Information and Communication Technology and Ethnic Riots: Riots in Goalpara District of Assam, India

Abstract

The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a major trend in the contemporary world. Mishandling of social networking and social engineering could instigate and spread violence in decentralized regions. Social networking is widely used around the world in the process of election and for mobilizing people for social issues. ICT is also used for garnering support to a political party or to influence/misguide people in different aspects. In developing countries decentralized institutions are created to reduce inter-group conflict and to have efficient governance system. However, elections to the local bodies are accompanied by inter-group riots which are mostly mobilized by using ICT. The individual and elite level incentives attached to cultural identities can be an influence on group polarization, which may ultimately leads to the occurrence of election related riots. This article examines the relation between ICT and spread of ethnic riots. The empirical data with the help of interviews and qualitative tools is drawn from Goalpara district that witnessed inter-group riots on the day of election to the Panchayat Raj bodies in February 2013.