The political consequences of Africa's mobile revolution

Abstract

What are the political consequences of rising domestic connectivity? I study this question in Sub-Saharan Africa, asking how mobile technology shapes public opinion in geographically isolated communities. For remote rural populations, mobile devices increase contact with physically distant social networks, through regular phone calls with urban relatives. These interactions provide personalized information about the economic challenges of city life, which reduce rural trust in government. I offer continent-wide evidence of this effect, leveraging geocoded survey data and the expansion of mobile coverage across Africa in a difference-in-differences setting. I then use a household panel, an original survey, and focus group discussions from Ghana to shed light on mechanisms. The paper advances literature on social networks, migration, and technological change, painting a nuanced picture of Africa's mobile revolution and its multifaceted political effects.