This article will interrogate the question whether a collective identity of a new Pan-Africanism is emerging through social media in Africa. The study focuses on the use of the hashtag IfAfricaWasABar by Twitter users across the continent in July 2015. It will entail a qualitative content analysis of tweets that were accompanied by #IfAfricaWasABar to analyse the issues raised by African Twitter users as regards their identity. #IfAfricaWasABar was started by Motswana author Siyanda Mohutsiwa and was trending for several weeks in different countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The hashtag called upon Twitter users across Africa to satirize the Western media narrative of Africa as a country by coming up with hilarious lines that imagine the continent as a bar, which has interesting characters who in real life would define the continent's culture, politics and social life.

Studies of Twitter use for expression of identity in Africa are few although there has been a marked increase of citizen participation on this social media platform (Portland Communications, 2012). Twitter has indeed turned into an interesting platform for deliberation and daily conversations among citizens. Such kinds of citizen engagement are turning out to offer an interesting forum for jokes as well as serious social and political discussion for discourses that appeal to citizens across the continent, who are both online and offline. In fact, in their recent study on the use of Twitter by Kenyans, Tully and Ekdale (2014) conclude that 'playful engagement' on Twitter is spurring significant deliberation as users "infuse developmental agendas in their comments, actions and interactions" (p.68).

The article will argue that more than offering a platform for deliberation, Twitter as a new media technology in Africa is enabling African citizens to recreate an African identity in the global space. It will seek to revive the old debate on Pan-Africanism and its expressions on media space, which has so far been overshadowed a process of globalization. It will further trace and discuss the discourses in the nexus of Pan-Africanism, identity as well use of Twitter in Africa. The article will pose the question whether through Twitter, a "New Pan-Africanism" is emerging, where ordinary citizens rather than elites determine how Pan-Africanism should be defined and expressed on global space.        

Pan-Africanism, a concept that attempts to capture the essence of being an African, needs to be reconsidered in the age of interactive social media. In this chapter, we look at how Twitter users negotiate the question of African identity through humourous hashtag-driven conversations. We specifically interrogate the question whether a new kind of Pan-Africanism is emerging on Africa’s Twitterverse through the use of a popular hashtag in 2015, #IfAfricaWasABar. In our analysis of tweets linked to #IfAfricaWasABar, we conclude that Twitter provides temporary solidarity by engaging users in humorous exchanges about socio-cultural, political and economic issues that define the African continental condition today. 

Pan-Africanism, a concept that attempts to capture the essence of being an African, needs to be reconsidered in the age of social media. In this article, we examine how Twitter users negotiate the question of African identity through humorous hashtagdriven conversations. We specifically question whether a new kind of Pan-Africanism is emerging on Africa’s Twitterverse through the use of a popular hashtag in 2015, #IfAfricaWasABar. In our analysis of tweets linked to #IfAfricaWasABar, we conclude that Twitter provides temporary solidarity by engaging users in humorous exchanges regarding the sociocultural, political and economic issues that define the African continental condition today.

Crisis and disaster management organizations in developing countries are facing a challenging problem: the processes of urbanization vis a vis traditional societal organizations call for different approaches to communicate with the population. In countries where vulnerabilities, threats, and risks are high, the establishment of channels of communication that address all strata of population, generating trust is important to enhance participation and compliance.

Departing from a two-step flow of communication model and combined with theoretical approaches of trust in crisis communication, this paper aims to analyze the channels of communication during crisis situations in Ghana and how the processes of generating trust in traditional communities is negotiated by crisis managers. To address this call, this study examines the role of citizens’ trust in different structures of Ghanaian society and the strategies used to address lack of compliance in the rural/urban dichotomy.

This study is largely informed by a series of interviews with nine top crisis managers and officials ascribed to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in Ghana. The results show that while government officials convey information to the public through all means possible, a large amount of the population decides to overlook or ignore the recommendations, and points to the importance of reaching communities through their chiefs, rather than approaching them directly. Since there is reluctance to follow a distant governmental agency, the trust in the community chief is of utmost importance, as chiefs become the sole channel of communication, especially in rural areas in developing countries. Thus, in order to reach rural communities, NADMO officials need to approach the elders who will communicate the message to their people. Trust, and more importantly tradition emerge as the main determining factors for successful dissemination of the message.

The results can be applied to other parts of Ghana and other similar societies especially in countries that still follow a two-step model when it comes to flow of communication and information in crisis environments.  

Development journalism has been a key focus of discussion among journalism scholars for around half a decade, but most of the attention has been firmly on African and Asian countries. This article examines the situation on the little-researched island nation of Fiji, which has experienced considerable political instability since independence in 1970. Based on interviews with 77 of the country's small population of just over 100 journalists, we find that journalism in Fiji exhibits similarities to Western journalism ideals, but also a significant development journalism orientation. A comparison with six other countries from the global South shows that this mix is not unique, and we argue that Western journalism approaches and development ideals are not by necessity mutually exclusive, as has often been argued. In this way, the article aims to contribute to a reassessment of our understanding of development journalism and how journalists in developing societies view their work.

