Connective action through digital technologies: African youth (re)making twenty-first-century citizenship

Abstract

This chapter traces how young Africans have enacted fluid and morphing forms of citizenship over three linked but distinct periods in the post-colonial era. Across the three periods and in response to deleterious economic and sociopolitical conditions, young Africans have constantly redefined their roles vis-a-vis the state while reimagining political and economic possibilities amidst a prolonged period of dissatisfaction. The chapter focuses on the third stage of post-colonial citizenship and responds to the question; how is youth citizenship being redefined in Africa in the era of social media? It draws on a critical analysis of the Age of Agitation series (found on the African Arguments blogsite platform) as well as the #fixthecountry protests in Ghana. The Age of Agitation articles clearly illustrates that, across the continent, a self-identified younger generation is constantly and consciously challenging African rulers, with age-based discourses integral to their politics. Their activism needs to be interpreted historically, forged in relation both to anti-colonial struggles and post-colonial rulers, producing potent contestations over permissible forms of citizenship. To this end, the #fixthecountry movement, though limited to Ghana, reflects a continent-wide effort by young Africans to challenge the boundaries of citizenship using social media platforms that create new ways of connecting, communicating, and placing demands on the state. These collective and connective actions have undoubtedly ushered in a new era of youth citizenship and claim-making on the continent, with great potential for democratic change.