and #ZumaMustFall Introduction The South African context Methodology Fees Must Fall: #FMF and networked collective action #ZumaMustFall protest campaign Conclusion Notes References 5: Enemy collaborators: social imaginaries, global frictions and a gay rights music video in Kenya Introduction Social imaginaries and global frictions Cultural producers and their social imaginaries Enemy collaborators Conclusion Note References 6: Between excitement and scepticism: the role of WhatsApp in Sierra Leone’s 2018 elections Introduction Researching social media in Sierra Leone Elections and social media use Political parties and campaigning on social media Party supporters on social media Activism and education Fake news and wariness of social media Donor interest and engagement Conclusion Notes References 7: Chaos and comedy: social media, activism and democracy in Senegal Introduction Chapter layout Social media and the election: introducing Africtivistes and Papa Ismaila Dieng Campaign publicity: posters, billboards, and mockery #TuVotesAvecQuoi: talking back to the state The elections: chaos, comedy, social media activists taking charge Conclusion References 8: Social media and elections in Nigeria: digital influence on election observation, campaigns and administration Introduction A brief review of elections in Nigeria The social media landscape in Nigeria Political effects of social media Use of social media in Nigerian elections Conclusion Notes References 9: From FM radio stations to Internet 2.0 overnight: information, participation and social media in post-failed coup Burundi Introduction The forced and rapid re-configuration of media in Burundi Towards a less inclusive and less democratic (social) media? Filtering information? Conclusion Notes References 10: Cybercrime and the policing of politics in Tanzania Introduction Policing politics in Tanzania Policing politics online Challenges of policing social media Conclusion Notes References Legislation cited 11: A familiar refrain: political discourse and Facebook use in Mombasa, Kenya Introduction Reframing debate away from questions of access and participation Dominant refrains in political discourse in Mombasa Facebook as a space for public debate Information flows in mainstream media The image of the attentive politician on Facebook Citizen journalism on Facebook Open public discussion and the Facebook group Conclusion Notes References 12: Inside the #OperationUsalamaWatch echo chamber: Twitter as site of disruption or elite conversation? Introduction Control and co-option: the intertwined interests of government and media houses in Kenya Social media: democratic platform or elite echo chamber? Kenya’s ‘war on terror’ and Operation Usalama Watch Contesting narratives of Kenya’s ‘war on terror’ in print media The role of elites in framing news coverage and shaping print media debate Similar stories, similar voices: Twitter responds to Operation Usalama Watch Conclusion Note References 13: From whispers to the assemblage: surveillance in post-independence East Africa Introduction (Dis)Continuities of surveillance in East Africa: an overview Tracking surveillance in East Africa Surveillance: the East African experiences Conclusion Notes References Postscript: research trajectories in African digital spheres The future of social media research in Africa The importance of this book References Index