[ecrea] Call for papers: Social media and journalism in Africa

*Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies*

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*Call for papers: Special Issue --*

*Social media and journalism in Africa*

*(final call, with apologies for cross postings)*

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*Guest Editor: Chris Paterson, University of Leeds*

This Special Issue of *Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies *will 
survey the intersection of SOCIAL MEDIA and

JOURNALISM in Africa. We hope to offer a venue for new empirical 
research and for the development of theory and

analysis. Publication will be in early 2013.

Around Africa tensions are evident between the rapid commercialization 
and deregulation of traditional media and

increasing pressures for a compliant media discourse from commercial and 
state media proprietors. Social media

demonstrate an unprecedented ability for the politically engaged to both 
bypass and influence traditional information

flows, but social media use faces unique circumstances through much of 
Africa, due to an underdeveloped telecommunications

infrastructure, limited (though rapidly increasing) extra-urban mobile 
access, and bandwidth limitations in

many areas. There has been a rapid escalation in the numbers of people 
using Twitter to monitor and to disseminate

information, and the use of mobile devices is also skyrocketing amid 
massive marketing campaigns dominated by a few

multinational providers. While use of social media may be less 
constrained by government control in Africa than

elsewhere, its role remains largely untested in the context of general 
under-development and limited ICT penetration.

Signs of social change brought by leapfrogging mobile technology are 
evident around the continent, inspiring questions

about the new nature of information exchange and citizenship. Crucial 
questions remain about whether the apparent

efficacy of social media as a political organising tool beyond state 
control in north Africa has implications for the rest of the

continent.

Authors may address the following questions, but other approaches and 
related topics are welcome:

- How have social media supplemented or replaced traditional information 
sources?

- How are social media and other new media being incorporated into 
processes of journalism in Africa?

- Are social media changing established flows of information in Africa 
and between Africa and the world?

- How do specific cases of social media and other ICT use in Africa 
compare with non-African cases?

- How are diasporic and/or exiled journalists employing social media?

- To what extent have social media been an empowering force in Africa?

- Are new forms of citizenship emerging in Africa as a result of social 
media?

- What new methodological challenges to the study of journalism in 
Africa are posed by social media or emerging forms of

communications generally?

We are open to a variety of methodological approaches and geographic 
foci. Articles should be 6000-8000 words and

proposals for shorter commentaries are also welcome.

Contact the editor of this issue with expressions of interest: 
*(c.paterson /at/ leeds.ac.uk)*. The deadline for articles is July

15 2012, but earlier submissions are welcome. All submissions will be 
peer reviewed, with notification of

acceptance by September 1, and revision required by October 1 2012.