Dr.

Albrecht Hofheinz

Kalm Skit?
Sudanese Discussing State and Society
on the Internet

CentreforModernOrientalStudies,Berlin

Potential of new media to

transform society and
politics?

Participation: Harbinger of democracy?

Elitism: Digital divide?
Discussion: Public sphere?
Empirical example:
Sudanese electronic discussion groups

Hypothesis:
a public sphere favoring
argumentation over
inherited social status?
Forums help to break traditional
barriers and allow members to practice
forms of communication that favor
argumentation over inherited social
status. Therein lies their transformative
potential.

Sudanese electronic
discussion forums
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

What lists exist?

How do members view the role of these lists?
Who participates?
What topics are addressed?
How are they discussed?
Main sources of information?
What can we conclude re the transformative
potential?

1. Total # of Sudan-related
lists (w/o MSN)
Free South Sudan
Medics
GaySudan
ShendiSudan
IRC Sudan
Sudan
View from Sudan
Free Sudan
Wahid Sudani
35
Sudan Cult. Center KKI-Sudan
Sudanlist
NephroSudan

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

Sudan Medical Mission

Bibles for the Persec.
Atbara-Net
Sudan 2000
Dr Khaled Mhd Osman
Sudan Community
Al-Sudan
Rombur
Islam in Sudan
South Sudan Commun.
Sudan Initiative
Sudan Webmasters

2000

2001

Sudanese-1
Sudanese-2
CorpSudan
Sudan Operators
SudanCourt
Sudanese Missions
Dan and Carole Pratt
Sudan Gateway
Sudan Family
SCSudan
Sudan-Undernet
Sudanese Online Disc
Sudan.com
#Sudan Users
Sudan.Net Discussion
Islam in Khartoum
Fire and Sword
Bijou Aideen
Sudan Times
Ehsan in Sudan Villag
Sudan Internet Societ
Free Sudan
Sudan Online
Sudanese Initiative O
Sillara-Sudan
Sudany Group
SudaneseCom[munity
Lost Boys Nashville
Khartoum Cheshire H
Sudanese Community
Musawwarat
Sudani Newsletter
Sudan Expats
SudanWomen
Dinka Bor
DCC Vileparle
Sudan Group
badrudin_daresha22
New Garden Friends M
Sudan Lost Boys
Sudan Studies Associa
NDA Scandinavian

1. Top volume lists

Established

Members

Posts/month

SudanNet

9 Apr 2001

Sudanese

11 Jan 1995

358

1178

1 May 1994

293

517

Sudan-L

10-15,000

SouthSudanet

19 Feb 2000

164

New Sudan

20 Oct 1997

135

101

SudanWomen

11 Jul 2001

10

79

IRC Sudan

19 Jul 1999

35

74

Figures computed based on data available Oct 2001

1. Sudan-L: oldest, secondlargest, most serious,

and mostSudan-L:
accessible
list
avg. # of msg/month
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
-200
msgs/month
growth

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

62

149
140,3%

426
185,9%

615
44,4%

745
21,1%

976
31,0%

892
-8,6%

769
-13,8%

1. Total # of Sudan-related
lists (w/o MSN)
72

35

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

14
1999

2000

2001

1. Sudanese
Second-oldest list still in existance
Completely unmoderated
leading to largest number of subscribers
(358) of any Sudan list
Wahid Sudani and Galal made this forum a reality that no
one could ignore. Even the NIF arrogant regime feared it.

1. Sudan.Net Notice and

Discussion Board (SDB)
Recent upstart (April 2001)
Easy web based access, incl. Arabic
By far most successful of any Sudan list,
with extremely high volume
Younger, more fluid clientele

2. How do members view

the role of the electronic
groups?
Expanding opportunities for information
exchange
Get more and quicker information
Promote own views (PR, discussion)
Share info with friends in Africa

Mobilize communities for political change

(failed in practice so far)

Socialize: make friends, chat

(especially on younger forums like SDB)

Goal: dialogue leading to

consensual solution of
Sudans problems
It is incumbent upon every body to see to it that
they create a climate conducive to discussions about
the direction Sudanese society is headed in. It is the
duty of every Sudanese to promote open discussions
and debate which would lead to a consensus on
desirable solution to the current problems in Sudan.
Finally, it is up to the decision-maker of north and
south Sudan to see to it that dialogue between these
segments of population take place.

Posted on Sudan-L for Alfred Sebit who has no access to e-mail, 5 May 1994

2. Who participates?
1994: ca. 100 subscribers
62 postings/month
2001: ca. 2-3,000 participants
>10,000 postings/month
Core group continues to provide core
services

2. Sudan-L subscribers
Subscribers (4 Oct 2001)
73%

of a Northern of Muslim background

22%

khawajas

4%

Southern Sudanese

Active contributors (Jan-Sep 2001)

79%

of a Northern of Muslim background

14%

khawajas

8%

Southern Sudanese

2. Southern participation
Southerners heavily underrepresented in
general lists
Risk of N-S exchanges degenerating
Establishment of closed Southern lists

2. Southern withdrawal
It is not a surprise that Southern Sudanese
have taken a low profile. We are dealing with a
deep-rooted conflict and any meaningful debate
on Sudan-L is likely to turn personal due to the
nature of the war. Secondly, a large section of
Southerners seem to look at the struggle
through a different perspective and finally, there
are more than one Sudanese Discussion Forums
each operating independently.

Sisto Olur Erista to Sudan-L, 14 Oct 2001

2. Reasons for low

Southern participation in
general lists
Distrust

Communication difficult to start and likely to

overheat
Northern dominance perceived unbroken
Southern withdrawal into closed forums
Allegiance outside a united Sudan
Participation mostly for strategic reasons

2. Other imbalances
Few women
22% of subscribers; 10% of contributors

Very few from within Sudan

Forums dominated by opposition to GoS

3. What do listers talk

about?
72

Politics (Current)

52%

33

Pol. History

24%

10

Culture

7%

Human Rights

4%

Social Issues

4%

Personal Issues

4%

Religion

3%

Economy

3%
On Sudan-L, Sudanese, NSMDL: 1-11 Nov 2001

3. What topics are

addressed?
Politics: >70% on older lists
including pol. events leading to current configurations

Nostalgic reminiscences (my home town)

Select Sudanese community events abroad
Religion (Islam)
as it relates to politics (on older lists)
as lifestyle (on younger forums)

4. Style: older forums

Discussions driven by news reporting
Polemics flare up, but quickly controlled
Discussion in English; highly focused
Serve to reassure oneself of ones own
position rather than convince others

4. Style: younger forums

More original contributions
Flaming is more frequent, but so are
expressions of friendship
Sudanese colloquial Arabic and youthculture English (c u l8r) very prominent
Self-reassurance & group-reassurance

5. Main news sources

41 US

35%

30 Europe

26%

11 UN (IRIN)

9%

7 Africa

6%

7 Arab

6%

7 Asia

6%

7 Catholic

6%

5 Canada

4%

1 Israel

1%

1 Alternative

1%

77 Western

66%

33 Tricont

28%
On Sudan-L, Sudanese, NSMDL: 1-11 Nov 2001

5. Main sources of
information
Major international agencies
AFP, Reuters

Press releases
Human Rights, Opposition, Churches

Only occasionally: Sudan News Agency

Rare: first-hand accounts

Internet reflects rather than

revolutionizes social dynamics
Proliferation of forums (niches)
Greater freedom to express oneself in
public
More observable (by state & research)
Strength of Western information media
Communication splits along established
lines.