Understanding Digital Diaspora as Cognitive Social Media: Necessity of Big Data Analytics for Peace and Harmony

Abstract

The chapter presents a review of research work in Diaspora and Digital Diaspora. In the chapter, Diaspora is defined as forced migration of the mass from their homeland to the other county and expatriate experiences. The hypothesis of the chapter is that diaspora experience is often traumatic, violent, and cognitively affected by an intense feeling of isolation of the individuals, and to avoid the bitter or inhuman consequences to human society, the sufferers have developed Web 2.0- based platforms called rostrum of digital diaspora where possibilities of expression provide a sense of belongingness to nostalgic and homeless immigrants. The chapter delineates how digital platforms work as social media to help cure the diaspora or expatriate trauma. Hence, to such platforms, the authors call Digital Diaspora as Cognitive Social Media (DDCSM). To explore the concept of digital diaspora, the chapter provides focuses on the basic concepts of diaspora, its singularity, the meaning of diaspora, and diaspora experiences based on the textual illustrations of global diaspora and expatriate literary writings, and how the big dataset of diaspora experiences available in cyberworld work effectively to bring peace and harmony in a global society. Hence, the chapter ends with implications and research questions of whether Big Data Analytics is required for mass-peace and harmony through its viable utilization, i.e., diaspora network analysis. The chapter illustrates the Big Data Analysis of Afghanistan Online and Somalinet which are two social media platforms that have the potential to change and upgrade the bent of minds of people.