[ecrea] CfC: Social Media and Electoral Democracy in Africa

*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 /at/ inn.no) <mailto:(martin.ndlela /at/ inn.no)>) and Winston Mano, 
University of Westminster, ((manow /at/ westminster.ac.uk) 
<mailto:(manow /at/ 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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