The Use of Online Media in Migration Networks. Issue 6 (21st May 2015)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- The Use of Online Media in Migration Networks. Issue 6 (21st May 2015)
- Main Title:
- The Use of Online Media in Migration Networks
- Authors:
- Dekker, Rianne
Engbersen, Godfried
Faber, Marije - Abstract:
- Abstract: The use of online media for transnational communication in migration networks may serve as a new source of social ties and information for prospective migrants. There is scholarly debate about the role of online media communication in supporting migration aspirations and decision‐making. This paper aims to offer some context to this debate by studying to what extent online media are used for transnational communication in migrant networks and how personal characteristics, availability of social network ties, and migration propensity are influencing the likelihood of non‐migrants' use of online media. We draw on data of migrants in four Western European destination countries (the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the UK) and non‐migrants in three origin countries (Brazil, Morocco, and Ukraine). Our results show that online media have indeed become fairly important channels of communication in migration networks. Online media use by non‐migrants is explained by age, level of education, and country of origin. Furthermore, the availability of migration network ties is relevant: Having more social ties leads to a higher likelihood of online media use. Online communication mostly takes place between existing social ties but may also concern establishing new 'latent' ties. Finally, we found that the use of online media to communicate with migrants in Western Europe is explained by the non‐migrants' migration propensity, indicating that online communication in migrationAbstract: The use of online media for transnational communication in migration networks may serve as a new source of social ties and information for prospective migrants. There is scholarly debate about the role of online media communication in supporting migration aspirations and decision‐making. This paper aims to offer some context to this debate by studying to what extent online media are used for transnational communication in migrant networks and how personal characteristics, availability of social network ties, and migration propensity are influencing the likelihood of non‐migrants' use of online media. We draw on data of migrants in four Western European destination countries (the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the UK) and non‐migrants in three origin countries (Brazil, Morocco, and Ukraine). Our results show that online media have indeed become fairly important channels of communication in migration networks. Online media use by non‐migrants is explained by age, level of education, and country of origin. Furthermore, the availability of migration network ties is relevant: Having more social ties leads to a higher likelihood of online media use. Online communication mostly takes place between existing social ties but may also concern establishing new 'latent' ties. Finally, we found that the use of online media to communicate with migrants in Western Europe is explained by the non‐migrants' migration propensity, indicating that online communication in migration networks is supporting migration aspirations and decision‐making. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. … (more)
- Is Part Of:
- Population space and place. Volume 22:Issue 6(2016)
- Journal:
- Population space and place
- Issue:
- Volume 22:Issue 6(2016)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 22, Issue 6 (2016)
- Year:
- 2016
- Volume:
- 22
- Issue:
- 6
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2016-0022-0006-0000
- Page Start:
- 539
- Page End:
- 551
- Publication Date:
- 2015-05-21
- Subjects:
- online media -- migration propensity -- non‐migrants -- international migration -- migration networks -- survey research
Population geography -- Periodicals
Population -- Periodicals
304.6 - Journal URLs:
- http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ ↗
- DOI:
- 10.1002/psp.1938 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 1544-8444
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 6552.830000
British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 16.xml