Kibrom Berhane Gessesse

B.A. in Journalism and Communication, Mekelle University, Ethiopia, 2007
M.A. in Journalism and Communication, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, 2011
B.A. in Sociology, Mekelle University, Ethiopia, 2014
M.A. in Global Journalism, NLA University College, Kristiansand, Norway, 2017
MA in Research and Innovation in Higher Education, Tampere, Finland, 2021

I am Kibrom Berhane Gessesse, an Ethiopian academic with 12+ years of experience as a senior lecturer in Journalism and Communication at Mekelle University. My studies on local broadcast media in Tigray played significant roles in transforming their journalistic practices. Additionally, I supervised a curriculum and oversaw the establishment of a BA program in PR and Advertising, subsequently serving as the inaugural head of the department. I have been a regular contributor to Ethiopia’s prominent English-language newspaper, The Reporter, focusing on topics such as social media usage in Ethiopia and other current affairs. With a diverse academic background spanning five disciplines, I have honed analytical thinking and qualitative research skills across subjects. I am thankful and enthusiastic about pursuing my doctoral studies at ISGP. The interdisciplinary approach of the program aligns seamlessly with the requirements of my doctoral research, which necessitates a blend of knowledge and expertise from various disciplines.

From November 2020 until the signing of a peace treaty, in Pretoria, South Africa, in November 2022 that marked the resolution of the conflict between the central government of Ethiopia and Tigray regional forces, the country experienced a devastating civil war spanning two years. During the war (which was primarily fought in the Tigray region of Ethiopia), platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) played significant roles in spreading propaganda and shaping narratives. The warring sides – the central government of Ethiopia and Tigray regional forces – have been accused of using social media (SM) platforms to control the narratives about the battles. In the process, they often made misleading and false claims about the war. It thus led to the weaponization and manipulation of SM platforms such as X by various SM actors. This study seeks to delve into the content produced by various actors, including military, academic, and political elites, as well as other social media participants. Its primary objective is to examine the significant influence of key social media actors on offline political discourse during the turbulent socio-political environment in Ethiopia. The research aims to unravel the intricate interplay between the online and offline political spheres within such a volatile setting. Additionally, the study will underscore the role of technology companies in fuelling ethnic-based violence, with their platforms serving as instruments for propagating hate speech and propaganda, not only in Ethiopia but also across Africa. It will navigate through the click-based content moderation systems and policies of the tech companies (in this case, X) by using Ethiopia’s Tigray war as an example. This investigation prompts a critical examination of the responsibilities and actions of major tech corporations in moderating content in regions of the Global South.

Mismatch between theory and practice? Perceptions of Ethiopian journalists towards applying journalism education in professional news production
Multiculturalism-Creativity-Innovation nexus and implications on higher education learning and teaching: The case of MARIHE 6
Intersectional Analysis of Media Representation of Immigrants in Norway: the Case of “The Local (Norway Edition)” Online Newspaper
New approaches in the face of rapid HE expansion