Migrants’ engagement with digital culture Active two-way use, Internet enthusiasm, digital dislike, and social media sociability

Abstract

This chapter examines migrants’ use of digital and information technologies to communicate and connect to the culture of their respective countries of origin and current residence. It specifically addresses migrants’ engagement with different forms of culture in the digital sphere and compares their habits to those of native-born citizens. Using a mixed-methods approach combining survey and interview data from multiple European countries, the chapter contributes a crucial cross-national perspective to the extant body of research and provides a comprehensive exploration of migrants’ digital cultural participation. Across different types of news media use and cultural participation investigated in an extensive international survey, migrants demonstrate active engagement – even more so than native-born citizens. Further analyses of qualitative interviews with migrants in four countries reveal that their use of digital media can be understood through four themes: active two-way (news) use, Internet enthusiasm, digital dislike, and social media sociability. Together with the survey data, these themes highlight opportunities and challenges migrants in Europe embrace and face when using digital technologies.