Development journalism has been a key focus of discussion among journalism scholars for more than 40 years, but the focus has been firmly on African and Asian countries. This paper contributes to the study of development journalism and journalism culture by focusing on the little-researched island nation of Fiji, which has experienced considerable political instability since independence in 1970. Based on interviews with 77 of the country’s small population of just over 100 journalists, this paper finds that development journalism in Fiji takes an interesting shape that contradicts some conventional thinking. While our respondents expressed strong support for a Western watchdog style of journalism, but also supported development goals, leading to a unique mix that, it is argued, is not as contradictory as it may seem. In other area, journalists also combine Western ideals with local values. Some of the implications of recent impacts of media freedom are discussed.

Indian culture, dispensed through colorful musicals of Bollywood, remains a common thread of emotional connection for the Indian diaspora spread around the globe in more than 100 countries. Indo-Fijian diaspora, unlike its counterpart in the developed nations where Indians migrated of their own choice, and often hold white collar jobs, is formed of a varied group that almost replicates India in the range of jobs they hold. Despite that similarity, old Indian diaspora remains missing from the Bollywood content that it consumes. This article, through data collected in the Fiji Islands, illustrates the concrete practices that  Indo-Fijians engage in to access, and experience Bollywood

Launched in May of 2012, Satyamev Jayate (‘Only the truth triumphs’), is the most researched talk show focussing on current issues that has come to Indian audiences since TV’s introduction to the Indian society.  Apart from being anchored by a popular filmstar, Aamir Khan, and covering some topics that have not been given due attention in the news or popular media, the show is aired simultaneously in five languages.  Each of the episodes has sparked a nation wide discussion on topics overlooked by the mass media, except in the form of coverage in print media. 

However, Satyamev Jayate has combined several factors that have given a new avatar to the ‘old mass medium’ making us reconsider its power to bring about social change.

This paper analyzes the strategies used by the show to inform, educate, and validate –by interviewing victims, social activists and experts. Building upon the previous work of the author on mobilizing information, the paper extends the argument and definition of what ‘mobilizing information’ can imply and how an ‘old medium’ is still very relevant in bringing attention to social issues, and generating a public discourse.  The concept of mobilizing context, embedded in the format and aim of the show, is introduced, and the first episode is content analyzed to illustrate how the show, very efficiently, utilizes language, appeals, and various interactive features to involve the public. 

Disney animated princesses are broadcasted around the world through Disney Channel and its global affliates as well as through numerous other networks that purchase distribution rights. In an attempt to provide diversity in the last 25 years, Disney has featured nonwestern princesses such as those in Aladdin (1992), Pocahontas (1995), Mulan (1998), and Moana (2016). This study examines how princesses in animated Disney movies are perceived and understood by girls (8-15 years) in three different countries, over two time-periods with a gap of nearly a decade (2009 and 2018). The primary research question, considering Disney's global reach, is how race, culture, and presence of a royal family interact with transnational access to the same media content in the perception of the princess concept and about being a girl. The selected countries provide an opportunity to explore differences in perception of Disney princesses between girls raised in countries with and without a royal family, and between girls in nonwestern and western countries. Differences in the perception are attributed to local and national cultures that allow a different lens to view the same content. A mixed method combining interviews, focus groups, and participant-generated images was used to gather data in India, Fiji, and Sweden. Results indicate Disney princesses, with their ubiquitous presence in various formats, e.g., media content, costumes and school stationery, have created a uniform idea of beauty across countries. Princesses in Disney were perceived by participants as being Caucasian and American, regardless of the race or country they represented. Girls in India and Fiji did not identify with Jasmine or Mulan, whom they considered 'American', whereas girls in Sweden considered Jasmine and Mulan as princesses of nonwestern origin. Girls in India and Fiji did not think they could be princesses because of their skin color, and did not want to lead a life 'restricted with responsibilities', but girls in Sweden considered the same question from the place of a choice, i.e., they preferred not to lead a 'boring' and regulated life like that of a princess. Participants from Fiji, with the least access to domestic programming that showed girls of their same Fijian origin, were least likely to consider themselves capable of being a princess.

From the 1980s, international organizations have devised strategies to develop national media systems to make them more diverse and inclusive so as to both exhibit and preserve local cultures. However, these strategies have not always been successful since information has become a commodity, because the interests of private actors prevent equal access to communication rights. This article outlines a perspective on media development from a rights-based approach, derived from a critique of dominant perspectives from international organizations with a strong focus on technology provisions. The article argues for media development based on the right to communication as an alternative to commodification of information. Through examples from Brazil and Kenya, the article illustrates that viewing communication as a basic right can lead to the inclusion of more voices in the public discourse. In addition, a model for media development is proposed, suggesting that the state and national civil society play a significant role in promoting diverse national public spheres.