Dr. Endalkachew Chala is an assistant professor of Communication Studies who has written on the intersection of technology, international communication and storytelling. His early scholarly work includes Play Station Video Games amongst Ethiopian Children: Digital Playing: An Investigation into Popularity of Play Station Video Games amongst Ethiopian Children in Addis Ababa. In addition to his research about digital media, Dr. Chala is a scholar who specializes in non-profit public relations and the way social movements framed in media. While his geographical area of expertise is Horn of Africa with primary focus on Ethiopia, he also looks at, weaves in, and analyzes political, technological and economic connections highlighting the longstanding connection of Ethiopia to other countries in Africa as well as to Ethiopian diaspora.
Latest posts by Endalkachew Chala
How the murder of musician Hachalu Hundessa incited violence in Ethiopia: Part II
Sub-Saharan Africa7 August 2020Within an hour of musician Hachalu Hundessa’s assassination, Ethiopians netizens hit social media with scattershot conspiracy theories, hate speech & disinformation campaigns — particularly on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
How the murder of musician Hachalu Hundessa incited violence in Ethiopia: Part I
Sub-Saharan Africa7 August 2020In the wake of musician Hachalu Hundessa's murder, Ethiopia has struggled to come to terms with the violence and turmoil that erupted along ethnic and religious faultlines.
How identity-driven conflicts fuel Ethiopia's incendiary social media rhetoric
Sub-Saharan Africa25 May 2020Unity Park aimed to tell the story of all Ethiopians and celebrate the country’s diversity. But social media revealed politicized, nationalistic reactions along ethnic lines: Amhara and Oromo.
In Ethiopia’s disinformation epidemic, the crumbling ruling coalition is the elephant in the room
Sub-Saharan Africa22 November 2019As acts of communal violence that took place in Oromia in October subsided, a new battle began online over interpretations of the violence — and who was to blame.
How Ethiopia's ruling coalition created a playbook for disinformation
Ethiopia18 October 2019Manipulation tactics used by Ethiopia's ruling coalition members against each other in their internal power struggle serve as a blueprint for opposition groups to attack their opponents and the government.
A proposed administrative shift in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church stokes ethnic, religious tensions
Oromo clerics say the EOTC expects Oromo churchgoers to worship in Ge’ez, the church’s liturgical language, or Amharic, the working language of Ethiopia's federal government.
Months after pledge to open internet, Ethiopia disrupts connectivity amidst communal violence, tension
Sub-Saharan Africa29 August 2019Ethiopian authorities have resorted to shutting down entire networks in response to recent ethnic and political tensions. A lack of transparency makes it impossible to challenge.
In Ethiopia, disinformation spreads through Facebook live as political tensions rise
Sub-Saharan Africa7 August 2019Online conspiracy theories, political rants and rumors laced with communal hatred are now common genres in Ethiopian social media.
How ‘African’ is Northern Africa?
Middle East & North Africa28 May 2018"Why are Africans from north of the Sahara sometimes not considered definitively 'African'?"
Leaked Documents Show That Ethiopia’s Ruling Elites Are Hiring Social Media Trolls (And Watching Porn)
Sub-Saharan Africa20 January 2018The leaks include a list of individuals who appear to have been paid to promote the ruling coalition on social media.
The Untimely Death of an Exiled Ethiopian Journalist
Sub-Saharan Africa8 January 2018"His reward for having conscience in a country that criminalises it was torture & death in exile."
Growing Popular Opposition Continues to Put Pressure on Ethiopia’s Ruling Party
"2017 was the year of the Oromo People's Democratic Organisation...The OPDO was able to shake the puppet label and actually prove to be quite vocal in #Ethiopia's political arena."
Political Uncertainty as Protests Spread in Ethiopia
"This TPLF machination has certainly run out of steam. TPLF must go! The country needs orderly transition before it's too late."
Ethiopia’s Parliament Speaker Resigns Over ‘Disrespect’ to Oromo People. Is the Balance of Power Shifting?
"...his resignation is like throwing a gasoline to the fire that is already out of control. It is a historical step that signals and symbolizes end of OPDO's submission..."
The Conflict in Eastern Ethiopia, Explained
The latest conflict in Ethiopia killed at least dozens of people and displaced thousands. The cause of the violence again was scarce water and land resources.
Residents of Ethiopia's Oromia Region Strike to Demand Release of Political Prisoners
Normally crowded streets and shops were empty as Oromos stayed home from work.
Ethiopia’s Anti-Graft Campaign is Rife with Ethnic Tensions
"There are practically no non-corrupt officials. Those arrested are corrupt, and most of the top officials who are leading the anti-corruption campaigns are also corrupt."
A Water Weed Is Damaging Ethiopia's Largest Lake and Putting Livelihoods at Risk
The lake has become a symbol of the dire state of Ethiopia’s natural resources at a time when Ethiopia’s fast-growing population needs more of everything.
Ethiopia's Music of Resistance Stays Strong, Despite Repression
Sub-Saharan Africa19 July 2017Amid wide-scale protests and a violent government crackdown, Afan Oromo musicians have begun to rise as a visible — and audible — driving inspiration for the opposition movement.
Ethiopian Musicians Charged With Terrorism for ‘Inciting’ Song Lyrics
Ethiopia14 July 2017In the face of government repression, Afan Oromo musicians have risen as a visible -- and audible -- source of inspiration for the opposition movement.
