Mediating Gender in African Social Media

Shepherd Mpofu is professor of media and communication at the University of South Africa.Kealeboga Aiseng is senior lecturer in the Department of Media Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.

“Shepherd Mpofu and Kealeboga Aiseng bring together a long-awaited and dearly needed collection on gender and social media in the African context. Addressing different topics, among which include advertising, cyber-sexism, rap videos, and comedy, this volume brings a rich palette of knowledge and understandings of the crucial discourse on gendered identities and sexuality in African societies, and how these are articulated on social media. As such, this is a unique work worth studying for beginning and advanced scholars in gender and media studies.”

• Introduction: Social Media and Gender in Africa: Representation, Commodification and Sexuality, Shepherd Mpofu (University of South Africa) and Kealeboga Aiseng (University of Witwatersrand, South Africa)1. A Feminist Reading of Sexualized Chicken: A Case of Mambo’s Chicken Social Media Commercials, Shepherd Mpofu (University of South Africa) and Thabisani Ndlovu (Walter Sisulu University, South Africa)2. A Psychoanalytic Critique of Women Commodification and Commercialization in the Social Media, Mohammed X. Ntshangase (University of Limpopo, South Africa)3. Objectification and Exaggeration: Platformatized Representation of the Female Gender in Social Media Comedy Skits, Godwin Simon (Queensland University of Technology, Australia), Vincent Obia (Birmingham City University, UK) and Mosúnmolá O. Adéòjó (University of Florida, USA)4. Power and Control of One’s Body and Sexuality in Online Performances: An Analysis of How Nicki Minaj’s Music Videos Assert a Female Independence, Agency, and Control of their Sexuality, Kealeboga Aiseng (University of Witwatersrand, South Africa) and Obett Motaung5. Paradise in Exchange for Hell: The Female Body as a Site of Modern Slavery in Jackie Phamotse’s Bare, Moffat Sebola (University of Limpopo, South Africa)6. Gendering Violence Through Body Shaming Online: A Case of Linda Masarira, President of LEAD Political Party in Zimbabwe, Khan KB (University of South Africa) and Josephat Mutangadura (Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa)7. Unchecked Cyber Misogyny? An Analysis of Female Journalists Harassment Online in South Africa and Kenya, Keziah Githinji, Mbongeni Jonny Msimanga (Johannesburg Institute of Advanced Study, South Africa) and Maud Blose (University of Johannesburg, South Africa)8. Light/Fair Skin as Beautiful: The Lingering Colonial Violation of Black Identity in Botswana, Portia Tshegofatso Loeto9. Materialized Identities: Exploring the ‘Indoda Must’ Phenomena and Its Effects Through Social Media Multimodalities, Soyiso Godsave Khetoa, Ntsoaki Teresa Mokala, and Lihotetso Gloria Matee10. Mobilising Instagram Research: The Walk-Through Approach to Navigate Participatory Cultures and Gender Performativity, Kayley Jade Webster (Varsity College, South Africa) and Sarah Gibson (University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa)11. Gender-Bending and Cross-dressing: Analysis of Self-Representation and Gender Performativity in the Nigerian Entertainment Industry, Bimbo L. Fafowora (Rhodes University, South Africa) and Kealeboga Aiseng (University of Witwatersrand, South Africa)12. ‘You’re a Man, Claim Your Space’: Performing Masculinity on Kenyan Twitter Platforms, Ashley Kidula (Strathmore University, Kenya) and Muthoni E. King’ori (Strathmore University, Kenya)IndexAbout the Editors and Contributors