The Role Of Facebook As A Digital Public Sphere For Political Deliberations And Mobilization In Ethiopia’s Pre-Transitional Period

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Solomon Tabor , Jemal Mohammed , Amanuel Gebru

Abstract

This article examines the role of Facebook as a digital public sphere platform for political deliberation and mobilization in Ethiopia’s pre-transition period. The core reason why Facebook is chosen for this specific study among the multitudes of other social networking sites is that, it has gained significant traction in being the most preferred digital forum of political discussion in Ethiopia. In order to generate vital data for the research, Focus Group Discussions and In-depth- interviews were conducted. Participants for the focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were purposively selected from the towns of BahirDar, Ambo and Mekele youth who use Facebook for political information.The data from both FGDs and In-depth Interviews in the study sites were analyzed thematically. The findings included themes of online anonymity and security, inclusiveness and participation, pervasive corruption and graft among government officials, incompetence of government officials, power sharing among nations and nationalities, contentious historical narratives, ethnic rivalry and strife political ideology.The platform also served as a catalyst for political mobilization. The study also reveals that Facebook added verve, energy and brought about a digital political communication revolution within the customary political trend of communication, political rendezvous and political partaking.

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