Amplifying voices through alternative means

: Facebook’s role in strengthening social movements in Angola

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the role of Facebook as a communication platform for revolutionary and reformative social movements in Angola. This research unpacks the key strategies and tactics these social movements employ to engage with their stakeholders on Facebook, assessing the significance of Facebook for democratic strengthening in Angola. The relevance of this study is primarily justified by the significant absence of academic research focusing on the correlation between social movements and social media in the Angolan context. This study employed an explanatory sequential approach, which involves mix-method. Initially, a Content Analysis (CA) was conducted on the pages of reformative social movements (EcoAngola and Associação Angola Rescue) and revolutionary social movements (Movimento Cívico Mudei and Movimento Vamos Sair de Angola). Subsequently, SemiStructured Interviews (SSI) were conducted with the communication managers of the four social movements analysed in the study. Based on an interdisciplinary approach encompassing theories in communication, civic participation, and social movements, this study concluded that Facebook serves as a crucial platform for reformative and revolutionary movements in terms of information dissemination and digital mobilisation. Additionally, this research found that the heavy reliance of these movements on Facebook stems from the lack of access to traditional press in Angola due to extensive state control.

Date of Award	22 Jul 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Naíde Müller (Supervisor)