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 social media is fueling geopolitical tensions in the Horn of Africa
"TikTok, in particular, has emerged as a stage where complex geopolitical tensions are reduced, dramatized, and frequently distorted."
The murder of a young girl in Ethiopia reveals TikTok’s content moderation failures
Despite TikTok's policy prohibiting AI-generated content featuring individuals under 18 — whether real or fictional — videos featuring the likeness of the victim, Heaven Awot, proliferated across TikTok and other platforms ...
How the murder of musician Hachalu Hundessa incited violence in Ethiopia: Part II
Within 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
In 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
Unity 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
As 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
Manipulation 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
Ethiopian 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
Online conspiracy theories, political rants and rumors laced with communal hatred are now common genres in Ethiopian social media.
How ‘African’ is Northern Africa?
"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)
The 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
"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
Amid 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.
