Social Media and Disability Politics in Zimbabwe: Should we Celebrate “Liberation” or Resist a New Form of Social Oppression?

Abstract

There is growing interest in the politics of identity that has seen the proliferation of literature on various groups and their place in the human rights discourse. Persons with disabilities have found a voice not only through the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD, 2006), but even earlier in the rise of the disability rights movement of the 1960s. The rise of social media in this age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution adds a new dimension to the politics of identity for persons with disabilities, especially in low-income, developing countries. In light of this new dimension, this chapter analyzes the mediating role of social media in disability politics using Zimbabwe as a case study. Thus, the chapter examines the development of disability identity consciousness and how it has been shaped by the spread of social media. The key question that we seek to address is the extent to which information communications technologies (ICTs), particularly in the utilization of social media, have been a positive or negative force in nurturing disability identity in Zimbabwe. To this end we analyze the concepts identity and disability consciousness using relevant literature before presenting and discussing empirical evidence from the results of a research study that we carried out on two WhatsApp groups for people with disabilities in Zimbabwe —Disability Rights Chat and Prime Access. We then use the findings from this study to discuss and suggest strategies for improving access to and utilization of ICTs by persons with disabilities.