HomeSocial networks and the dynamics of constructing/deconstructing social identities

Social networks and the dynamics of constructing/deconstructing social identities

Réseaux sociaux et dynamiques de construction / déconstruction des identités sociales

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Abstract

Français English

Identity issues are a pervasive concern in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the complexity and diversity of networks, including social networks, play a significant role in shaping and reshaping various forms of identity. The humanities and social sciences offer a critical framework for scholars to investigate the “weak ties” and “strong ties” generated by these networks, as well as the intersections and entanglements between social networks and the dynamics of identity construction and deconstruction in Cameroon.

Announcement

Français English

Coordination 

Argument

From a transdisciplinary perspective, this call for papers aims to examine, from the methodological and theoretical viewpoints of the humanities and social sciences, the multiform, multifaceted and transdisciplinary contributions, challenges and/or aporias of Social Networks in the construction/deconstruction of social realities. Need we remind you? A social network refers to a set of relationships between a group of organised actors (companies, associations, government departments, local authorities, etc.) or non-organised actors (a network of friends). The diversity of the nature of these relationships (power, networking, exchange of gifts, advice, etc.), specialised or not, symmetrical or not, gives meaning to the multiplicity of interactions and/or reciprocal actions between the members of the said social network.

According to Forsé M. (2008: 10-11), pioneering studies and research on social networks date back to the work of sociologist Georg Simmel (1908), Jacop Moreno (1934) and ethnologists Radcliffe Brown, Firth, Barnes (1954) and Bott (1971). These pioneering works were at the root of the major development in social network analysis that began in the 1970s. Several other works have subsequently marked out research on social networks in the world and in Cameroon (Wame B.: 2018; Chamtcheu B. and Ngoyon M. M.: 2022; Mballa E. E. and Omgba A. C. V.: 2023; Bios

N. C. and Mballa O. P. F.: 2023; Ondoua B. V. M. et al: 2024).

Whatever the disciplinary field in the human and social sciences, social networks involve the transmission-reception of information, communication, interaction and inter-relation between the members/elements of a given group/social network. Starting with Edgar Morin's (1995) postulate that information is power and gives power, social networks interfere in the "actors' games" (Crozier M. and Friedberg, 1977); the game of "power" (Foucault M., 1981, 2001); the "dominant-dominated" relationship (Balandier G., 1971); "cooperation" (...), "continuity/discontinuity"; etc. The triggering or resolution of certain "conflicts" or "crises" also stems from the role played by social networks.

Subthemes for reflection 

  • Subtheme 1:  Social networks in public policy
  • Subtheme 2: Education, teaching and social networks
  • Subtheme 3: Social networks and social dynamics
  • Subtheme 4: Digital Social Networks (DSNs) in the configuration and reconfiguration of society
  • Subtheme 5: Social networks and national and international cooperation
  • Subtheme 6: Social networks and development issues
  • Subtheme 7: Identity issues and social networks
  • Subtheme 8: Gender and social networks
  • Subtheme 9  Religion and networks
  • Subtheme 10:National and international public/private organisations and social networks
  • Subtheme 11: Migration and social networks  

 

Guidelines for writing chapters

Proposals for chapters to be sent for double-blind evaluation must meet the following conditions:

1.  The work must be unpublished and not have been submitted for publication elsewhere

2.  The title of the chapter, no more than 25 words, size 14, line spacing 1, centred, bold, with the first letter only in upper case and the rest in lower case.

3.  Enter the first name(s) and surname(s) of the author(s) (in bold, size 12), followed by his/her/their institution(s) of affiliation and the e-mail address of the principal author (size 10) with capitals at the beginning of the sentence only.

4.  All chapters must be preceded by a 200-word abstract in French and English, followed by 3 to 5 keywords in small type.

5.  The body of the text must be entered in a Word file. The font is Times New Roman, size 12, 1pt line spacing, 2.5pt margins.

6.  Chapters should be between 10 and 15 pages long, including bibliography and footnotes, preferably with no more than two authors, except for chapters resulting from team research projects.

7.  All paragraphs (bold headings, small type) should be distinct, with a single space. Segmentation into 2 or even 3 levels of headings is sufficient. Arabic numerals must be used.

8.  Words or expressions that the author wishes to emphasise should be placed in inverted commas or italics. Underlining, bolding and capitalisation will not be used under any circumstances in bibliographical references, even for proper nouns, except for the initial capital of the name.

9.  References in the body of the text should comply with APA 7 standards. Quotations should respect copyright. Long citations should be highlighted with indentation. Bibliographical references at the end of the chapter should refer only to publications cited in the article and should be arranged alphabetically and chronologically.

10. Authors must ensure that their articles are proofread to correct grammatical and semantic inconsistencies before submission.

11. Once the chapter has been accepted or accepted subject to modification subject to modifications, its author is requested to make the corrections requested by the 2 assessors and the editorial committee as soon as possible. Chapters returned will undergo a final conformity assessment.

