Sokfa John
Digital peacebuilding appears to be placeless and universally applicable, prompting the question whether localised digital peacebuilding is indeed possible. Drawing on the post-digital perspective, this article explores how digital peacebuilding manifests in Kenya and Nigeria. Through case studies of Women and Youth for Justice and Peace Initiative (WAYJPI) in Nigeria and Maskani Commons in Kenya, the study demonstrates that the digital is often localised in peacebuilding. Therefore, digital peacebuilding is not merely an external and modernising influence on local realities and practices. Instead, the local and the digital are co-constituted. Speaking back to the localisation debate, the study uncovers local perspectives that critique simplistic conceptions of the local and illustrate the local-digital nexus in peacebuilding. The processes of such localisation validate the existence of multiple approaches to digital peacebuilding, while challenging singular, globalised models. They also demonstrate the need for thorough contextual understanding when implementing digital peacebuilding initiatives.
VIEW ARTICLE HERE