West African-diasporic social media users facing COVID-19: Care, emotions and power during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic

Abstract

The arrival of the coronavirus pandemic in (West) Africa announced a health crisis that required increasing levels of care, on the physical as well as on the emotional level. At the same time, societies had to respect social distancing rules that impeded regular care relationships. This article analysed social media as one means for West African-diasporic actors to practice care in this situation of physical immobility. It is based on a critical discourse analysis of postings on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and WhatsApp. This analysis showed that West African-diasporic actors used social media to perform emotional practices of care through informing on COVID-19-related issues, raising awareness and encouraging compliance with anti-COVID-19 measures. In addition, these practices of care unveil negotiations of sociopolitical power relations that oscillate between opportunities for solidarity and sociopolitical change, on the one hand, and intersectional exclusions, on the other hand.