“As the distances are getting closer, our hearts are moving farther”:  the Sociological Implications of Transnational ICTs use on the  Socio-Cultural Integration of Immigrants

Aydemir Mücahit

doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007

Research Article

DOI :10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007 IUP :10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007 Full Text (PDF)

“As the distances are getting closer, our hearts are moving farther”: the Sociological Implications of Transnational ICTs use on the Socio-Cultural Integration of Immigrants

This paper examines the role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) on the process of sociocultural integration of immigrants into the receiving countries. By focussing particularly on the context of Turkish immigrants in the UK, it aims to answer the questions of how the increasing level of communication and contact has influence the socio-cultural integration into the local life in the UK. Through a qualitative conduct, this research found that the participants regard ICTs as the tools for creating social bridges with the members of different groups. However, interestingly enough, a salient emphasis among the participants argues that the online contact with the social ties in the homeland trivialises the significance of pre-migration social ties, which eventually leads to the lesser degree of online contact with the people in Turkey. Additionally, it is found that the participants are strategically consuming and re-producing the cultural codes of Turkey, and articulating their senses of belongings by referring to individualised reference points. It is clear out of the data that participants utilise ICTs for making everyday life easier and the majority are eager to use the up-to-date technology of ICTs in order to maximise the benefits in their lives. Overall, this research found an increasing level of individualism and particularism in terms of sociality, identity, cultural codes and re-formation of everyday life. Considering these findings, this research discusses that the concept of integration should be revisited and elucidated since it remains inadequate in understanding these multiple life trajectories. Furthermore, since the socio-cultural implications of immigrants’ ICTs use are characterised by the individuality, temporality and hybridity, further research of which focal points different contexts and social settings is encouraged.

Keywords: Socio-Cultural integration, Transnational communication, New media

DOI :10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007 IUP :10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007 Full Text (PDF)

“Mesafeler yakınlaştıkça kalplerimiz uzaklaşıyor”: Göçmenlerin Ulusaşırı Bilgi ve İletişim Teknolojileri Kullanımının Sosyo-Külterel Entegrasyonları Üzerine Etkileri

Mücahit Aydemir

Bu çalışma, bilgi ve iletişim teknolojilerinin göçmenlerin yerleştikleri ülkelere olan sosyo-kültürel entegrasyon süreci üzerindeki etkilerini araştırmaktadır. İngiltere’de yaşayan Türk göçmenler özelinde yoğunlaşan çalışma, göçmenlerin artarak devam eden ulus-aşırı iletişim ve irtibatlarının göç ettikleri ülkelerde yaşadıkları yerel hayata sosyo-kültürel entegrasyonu üzerinde nasıl bir etki oluşturacağı sorusunu cevaplamayı amaçlar. Niteliksel bir çalışma sonucunda katılımcıların bilgi ve iletişim teknolojilerini yeni sosyal bağlar kurmanın bir aracı olarak gördükleri bulunmuştur. Ancak, ilginç bir şekilde, katılımcılar arasında bilgi ve iletişim teknolojilerinin memleketlerindeki eski sosyal ilişkilerini önemsizleştirdiği ve bu yüzden Türkiye’deki sosyal çevreleri ile dijital münasebetin giderek azaldığı vurgusu yaygındır. Ayrıca katılımcıların stratejik bir biçimde Türk kültürel kodları ve ürünlerini tükettiği ve bunlar aracılığıyla daha bireyselleşmiş bir kimlik oluşturmak üzere referans kaynakları olarak kullandıkları görülmüştür. Katılımcılar açık bir şekilde bilgi ve iletişim teknolojilerini kendi gündelik hayatlarını kolaylaştırmak için kullandıklarını belirtmiş ve birçoğunun bu ihtiyaç doğrultusunda son teknoloji araçlara sahip olma konusunda istekli oldukları gözlemlenmiştir. Temelde, bu çalışma sosyalleşme, kimlik, kültürel kodlar ve gündelik yaşamın oluşturulması gibi konularda artan derece bir ‘bireyselleşme’ ve ‘tekilleşme’ bulmuştur. Bu sonuçlar göz önüne alındığında, bu tür ‘çoklu yaşam örgülerini’ karşılamada yetersiz kaldığı için, ‘entegrasyon’ konseptinin yeniden ele alınması ve açıklığa kavuşturulması gerektiği öne sürülmüştür. Dahası, göçmenlerin Bilgi ve İletişim Teknoloji kullanımını bireysellik, geçicilik ve melezlik içerdiği için odak noktası farklı bağlamlar ve toplumsal durumlar olan yeni araştırmaların olması gerektiği belirtilmiştir.

