Institutionalism, Social Media, and Democracy in Africa

Abstract

This study focuses on the process of institutional change with regard to the capabilities of African political systems to embrace the conditions that instill and support democracy in the context characterized by pervasive social media consumption. The author wonders in what way institutions and individual behaviors can integrate social media in order to consolidate democracy. In other words, is social media-supported democracy sustainable in Africa? The study analyzes the patterns of social media consumption in its functionality for democratic change in Africa. It examines patterns of institutional change on the basis of the impact of social media consumption in African politics. It highlights two theories of institutional change—structured institutional change and evolutionary institutional change—based on their relevance to the impact of social media consumption in African political settings.