Abstract
In an increasingly networked and globalized—or globalizing—society, the recent emergence of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) in a fast-pluralized media ecology presents challenges for most of Africa’s hitherto state-dominated “big man” politics. We argue in this chapter that in situations of political-ethnic conflicts, new digital tools produce opportunities for propaganda, but at the same time they also offer new possibilities for counterpropaganda. Alternative information from blogs, e-mail lists, Web sites, especially through NGOs with Web sites and e-mail networks, have—in addition to cell phone text messaging—complicated recent political contests linked to socioeconomic tensions. This chapter not only analyzes the links between violence and electoral politics but also examines the contribution of new ICTs in exacerbating or ameliorating inter-“ethnic” and interparty violence—especially around national polls in selected African countries.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Abdi, J. and J. Deane. 2008. The Kenyan 2007 Elections and their Aftermath: The Role of Media and Communication. London: BBC World Service
Trust. Policy Briefing No. 1. http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/trust/pdf/kenya_policy_briefing_08.pdf (accessed June 25, 2008).
Berenger, R. 2006. “Media in the Middle East and North Africa.” In Global Communication: Theories, Stakeholders and Trends, ed. T. L. McPhail, 192–225. 2nd edn. Boston: Blackwell.
Brinkerhoff, J. M. 2006. “Digital Diasporas and Conflict Prevention: The Case of Somalinet.com.” Review of International Studies 32: 25–47.
Castells, M. 2002. The Internet Galaxy: Reflections on the Internet, Business and Society. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.
Clayes, L. 2006. Internet in Everyday Life: Boundary Conditions for Equal Opportunities in the Network Society. Paper Presented to the Digital Divide Group at the IAMCR 25th Conference, July 26–30, 2006, Cairo, Egypt.
Conway, M. 2008. “Terrorism and the Making of the ‘New Middle East’: New Media Strategies of Hizbollah and al Qaeda.” In New Media and the New Middle East, ed. Philip Seib, 235–258. New York and Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Ekecrantz, J. 2007. “Media and Communication Studies Going Global.” In Media Structures and Practices As Time Goes By, ed. U. Carlsson and K. Helland, 169–181. Gothenburg: Nordicom.
Eriksen, T. 2000. Globalization, Winners and Losers. Unpublished paper. Oslo: SEFIA-Høgskolen i Oslo.
Fengler, S. 2008. “Media, Journalism and the Power of Blogging Citizens.” In Media Accountability Today and Tomorrow, ed. T. von Krogh, 61–68. Gotenburgh: Nordicom.
Figenschou, T. U. 2006. “Courting, Criticism, Censorship and Bombing: The Bush Administration’s Troubled Relations with Al-Jazeera Channel from September 11 to the War in Iraq.” Nordicom Review (1): 81–96.
Galtung, J. 2002. “Peace Journalism—A Challenge.” In Journalism and the New World Order, Vol.2: Studying the War and the Media, ed. W. Kempf and H. Loustarinen, 259–272. Gothenburg: Nordicom.
Georgiou, M. and R. Silverstone. 2007. “Diasporas and Contra-flows Beyond Nation-centrism.” In Media on the Move: Global Flow and Contra-flow, ed. D. K. Thussu. Milton Park: Routledge.
Gray, V. and E. Magpantay. 2004. “Overview of Global Trends.” In From the Digital Divide to Digital Opportunities, ed. G. Sciades. UNESCO.
Guazzini, F. 2001. “Riflessioni Sulle Identità di Guerra nel Cyberspazio: II Caso Eritreo-etiopico.” Africa LVI (4): 532–572.
Guazzini, F. 2004. The Construction of Political Nationalism on the Web: Borders, Social Spaces and Identities in the Ethio-Eritrean Case Study. Paper Presented at the International Conference on States, Borders, and Nations: Negotiating Citizenship in Africa, May 19–20, Centre of African Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
Hackett, R. A. and W. R. Carroll. 2006. Remaking Media: The Struggle to Democratize Public Communication. New York and London: Routledge.
Hamelink, C. J. 2008. “Urban Conflict and Communication.” International Communication Gazette 70(3-4): 291–301.