Keywords: Sosyo-Kültürel entegrasyon, Ulusötesi iletişim, Yeni medya

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APA

Aydemir, M. (2018). “As the distances are getting closer, our hearts are moving farther”: the Sociological Implications of Transnational ICTs use on the Socio-Cultural Integration of Immigrants. Journal of Social Policy Conferences, 0(75), 15-42. https://doi.org/10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007

AMA

Aydemir M. “As the distances are getting closer, our hearts are moving farther”: the Sociological Implications of Transnational ICTs use on the Socio-Cultural Integration of Immigrants. Journal of Social Policy Conferences. 2018;0(75):15-42. https://doi.org/10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007

ABNT

Aydemir, M. “As the distances are getting closer, our hearts are moving farther”: the Sociological Implications of Transnational ICTs use on the Socio-Cultural Integration of Immigrants. Journal of Social Policy Conferences, [Publisher Location], v. 0, n. 75, p. 15-42, 2018.

Chicago: Author-Date Style

Aydemir, Mücahit,. 2018. ““As the distances are getting closer, our hearts are moving farther”: the Sociological Implications of Transnational ICTs use on the Socio-Cultural Integration of Immigrants.” Journal of Social Policy Conferences 0, no. 75: 15-42. https://doi.org/10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007

Chicago: Humanities Style

Aydemir, Mücahit,. ““As the distances are getting closer, our hearts are moving farther”: the Sociological Implications of Transnational ICTs use on the Socio-Cultural Integration of Immigrants.” Journal of Social Policy Conferences 0, no. 75 (May. 2024): 15-42. https://doi.org/10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007

Harvard: Australian Style

Aydemir, M 2018, '“As the distances are getting closer, our hearts are moving farther”: the Sociological Implications of Transnational ICTs use on the Socio-Cultural Integration of Immigrants', Journal of Social Policy Conferences, vol. 0, no. 75, pp. 15-42, viewed 9 May. 2024, https://doi.org/10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007

Harvard: Author-Date Style

Aydemir, M. (2018) ‘“As the distances are getting closer, our hearts are moving farther”: the Sociological Implications of Transnational ICTs use on the Socio-Cultural Integration of Immigrants’, Journal of Social Policy Conferences, 0(75), pp. 15-42. https://doi.org/10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007 (9 May. 2024).

MLA

Aydemir, Mücahit,. ““As the distances are getting closer, our hearts are moving farther”: the Sociological Implications of Transnational ICTs use on the Socio-Cultural Integration of Immigrants.” Journal of Social Policy Conferences, vol. 0, no. 75, 2018, pp. 15-42. [Database Container], https://doi.org/10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007

Vancouver

Aydemir M. “As the distances are getting closer, our hearts are moving farther”: the Sociological Implications of Transnational ICTs use on the Socio-Cultural Integration of Immigrants. Journal of Social Policy Conferences [Internet]. 9 May. 2024 [cited 9 May. 2024];0(75):15-42. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007 doi: 10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007

ISNAD

Aydemir, Mücahit. ““As the distances are getting closer, our hearts are moving farther”: the Sociological Implications of Transnational ICTs use on the Socio-Cultural Integration of Immigrants”. Journal of Social Policy Conferences 0/75 (May. 2024): 15-42. https://doi.org/10.26650/jspc.2018.75.0007

Issue 752018, P. 15-42

TIMELINE

Submitted	25.07.2018
Accepted	10.09.2018
Published Online	28.12.2018

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