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Alternative media, diasporas and the mediation of the Zimbabwe crisis

Historically, societies living under repressive regimes have always come up with alternative forms of communication as tools of subversion. While underground newspapers and ‘pirate radio’ have been some of the most common forms, the advent of new communication technologies in recent years has brought new forms of alternative media with greater possibilities for transnational and even wider citizen participation and empowerment. This study starts from the premise that Zimbabwe’s restricted democratic space has spawned a multiplicity of alternative public spheres that enable groups and individuals to continue to participate and engage in the wider debate on the mutating crisis gripping the country since the turn of the century. The paper looks at how Zimbabweans in the diaspora are creatively exploiting new media to resist state propaganda churned out through the mainstream media. The study analyses foreign-based news websites on Zimbabwe and seeks to ascertain the nature and extent of their contribution to the ongoing discourse on the Zimbabwe crisis. It looks at the organisational and production aspects of these alternative media, and how these affect their performance as alternative channels of discourse.

Keywords: Alternative media, alternative public spheres, diasporas, diasporic media, news websites