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Digital Media Literacy in Conflicts: The Increasing Role of Social Media in South Sudan

In: International Handbook of Media Literacy Education
Belinha S. De Abreu; Paul Mihailidis; Alice Y. L. Lee; Jad Melki; Julian McDougall (eds.)
New York; London: Routledge (2017), pp. 368-379

ISBN 9781138645509 (pbk); 9781315628110 (online)

Signature commbox: 10-Children/Youth-E 2017

"In this chapter we have discussed a number of concrete strategies and practical examples on how to implement digital media literacy projects even in a difficult political and socio-cultural context like South Sudan. These are based in developing a holistic approach that considers citizen interaction with media via the accessible vehicle of social media platforms, as an integral part of both a peacebuilding as well as literacy development strategy. From raising awareness of the direct effects of media-induced hate speech on the conflict, even for citizens who are not media literate, to the training of technical ICT, text messaging and social media skills, familiarizes people with a technology and social process such that they feel empowered to take action to move beyond conflict. Social media interaction can also be transformed from a very individual practice, into a truly social and collaborative exercise, for example through "peace jamming" or integrating social media into the many peacebuilding conferences and youth actions that regularly take place across the country. Where often the manipulation of social media with the intention to exacerbate conflict and instability comes from outside the country, learning counter-messaging skills, employing and understanding social media ethics, and identifying the vocabulary of dangerous speech can act toward occupying an undefined social media space with a language of peacebuilding, rather than leaving that space open to agents of conflict." (Conclusion)