Following in particular the ‘infodemic’ that characterized the COVID-19 pandemic, there is now an upsurge in interest in the study of the geopolitical, health and military/security implications of mis/mal/disinformation. This heightened focus on the security dimensions of mis/mal/disinformation presents an opportunity to highlight experiences of non-Western contexts in particular, that have for a very long time, experienced the socio-economic, health and security implications of mis/mal/disinformation. West Africa in particular, is one such region, which is marked by an increasing level of insecurity as a consequence of armed groups attacking both national and international military units and civilians. This significant increase in insecurity in West Africa is also taking place against a background of rapidly changing political regimes as well as national media and communication ecologies that are further problematizing the spread, reach and implications of mis/mal/disinformation. In such contexts, where the colonial legacies of censorship and control of the media/communication landscape is being seriously challenged, there are at individual, community and state levels, a blending of complex historically grounded and new/emerging strategies and tactics to propagate and navigate mis/mal/disinformation.

Against this background, the International Research Network Media, Security Crises and Youth in West Africa is organizing a two-days hybrid workshop that will examine the historicity, contemporary patterns, appropriations and implications of mis/mal/disinformation beyond the Anglo-American sphere. In addition to examining methodological challenges and options in researching mis/mal/disinformation in contexts of heightened insecurities, the workshop will also address, through transdisciplinary and decolonial perspectives, conceptualizations of mis/mal/disinformation, not to forget the popular notion of ‘fake news’; the lesser known ‘infox’, and their pertinence in different socio-political contexts and communication ecologies especially in the Sahel.

Language: Presentations and discussions during the workshop will mainly be in French.

Registration: Physical or virtual participation in the workshop is free but registration is required. To register for the workshop, please send an email to Associate Professor Poul Erik Nielsen (imvpen@cc.au.dk) and Associate Professor Teke Ngomba (imvjnt@cc.au.dk).

Deadline for Registration: Tuesday, 22 August 2023