Thomas Jaye Work-in-Progress Series
The Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research (FAAR) at KAIPTC held an internal ‘Work-In-Progress Seminar’.
Topic: Examining The Use Of Social Media In Peacekeeping
Speaker: Elsie Amelia Tachie-Menson
Date: Wednesday 22nd September 2021
Time: 1000hrs
Abstract:
The evolution of digital technology has played out in various arenas of daily livelihoods: in education, healthcare, commerce etc. Peacekeeping has become one process which has played out in digital spaces. Particularly, social media platforms have become avenues that have facilitated in various peacekeeping processes around the world for both communication and for dissemination of information. Historically, information and news on peacekeeping was handpicked and prepared into a palatable state for public consumption before getting shared at specific ceremonious times. Today, social media has taken control of what is being communicated and how it is being communicated. Peacekeeping operations have official social media websites(SMW). Peacekeepers also have personal accounts on these platforms equally. Another set of significant users of these spaces are civilian citizens in the various locations where missions take space. Now the ‘news’ is being broadcasted sporadically and in no controlled chronology. Social media has given the average citizen of the internet to ‘make’ a news item and broadcast it. In this study, discussions center broadly around how peacekeeping missions utilize these platforms in their peacekeeping processes whiles focusing closely on how social media specifically influences the roles of individual peacekeepers on missions and after, in their personal lives.
