Zones of political power: Cell phones and group formation in Kenya and the Philippines

This thesis proposes a way to examine the form of connection between cell phone use and the formation of groups that demonstrate for political change in developing countries. It uses two political events---the People Power II demonstration in Manila, Philippines in 2001, and the national election in Kenya in 2002---as case studies to test a framework that draws from articulation theory and actor-network theory, informed by a history of development communication.

People in developing countries have been fast adopters of cell phone technology. Popular media reports describe people's use of the cell phone as an instrument for the organization of potent political resistance in the digital age. The paper strives to ground assumptions of the "power of texting" in a robust examination of the factors that lead to the formation of social groups.

The thesis argues that cell phone network coverage maps are useful tools in the study of social and cultural phenomenon. These maps may be read as zones of political power, enabling those with access to the technology to promote their political agenda, while those without access may be disadvantaged.