12. To be eligible for assessment, all chapters must comply with the 11 points above.

Submission guidelines

Languages: English or French

Proposals for papers should be sent to the following e-mail address: dynamicresearchers1@gmail.com

Call publication date: 7th March 2025

Deadline for submitting abstract proposals: 2nd May 2025

Abstract returned to authors: 2nd June 2025

Deadline for submission of the written version of the chapter: 23rd July 2025

Article returned to authors: 24th September 2025

Deadline for submission of the final written version of the chapter: 29th November 2025

Publication date: 31st  January 2026

Scientific committee for the Publication of Dynamic Researchers

1. Prof ATENGA Thomas. UDo

2. Prof MBAHA Pascal. UDo

3. Prof MONDOUE Roger. UDo

4. Prof NJIKAM Salvage. UDo

5. Prof Brenda Nachuah LAWYER. UDo

6. Prof NGO NLEND Nadeige Laure. UDo

7. Prof MESSINA Ernest. UDo

8. Prof FASSE Innocent Mbuoya. UDo

9. Prof MELINGI AYISSI Norbert Aime. UDo

10. Prof NDJOCK NYOBE Pascal. UDo

11. Prof Esther CHE. UBa

12. Prof BOTETEME Munet. UDo

13. Prof FOMBELE Eunice. UB

14. Prof WOGAIN Jeannette. UDo

15. Prof NZOGUE Jean Baptiste. UDo

16. Prof MODIKA Johnson. UDo

17. Prof ANAFAK LEMOFAK Japhet. UY1

Reading committee 

  • Pr Ngo Nlend Nadeige ;
  • Pr Ndjock Isidore Pascal ;
  • Pr Mballa Elanga Edmond VII ;
  • Pr LUM Mary Louisa ;
  • Dr Temadjo Jacques ;
  • Dr Souleymanou Amadou ;
  • Dr Assipolo ;
  • Dr Dimbo Jean-Baptiste ;
  • Dr Kemegne Simo Léa Lili
  • Dr Njomou Yonke Arlette Francine ;
  • Dr Yembi John ;
  • Dr Palai Gertrude

Members of Dynamic Researchers

1. Pr Brenda Nachuah LAWYER

2. Pr FASSE Innocent

3. Pr NGO NLEND Nadeige

4. Pr MESSINA Mvogo Ernest

5. Pr MELINGUI AYISSI Norbert Aime

6. Pr  NDJOCK Isidore Pascal

7. Pr MBALLA ELANGA Edmond VII

8. Pr LUM Mary Louisa

9. Dr TEMADJO Jacques

10. Dr DIMBO Jean-Baptiste

11. Dr SOULEYMANOU Amadou

12. Dr KEMEGNE SIMO Léa Lili

13. Dr NJOMOU YONKE Arlette Francine

14. Dr YEMBI John

15. Dr PALAI Gertrude

References

Appel L., Boulanger H. & Massou L. (2010). Les dispositifs d'information et de communication. Brussels, Éditions De Boeck Université.

Baba W. (2005). "Internet au Cameroun: les usages et les usagers. Essai sur l'adoption des Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication dans un pays en voie de développement". Thesis presented and publicly defended, under the supervision of Francis Balle, University of Paris II 5Panth2on-Assas).

Bertrand J. P. (1996). La transdisciplinarité. Manifesto. Monaco, Éditions du Rocher, Collection " Transdiciplinarité ", Basarab Nicolescu.

Balandier G. (1971). Sens et puissance. Paris, PUF.

Bios N. C. and Mballa O. P. F. (2023). Les nouvelles dynamiques de mobilisation au Cameroun à l'ère du numérique : l'expérience des mouvements OTS et Mode avion. In Communication technologies et développement, October.

Berger P. and Luckmann (1966; 2018). The social construction of reality, Paris, Armand Colin.

Chamtcheu B. and Ngoyon M. M. (2022). Réseaux Sociaux Numériques et politique. Quelques considérations sur le contexte camerounais à l'épreuve de facebook. In Fréquence Sud N° 24-25 (2019), pp. 237-253.

Crozier, M., Friedberg, E. (1977). The actor and the system. Les contraintes de l'action collective, Paris, Le Seuil, 508 pages.

Forsé M. (2008). Defining and analysing networks. In Informations sociales n° 147, pp. 10-19.

Foucault M. (1981). L'archéologie du savoir. Paris, Gallimard.

Foucault M. (1981), L'ordre du discours. Leçon inaugurale au collège de France, delivered on 2 December 1970 in Paris, Paris, Gallimard.

Foucault M. (1977), "Le jeu de Michel Foucault" (interview with D. Colas, A. Grosrichard, Le Fraufey, J. Livi, G. Miller, J.-A. Miller, C, Millot, G. Wajeman), Ornicar ?, Bulletin Périodique du champ freudien, n° 10, July 1977, 1977, pp. 62-93.

Goffman, E. (1973). The staging of everyday life. 1. La présentation de soi. Paris, Les Éditions de Minuit and Erving Goffman, translated from the English The presentation of self in erveryday life, by Alain Accardo.

Mballa E. E. VII and Omgba A. C. V. (2023), 'Être activiste à l'ère du numérique au Cameroun : entre logiques de visibilisation des causes sociales, luttes de visibilité de soi et stratégies d'accumulation', in Communication, technologies et développement [Online], 13/2023, online since 20 October 2023, accessed 27 November 2023.

Morin, E. (1991). The Method 4: Ideas. Leur habitat, leur vie, leurs mœurs, leur organisation. Paris, Le Seuil.

Ondoua B. V. M. et al (2024). Influenceur et influenceuse, une position socionumérique en débat. RICA Collection, Volume 1 and 2.

Thomas A. & Madiba G. (Dir) (2012). Communication in Cameroon. Les objets, les pratiques. Paris, Edition Les archives contemporaines.

Places

  • Faculté des Lettres et Sciences Humaines, Université de Douala
    Douala, Cameroon (+237)

Keywords

  • réseau social, dynamique, construction, déconstruction, identité sociale

Contact(s)

  • Amadou SOULEYMANOU
    courriel : souleymanou [dot] amadou [at] gmail [dot] com
  • LAWYER Brenda Nachuah
    courriel : bdiangha [at] gmail [dot] com

License

CC0-1.0 This announcement is licensed under the terms of Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal.

To cite this announcement

« Social networks and the dynamics of constructing/deconstructing social identities », Call for papers, Calenda, Published on Wednesday, April 02, 2025, https://doi.org/10.58079/13mo9

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