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Digital Political Communication has become a ubiquitous phenomenon in Africa. With the advent of internet and social media, Africans in political digital interactions now easily express themselves in local languages. While there have been increasing literature on digital political discourses, citizen activism and political campaigns and marketing by parties and actors, few studies explore the role of indigenous languages in digital manifestations. This chapter serves as an introduction to 11 chapters that analyse kinds of digital political communication in local languages of Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Lesotho. Thus, the study uses social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, X and TikTok as a mirror of indigenous languages in political communication. We nuance concepts such as discursive communities, digital discourse and discourse communities, highlighting the significance of language as a flag for political identity, culture and belonging. The chapter introduces three themes in the book namely (a) indigenisation of government’s public communication, (b) Campaigns, Citizen Activism and Discourses and (c) Proverbial culture and Vulgarism.

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Digital Discourses, Discursive and Indigenous Text in African Political Communication: An Introduction

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Limukani Mathe,
  • Gilbert Motsaathebe

摘要

Digital Political Communication has become a ubiquitous phenomenon in Africa. With the advent of internet and social media, Africans in political digital interactions now easily express themselves in local languages. While there have been increasing literature on digital political discourses, citizen activism and political campaigns and marketing by parties and actors, few studies explore the role of indigenous languages in digital manifestations. This chapter serves as an introduction to 11 chapters that analyse kinds of digital political communication in local languages of Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Lesotho. Thus, the study uses social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, X and TikTok as a mirror of indigenous languages in political communication. We nuance concepts such as discursive communities, digital discourse and discourse communities, highlighting the significance of language as a flag for political identity, culture and belonging. The chapter introduces three themes in the book namely (a) indigenisation of government’s public communication, (b) Campaigns, Citizen Activism and Discourses and (c) Proverbial culture and Vulgarism.