Internet and Democracy Building in Lusophone African Countries

Susana Salgado (Ph.D. 2007, University of Lisbon) is a researcher and professor of political communication and media and politics. Her main research interests are political communication, comparative media studies, media and democratization, media and elections, and politics and the Internet. Over the last few years her comparative research projects have been broad in geographical scope, and include different projects on Europe, Portugal and Brazil and an extensive analysis of the role of the media in African democratization processes in comparative perspective. Her publications include three single-authored books and several book chapters and journal articles in peer-reviewed publications on these topics. Susana is a member of the Network of European Political Communication Scholars (Nepocs), which is a network for furthering research and teaching in comparative political communication. She is also member of the management committee of COST Action IS1308: Populist Political Communication in Europe's New Media Environment: Comprehending the Challenge of Mediated Political Populism for Democratic Politics, as well as vice-chair of the working group: Populist Actors as Communicators.

’Challenging our ethnocentric view of what the internet can, should and will do for democracy, Salgado lifts the veil on innovative approaches to digital media life in Africa facilitating democratic change and the numerous challenges faced by users, sometimes at great personal risk. A fascinating insight into the development of modern communications in a somewhat neglected geographic area.’ Paul G. Nixon, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands ’There are two valuable reasons to read this interesting book. First of all it deals with a part of the world often neglected in the mainstream literature. Second, contrary to most of the existing research on the topic, it focuses on both legacy and new media and their combined role in the process of democratization. This combination represents the main novelty of the present media system worldwide.’ Paolo Mancini, University of Perugia, Italy

• Introduction; Part I Media, Democracy and Development; Chapter 1 Development and Democracy; Chapter 2 Media, Information and Democratization; Chapter 3 The Role of the Internet: Hope, Potential and Reality; Part II Lusophone African Countries: Similar Past, Different Present, What Future?; Chapter 4 Similarities and Differences; Chapter 5 Politics and Media in Angola; Chapter 6 Politics and Media in Mozambique; Chapter 7 Politics and Media in Sao Tome and Principe; Chapter 8 Politics and Media in Cape Verde; Part III The Use of the Internet in the Lusophone African Countries and its Influence in Democratization; Chapter 9 Contextual Constraints for the Potential of the Internet in Lusophone African Countries; Chapter 10 Online News Media; Chapter 11 The Use of Blogs and Social Network Websites; Chapter 12 Political Parties’ Websites; conclusion Conclusion;