TikTok Cultures in Contemporary Africa

Since its launch ten years ago, TikTok has become a global cultural phenomenon, with more than 1 billion monthly users worldwide, 100 million of which are in Africa. Investigating this transformation from a range of perspectives, this book demonstrates that TikTok is not merely a space for entertainment, but also a platform through which African youth articulate dissent, perform identity, and mobilize for social and political causes.

The book argues that rather than simply importing global digital trends, TikTok users in Africa use the platform to reflect and rework pre-existing cultural norms and values. The book begins by exploring political and social justice movements, youth engagement, and activism on TikTok. It then goes on to investigate how personal identities and culture are expressed on TikTok, and how the platform can be used for youth culture, livelihoods, performance and monetization. The book also shows how TikTok has introduced new modes of protest in Africa, via performative activism, hashtag dances, and meme politics that challenge traditional ideas of what political engagement looks like.

Overall, the book demonstrates that TikTok in Africa has become a key space where political consciousness, cultural identity, and creativity intersect. Its findings will be of interest to researchers and civil society actors across the fields of digital media, communication studies, popular culture, journalism, and African studies.

Mbongeni Jonny Msimanga is a Senior Lecturer at the Namibia University of Science and Technology. He holds a PhD in Communication Studies from the same university. His research interests include journalism practice and digital cultures. His work appears in international and African journals. Currently, Mbongeni Msimanga is one of two African-based Co-Investigators on a British Academy-funded project titled “Gender and Digital Repression: The Practice and Toll of Digital Repression on Women in the Authoritarian Turn”, a collaborative venture with the University of Oxford.

Lungile Augustine Tshuma is Associate Researcher, Catholic University of Portugal, He holds a PhD in journalism studies from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He has worked at the University of Johannesburg as a Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher. Lungile’s research interest are in photography, memory, and journalism. He teaches journalism related courses. His work has been published in local and international journals such as Journal of Genocide Research, African Journalism Studies, Critical Arts, Nations and Nationalism, Journal of Communication Inquiry, and Media, Culture and Society.

Bruce Mutsvairo is a Full Professor in the Department of Media and Culture Studies at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. He has authored or edited several books taking a special interest in the development of journalism in non-Western societies. His forthcoming book, which is under contract the University of Massachusetts Press, investigates the advent of data journalism in Russia, Iran and Sudan.

Trust Matsilele is senior lecturer of Journalism, Birmingham City University, UK. He is also research fellow in the Department of Communication Studies, University of South Africa, South Africa.