African Literary Culture and the Archival Stakes of Social Media

Abstract

This article argues for rethinking how we assign value to social media as a source of literary knowledge, with a focus on African literature. Drawing from media studies, archival theory, and African literary studies, it shows how social media platforms have become key spaces where the public life of African literary culture unfolds. Yet because this content often appears informal and ephemeral, it is rarely recognized as a legitimate site of literary knowledge. The article challenges that view, arguing that digital content deserves critical and archival attention.