Kimemia, N. 2008. Where Life is Nasty, Brutish and Short. Sunday Nation, May 20. www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=39&newsid=124032 (accessed May 25, 2008).
Loyn, D. 2007. “Good Journalism or Peace Journalism.” Conflict & Communication Online 6(2).
Lynch, J. 2007. “Peace journalism and Its Discontents.” Conflict & Communication Online 6(2).
Lynch, J. and A. McGoldrick. 2005. Peace journalism. Stroud: Hawthorn Press.
Miller, T. 2007. Cultural Citizenship: Cosmopolitanism, Consumerism, and Television in a Neoliberal Age. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Nohrstedt, S. A. and R. Ottosen. 2001. Journalism and the New World Order: Gulf War, National News Discourse and Globalization. Gothenburg: Nordicom.
Nohrstedt, S. A. and R. Ottosen. 2007. War Journalism in Threat-Society: Peace Journalism as a Strategy to Challenge the Mediated Culture of Fear? Paper presented at the 20th Annual Conference ofthe German Peace Psychology Association, “Conflict, Communication and Intergroup Relations,” June 15–17, 2007. University of Konstanz, Germany.
Omaar, R. and A. de Waal. 1993. “Somalia: Adding ‘Humanitarian Intervention’ to the U.S. Arsenal.” Covert Action (44).
Opondo, O. and O. Orlale. 2008. “Bill to Reign In Errant Phone Users.” Daily Nation, July 3, Politics section. Nairobi: Nation Media Group.
Orgeret, K. A. 2006. Moments of Nationhood: The SABC News in English—The First Decade of Democracy. Series of Dissertations Submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of Oslo Nr. 267.
Østerud, Ø. 2007. “Mild Imperialisme? Kan Vestlige Land Sivilisere Verden I Sitt Bilde? (Mild Imperialism? Can Western Countries Civilize the World in Its Picture),” Klassekampen, July 21.
Ottosen, R. 1995. “Enemy Images and the Journalistic Process.” Journal of Peace Research 32(1): 97–112.
Ottosen, R. 2007. “Emphasis Images in Peace Journalism: Theory and Practice in the Case of Norway’s Biggest Newspaper.” Conflict & Communication Online 6(1).
Robertson, R. 1992. Globalization: Social Theory and Global Culture. London: Sage.
Ronning, H. 2005. “African Journalism and the Struggle for Democratic Media.” In Making Journalists, ed. Hugo de Burgh, 157–181. London and New York: Routledge.
Sciades, G., ed. 2005. From the Digital Divide to Digital Opportunities: Measuring Infostates for Development. Paris: ITU/Orbicom-UNESCO. http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/publications/dd/summary.html.
Seib, P. 2004. Beyond the Front Lines: How the News Media Cover a World Shaped by War. New York and Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Taylor, P. 2007. An Introduction to PSYOPS. Leeds: Institute of Communication Studies, University of Leeds.
Teer-Tomaselli, R., H. Wasserman, and A. S. de Beer. 2007. “South Africa as Regional Media Power.” In Media on the Move. Global Flow and ContraFlow, ed. D. K. Thussu, 153–164. Milton Park: Routledge.
Thuku, W. 2008. Hate SMS suspect charged. The Standard, May 22, 2008. http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?mnu=details&id=1143987054&catid=4
Thussu, D. K. 2006. International Communication: Continuity and Change, 2nd edn. London: Arnold.
Thussu, D. K. 2007. Media on the Move. Global Flow and Contra-flow. Milton Park: Routledge.
Washington, M. A. 2003. “Covering Global War on Terrorism through African and American Lenses.” The Perspective, April 24.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2009 Okoth Fred Mudhai, Wisdom J. Tettey, and Fackson Banda
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ottosen, R., Mudhai, O.F. (2009). Conflict Coverage in a Digital Age: Challenges for African Media. In: Mudhai, O.F., Tettey, W.J., Banda, F. (eds) African Media and the Digital Public Sphere. Palgrave Macmillan Series in International Political Communication. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230621756_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230621756_14
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-37859-3
Online ISBN: 978-0-230-62175-6
eBook Packages: Palgrave Political & Intern. Studies CollectionPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)