Africa: Communication technologies and political change in the Middle East and Africa

The spread of digital technologies in the Middle East and Africa has generated the view that 'new media' open up political spaces for dissent, activism and emancipation. In October 2010, a conference 'New Media|Alternative Politics' brought together researchers, academics, activists, journalists and policy makers to discuss whether and how new media empower an alternative politics and mobilises political change. The first working paper, 'New media, same old regime politics: Resisting the repression of media freedom in Zimbabwe' by Amanda Atwood and Bev Clark from the Kubatana Trust of Zimbabwe is now available.