Mediápolis, Seguridad Humana y Ciudadanía: Comunicación y Desarrollo Glocal en la Era Digital

In a time where online territories are evolving as mediated practices and social spaces, how do we assess civic action and participation in social change processes? Moreover, how relevant is the debate about online territories when assessed from an East African reality where internet access is minimal? These are some of the questions address in this chapter. In the first section of the chapter I discuss communication for social change in the digital era from a citizens perspective. Secondly, I provide an example of a civil society driven media platform which seeks to enhance processes of empowerment and ultimately influence good governance and promote social change. The example is from Tanzania in East Africa. Thirdly, I introduce Roger Silverstone’s notion of ‘mediapolis’ as a conceptual approach to explore the mediated public sphere as a space for civic action and participation. In the fourth section I present the concept of ‘human (in)security’ which refers to how cultures of fear and insecurity permeate public discourse, public sentiment and ultimately civic action. Finally, I discuss how to theorize communication for social change in the digital era, approaching it from a citizens perspective and connecting the contexts outlined in this paper – human (in)security, mediápolis and citizenship - with the Tanzanian reality.