Monday, March 19, 2012

Digital Media in the Horn of Africa

The Open Society Foundations published a paper in December 2011 titled Mapping Digital Media: Digital Media, Conflict and Diasporas in the Horn of Africa by Iginio Gagliardone and Nicole Stremlau. The paper shows how the development of the internet, mobile phones and other new communication technologies have been shaped by conflict and power struggles in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Somaliland. The paper gives particular attention to the role played by diasporas, which have been highly influential in starting the first websites, blogs and forums covering the politics of the Horn and facilitating debates among Eritreans, Ethiopians and Somalis.