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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Briefing: citizens and cell phones in Africa
Author:Bratton, MichaelISNI
Year:2013
Periodical:African Affairs: The Journal of the Royal African Society (ISSN 1468-2621)
Volume:112
Issue:447
Pages:304-319
Language:English
Geographic term:Africa
Subjects:information technology
mobile telephone
politics
External link:http://afraf.oxfordjournals.org/content/112/447/304.full.pdf
Abstract:As a striking manifestation of globalization, perhaps half of Africa's one billion people are now signed up as subscribers to cellular telephone networks. Africans are enthusiastically adopting mobile phone technology. Evidence is mounting that this modern communications revolution is beginning to have promising economic consequences. But are there political correlates of technological change? Is there a connection between the use of cell phones on the one hand and democratic citizenship on the other? Are cell-phone users more knowledgeable, active, tolerant, and trusting about politics than other citizens in Africa? This briefing presents some basic facts about the coverage and spread of ICT among residents of selected African countries (Benin, Cape Verde, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa and Uganda) and explores some political implications of the current boom in cell-phone usage in sub-Saharan Africa. Notes, ref. [ASC Leiden abstract]
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