Bekithemba Sibanda

I am currently a doctoral research student in Politics at the University of Pretoria – South Africa. I am a holder of a Master of Science in International Relations and a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Political Science from the University of Zimbabwe. As a budding political scientist, my research interests revolve around the dynamics of international politics, and how they shape people-to-people relations amongst nations, communities and identities. More importantly, I am interested in the conflict, peace and security discourse in Africa, with the intention of contributing to the comprehension of the multi-dimensionality of civil war and conflict in Africa, as well as how communities affected by endemic conflict can build resilient peace and inclusive societies. I am also avidly interested in the intersection between electoral politics and transition dynamics in Africa – and the utility of social media in political communication processes. My research project explores the utility of social media in the digitalization of political communication, and how that contributes to youth participation in Zimbabwe.