Mobile (in)security? Exploring the realities of mobile phone use in conflict areas

ABSTRACT

Across disciplines, scholars extol the revolutionary potential of mobile technologies in developing nations. Mobile phones in particular may facilitate economic and social development. However, our understanding of mobile phone’s interaction with a developing country’s society is limited by two factors: first, development is often accompanied by social and political conflict; and second, scholars often provide a broad overview on the use of these technologies. We address these limitations through the use of data collected from ethnographic interviews conducted in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We highlight the everyday use of mobile technologies in developing nations that experience political conflict. We conclude that while mobile technologies have some potential of mitigating social inequality, political conflict, and safety concerns, these opportunities for meaningful use are hampered by limitations associated with daily life in developing countries such as irregular access to electricity and network coverage boundaries.

KEYWORDS:

• Mobile phones
• conflict
• development
• informal networks

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge their key informants Kisolu, Melvin, and Oliver as well as their translator, Hazina. This work would not have been possible without the generous donation of their time and valued insights.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Benjamin K. Tkach earned his PhD in the Department of Political Science at Texas A&M University. He is an Assistant Professor at King University and an Assistant Research Scientist at the Center on Conflict and Development [email: [email protected]].

Apryl A. Williams (@AprylW) earned her PhD in the Department of Sociology at Texas A&M University. She is an Assistant Professor at Susquehanna University, as well as a Research Associate at the Center on Conflict and Development [email: [email protected]].

ORCID

Apryl A. Williams http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4896-9366