From ‘traitors’ to ‘saviours’: A longitudinal analysis of Ethiopian, Kenyan and Rwandan embassies’ practice of digital diaspora diplomacy

ABSTRACT

Recent years have seen the emergence of relational approaches to diplomacy that centre on diplomats' use of social media to foster relationships with foreign publics. Yet social media may also prove useful in building relationships with diasporas, now viewed by some states as ‘saviours' who may contribute to the economic prosperity of origin countries. This article sought to examine how Ethiopian, Kenyan and Rwandan embassies employ social media when communicating with diasporas. The article proposes a conceptual framework for digital diaspora diplomacy which consists of relationship building, community strengthening and relationship leveraging. An analysis of 830 Facebook posts, published in 2016 and 2020, suggests that evaluated embassies use social media to interact with Facebook followers, respond to online criticism, publicise offline events and publish information that is of interest to diasporas. Thus, African embassies may be able to leverage diasporic ties towards the improvement of their nation’s socio-economic status.

KEYWORDS:

• Digital diplomacy
• diaspora
• digital diaspora diplomacy
• diaspora institutions
• digitalisation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

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53 Rana, ‘Diaspora Diplomacy’; Manor, The Digitalization.

54 Manor, The Digitalization.

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Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ilan Manor

Ilan Manor is a digital diplomacy scholar at the University of Tel Aviv. Manor’s 2019 book, The Digitalization of Public Diplomacy, was published by Palgrave Macmillan. His 2021 co-edited volume examined Public Diplomacy and the Politics of Uncertainty. Manor has contributed to numerous journals including The Cambridge Review of International Affairs, International Studies Review, The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, Media, War and Conflict and Place Branding and Public Diplomacy.

Geraldine Asiwome Adiku

Geraldine Asiwome Adiku is a Lecturer at the Department of Sociology at the University of Ghana. Her interests include the Sociology of Development and the Sociology of Migration. She has contributed to the Ghana Social Science Journal and International Migration. Her book chapter ‘Returns of failure: Involuntary return migration and social change in Ghana’ was published in the 2019 edited volume Transnational return and social change: Social hierarchies, ideas, and social identities.