Parallel Worlds? Information warfare in the Sahel

Date: 07 April
Time: 17:00 - 18:15
Location: Amare

Please note: this is a Dutch-language event.

Parallel Worlds? Information Warfare in the Sahel

April 7, 2026

Current Affairs Lecture on Conflicts in West and Central Africa
The violent conflicts in the Sahel, a region in West and Central Africa, are fought not only on the ground but also online. In many Sahel countries, military regimes that came to power through coups are struggling to control the growth of jihadists and criminal groups. An online information war is the response. That battle on digital platforms may not seem real, but it does influence what happens in reality. This is how an online information war is emerging in the Sahel.

In this current affairs lecture, Prof. Mirjam de Bruijn explains how social media is used as a political weapon. Images and messages create a kind of parallel, almost dystopian world, in which propaganda and contradictions define the narrative. It shows how information is a powerful instrument in conflicts today, both offline and online. Following her analysis, there will be ample opportunity for discussion and knowledge exchange with the audience, moderated by Michel Michaloliákos (Hague Institute GeopolitiekNu).

Current Affairs Lecture in The Hague: Parallel Worlds? Information Warfare in the Sahel
Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Time: 17:00-18:15 (doors open at 16:45)
Location: Amare, Spuiplein 150, The Hague
Language: Dutch
Admission: Free, no registration required

Mirjam de Bruijn is Professor of Contemporary History and Anthropology of Africa at Leiden University and the African Studies Centre Leiden. She is a highly sought-after expert in national and international media.

The Current Affairs Lecture in The Hague is a series of activities by LeidenGlobal, in collaboration with Studium Generale and the Hague Institute Geopolitieknu, and takes place in the Amare cultural center in The Hague. During these ‘lectures’, experts share concise background information on current topics related to specific regions and cultures. We then provide ample opportunity for questions from the audience and knowledge exchange. This Current Affairs Lecture was developed in collaboration with the African Studies Centre Leiden.