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Accepted Paper:
Paper short abstract:
In Ethiopia, amid a period of ethnic conflict and political polarisation, young people are using online spaces to share information and mobilise against the state. This paper explores diverse Ethiopian young people’s online participation and the implications for political trust and social inclusion.
Paper long abstract:
Amidst growing polarisation and public distrust within global and national politics, young people’s political participation is increasingly framed as key to the creation of socially just futures. Online spaces such as social media are recognised as central to young people’s civic and political life in many countries, with online political participation positively correlated with other modes of participation and reflective of a growing ‘participatory culture’ amongst young people. In Ethiopia, amid escalating ethnic violence and political tensions since 2017, young people’s physical participation in protest and mobilisation has ebbed and flowed, but social media has been consistently central in their information sharing and mobilising support. Yet while online spaces can widen the accessibility of information and opportunities for learning and exchange, they can also facilitate the spread of misinformation, thus deepening polarisation and exacerbating conflict and political distrust.
Drawing on findings from longitudinal mixed-methods research with young people in Ethiopia undertaken as part of the Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) programme, this paper reflects upon the evolving relationship between young people’s participation in online spaces and their ‘offline’ political and civic engagement during conflict and political upheaval in different regions. We explore gender, regional and rural-urban differences in how young people engage with off- and online spaces, and the consequences of these differences for political trust, social inclusion and social justice. We discuss the implications of these findings for equitable and inclusive development.
Youth and protests in Africa
Session 1