USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: CFC - Social Media and Electoral Democracy in Africa...

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Helly C <hellyc01@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2018 at 20:20
Subject: CFC - Social Media and Electoral Democracy in Africa...
To: Helly C <hellyc01@gmail.com>

*Call for chapters*

**

*Social Media and Electoral Democracy in Africa***

The new digital environment has ushered social media as an increasingly
significant factor in electoral processes across Africa, with Kenya and
Zimbabwe as key recent examples. Electoral crises and squabbles between
contestants have assumed new dimensions due to the influence of social
media. Enhanced sharing and connecting has resulted in new cultures and
behaviours involving voters and politicians. Political parties,
candidates, 'pundits' and citizens in general have taken to the social
media in unprecedented ways to project their voices on key issues of the
day. With an increased accessibility of smartphones, even people with
limited access to mainstream media have access to social media and can
send messages in more real time with new implications for
democratization. Social media communications have thus permeated
virtually every aspect of the conduct of elections from pre-election to
post-election periods. While social media create new opportunities for
political campaigns, mobilization, engagement, and participation it also
raises questions about the veracity of the information conveyed at speed
on Facebook, Tweeter or even Instagram. Social media is crucial for free
and fair elections but there are genuine concerns that social media
could be manipulated to subvert the electoral system, undermine the
integrity of elections and democracy. Those with money can hire
automated systems like bots and algorithms are creating new ways of
'disrupting' communication. The digital environment has given rise to
more potent forms of fake news, manipulation and below the belt
campaigning methods that are having implications for electoral democracy
in Africa. In countries such as Uganda, Egypt, Kenya, Mali, and
Zimbabwe, authorities' attempts to introduce new laws and regulations
have been met with mixed reactions. What are main drives behind social
media's role in elections and is it enhancing democratization? Is
communicative power at elections altered by social media altering in
Africa? Is it levelling the playing field for electoral contestants or
just a new nuisance? Why are many Africans joining in its use and with
what effect?

This proposed volume seeks to explore the implications of social media
use to the electoral processes in Africa. The aim is to increase our
understanding of how social media impact elections and democracy. We
seek original works which analyze different aspects of social media use
in presidential and parliamentary elections.

Potential topics within this volume include:

·Social media and election campaigns

·Political participation and engagement

·Voter mobilization

·Laws and regulation of social media

·The political economy of digital media in Africa

·Social media and empowerment

·Youth participation in electoral processes.

·Gender issues

·Production, dissemination and interpretation of social media messages.
- recorded voice messages, video messages, jokes, cartoons

·The role of "opinion shapers"

·Agenda-setting

·Audiences/users of social media

·The role of social media in the framing of narratives.

Challenges

·Manipulation of information

·Spread of disinformation

·Memes and viral election messages

·Fake news

·Hate speech

·Cyberbullies

·Ethical issues

Interested contributors are invited to submit a 500-word proposal and a
short biography to the editors by 15 September 2018 to the editors
Martin Ndlela, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (
martin.ndlela@inn.no <mailto:martin.ndlela@inn.no>) and Winston Mano,
University of Westminster, (manow@westminster.ac.uk
<mailto:manow@westminster.ac.uk>). Final chapters of approximately
5000-7000 words will be due by 15 November. Please note that all
submissions will be peer-reviewed.

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