Diaspora
and Social Media
By
Jason O'Neill
Image
from: www.TechTimes.com
The term diaspora
literally means dispersal and was originally used to describe the
dispersal of Jewish people that started in 722 B.C (Ma Mung, 2005).
Since then diaspora has been used to describe the migration of people
from their country of origin (central pole) to their host country
(secondary pole).
As these people
migrate from their country of origin they are put in an unfamiliar
and foreign place, to make this space a place they construct their
own diasporic identities. These are maintained through narrative,
myth, community memorialising that map journeys from one place to
another in history (Kuttainen, 2015). Usually the migrants form small
social groups as they feel more familiar with one another. This
social organisation is essentially based on communalism (Ma Mung,
2005) enabling the diaspora to distinguish itself from its host
state.
As they have this
desire to return back to their ancestral homeland they stay connected
to the people residing in their homelands. These connections being
the exchange of money, information and even individuals. Social media
help maintain these connections by giving the migrants and their
friends and family back in the country of origin a means of
communication at just a push of a button. This allows for faster
means of transaction of information such as picture and videos. This
in turn helps maintain and construct new narratives and symbols of
community identity for these people no matter the distance.
Referencing:
Kuttainen,
V. (2015). BA1002: Our
space: networks, narratives and the making of place, Lecture 7:
people networks. [PowerPoint
slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au
Ma
Mung, E (2005). Disapora, spatiality, identities. Comparative
Eurpoean research in migration, diversity and identities.
(pp.33-48). Bilbao, Spain: University of Deusto
Image From:
McKalin, V. (2015).
Islamic State kicked from Twitter: Found social haven at Diaspora?
Retrieved from www.techtimes.com
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