Digital Media in Contemporary Conflict

Dear Colleagues,

Social Sciences invites submissions for a special issue on "Digital Media in Contemporary Conflicts". As digital platforms have become central to the dissemination of information and the organization of social movements, their role in shaping contemporary conflicts has grown increasingly significant. This special issue seeks to explore the multifaceted impact of digital media on conflicts across the globe, examining both the positive and negative consequences.

In recent years, digital media has transformed the landscape of conflict in numerous ways. Social media platforms, instant messaging apps, and other digital communication tools have become essential in both the escalation and resolution of conflicts. They offer new avenues for propaganda, misinformation, and cyber warfare, while also providing powerful tools for mobilization, storytelling, and humanitarian efforts.

The proliferation of digital media has led to unprecedented levels of connectivity and information sharing, which can both facilitate and complicate conflict dynamics. On one hand, digital media can be used to spread misinformation and inflame tensions, contributing to the escalation of violence. On the other hand, it can serve as a platform for marginalized voices, enabling grassroots mobilization and the organization of peace initiatives.

This special issue aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of digital media in contemporary conflicts by bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives from fields such as journalism and communication studies, political science, international relations, and information technology. We seek to explore the complex interplay between digital media and conflict, examining how these tools are used by various actors, their impact on public perception and policy, and the ethical considerations involved.

We welcome original research articles, theoretical papers, case studies, and critical reviews that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:

• Digital Propaganda and Misinformation: The role of social media in spreading misinformation during conflicts and its impact on public perception and policy decisions.
• Cyber warfare: analysis of state and non-state actors' use of digital tools for offensive and defensive purposes in modern conflicts.
• Social Media as a tool for mobilization: how social media platforms are used for organizing protests, resistance movements, or even violence in conflict zones.
• Digital narratives and storytelling: the role of digital platforms in shaping narratives, memorializing conflicts, and influencing global opinion.
• Ethical considerations and digital media: ethical challenges in reporting, documenting, and sharing content related to ongoing conflicts, including issues of privacy, safety, and manipulation.
• Digital humanitarianism: the use of digital media for humanitarian purposes during conflicts, including crisis mapping, crowd-funding, and the coordination of relief efforts.
• Regulatory and policy responses: exploration of how governments, international organizations, and tech companies are responding to the challenges posed by digital media in conflict situations.
• Social media for peacebuilding in times of conflict: how the potential of digital tools to facilitate dialogue and reconciliation.
• Social media manipulation: how actors in the conflict control and oppress others in the sharing and dissemination of information on the social media platform.
• Conceptualization of social media during conflict: how social media become a center for the current dynamics of conflicts in many countries, and how this will be conceptualized in academics. The Digital Divide in Conflict: how social media control, understanding, and usage have been affecting the conflict area and conflict actors.

Dr. Mulatu Alemayehu Moges
Prof. Dr. Kristin Skare Orgeret
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• conflict
• war
• crisis
• hate speech
• disinformation/misinformation
• digital media