The ‘dark side’ of African digital diplomacy
The response of Cameroon and Nigeria to separatists’ online propaganda
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 14969264 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Floribert Patrick Calvain Endong (0000-0003-1893-3653, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 449-469 |
| Publication date | 2021-07-03 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | South African Journal of International Affairs (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1022-0461 • E-ISSN: 1938-0275 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10220461.2021.1966498 |
| OpenAlex | W3196203111 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
Africa-based separatist groups have long deployed propaganda to woo the international community, seeking external support for their respective causes. In the digital age, they increasingly spread this propaganda over social media. Characterised by misinformation and disinformation, this propaganda has, in some cases, proven disruptive to the public diplomacy and nation building efforts of specific African countries. The propaganda has often triggered muscular – but not always efficacious – state responses. Using primary and secondary sources, this article investigates the online disinformation/misinformation campaigns of two separatist groups, namely the Ambazonia Defence Forces (of Cameroon) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (of Nigeria). Specifically, the article critically examines how the above mentioned separatist groups’ use of online propaganda is a challenge to the official diplomacy of Cameroon and Nigeria, and explores the extent to which the online responses of these governments to this phenomenon have been effective
Digital media · Diplomacy · Disinformation · Indigenous · Misinformation · Political science · Politics · Social media · Global Peace and Security Dynamics · Global Political and Social Dynamics · Historical and Contemporary Political Dynamics · Law
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1,33 |
| Citation span | 2023 - 2025 (3) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |