Current Institutional Affiliation
Assistant Lecturer, Research, University of Pretoria

Award Information

Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa: Doctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship 2015
Institutional Affiliation (at time of award):
Political Sciences, University of Pretoria
Citizen journalism, a catalyst for conflict transformation in Africa: A case of Ushahidi Crowd-Sourcing Platform in Kenya

It is widely suggested that the ubiquity of new media technologies have increased people's civic participation in Africa. This has highlighted the role of African citizen journalists in generating content that contribute to conflict transformation. John Paul Lederach pioneered conflict transformation as holistic approach to peacemaking. In focusing on Citizen journalism as a catalyst for conflict transformation in Africa, this research will look at the case of the Ushahidi Crowd-Sourcing Platform in Kenya's 2008 post-election violence. This is a critical departure from state-centrism to the exploration of a people-centred approach to peacemaking in Africa. Using a mixed method, this research operationalises conflict transformation's 'constructive change process' to examine the relevance of Ushahidi user-generated content. A preliminary assessment of Ushahidi user-generated content followed by semi-structured interviews and Focus Groups involving 45 participants within the Ushahidi network will form overall data collection in Nairobi. This research uses thematic analysis for data interpretation.

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