Idioms of polymediated practices and the techno-social accomplishment of co-presence in transnational families

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 828-850
Author(s):  
Heike Monika Greschke
Keyword(s):  
Transnational Migration ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Transnational Families ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
Theoretical Assumptions ◽  
Media Channels

Abstract Drawing on data from a comparative ethnographic study on media usage in transnational families this paper contributes to a reappraisal of polymedia theory. Two main theoretical assumptions are reconsidered. First, it is demonstrated why the equal availability assumption has to be revised in light of the complex interactions between the corporeal, communicative and social mobilities which together constitute transnational migration. Second, it is argued that the techno-socially accomplished co-presence in transnational families depends more on the creative appropriation and combination of different media channels and communication forms than on the choice between them. In order to empirically investigate the specific needs for, and forms of co-presence in families, the concept of ‘registers of presence’ is proposed. It allows us to understand in detail in what ways and in which constellations transnational families create togetherness with the help of communication technologies.

Social support, well-being and involvement of fathers in transnational families in the Philippines

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 492-510
Author(s):  
Melissa Garabiles
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Spousal Support ◽  
Paternal Involvement ◽  
Transnational Migration ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Transnational Families ◽  
Left Behind

This study investigated left-behind Filipino fathers and their involvement as child caregivers. It hypothesized that social support and well-being predict paternal involvement, with well-being as the mediator. Results showed that familial and peer support predicted involvement, with well-being as mediator. Spousal support did not predict involvement or well-being. Findings highlight the importance of familial and peer support to left-behind fathers. Interactions between significant predictors of involvement present novel pathways to childcare. The non-significant role of spousal support is discussed in the context of transnational migration. Several interventions involving families and peers are suggested.

scholarly journals Pregnancy-Related Information Seeking and Sharing in the Social Media Era Among Expectant Mothers: Qualitative Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengyan Zhu ◽  
Runxi Zeng ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Richard Evans ◽  
Rongrong He
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Chinese Culture ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Expectant Mothers ◽  
Media Channels ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND Social media has become the most popular communication tool used by Chinese citizens, including expectant mothers. An increasing number of women have adopted various forms of social media channels, such as interactive websites, instant messaging, and mobile apps, to solve problems and obtain answers to queries during pregnancy. Although the use of the internet by pregnant women has been studied extensively worldwide, limited research exists that explores the changing social media usage habits in China, where the 1 child policy ended in 2015. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to (1) present the status quo of pregnancy-related information seeking and sharing via social media among Chinese expectant mothers, (2) reveal the impact of social media usage, and (3) shed light on pregnancy-related health services delivered via social media channels. METHODS A qualitative approach was employed to examine social media usage and its consequences on pregnant women. A total of 20 women who had conceived and were at various stages of pregnancy were interviewed from July 20 to August 10, 2017. Thematic analysis was conducted on the collected data to identify patterns in usage. RESULTS Overall, 80% (16/20) of participants were aged in their 20s (mean 28.5 years [SD 4.3]). All had used social media for pregnancy-related purposes. For the seeking behavior, 18 codes were merged into 4 themes, namely, gravida, fetus, delivery, and the postpartum period; whereas for sharing behaviors, 10 codes were merged into 4 themes, namely, gravida, fetus, delivery, and caretaker. Lurking, small group sharing, bad news avoidance, and cross-checking were identified as the preferred patterns for using social media. Overall, 95% (19/20) of participants reported a positive mental impact from using social media during their pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS It is indisputable that social media has played an increasingly important role in supporting expectant mothers in China. The specific seeking and sharing patterns identified in this study indicate that the general quality of pregnancy-related information on social media, as well as Chinese culture toward pregnancy, is improving. The new themes that merge in pregnancy-related social media use represent a shift toward safe pregnancy and the promotion of a more enjoyable pregnancy. Future prenatal care should provide further information on services related to being comfortable during pregnancy and reducing the inequality of social media–based services caused by the digital divide.

Relationship between Social Media and Political Parties

2014 ◽  
pp. 1-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamil Demirhan
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Social Actors ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Communicative Functions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Information And Communication

This chapter analyzes the capacity of social media usage and the social media strategies of political parties that became the members of Turkish Parliament after 2011 election. The social media usage increases in parallel to the improvements in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and it becomes an important tool with its communicative functions to realize activities in social, political, and economic fields. In the globalization process, developments in ICTs and changes in the meaning of democracy have been realized parallel to each other. Politics has become more open to interaction and the participation of different actors. ICTs have created new opportunities to interaction and participation of social actors. These improvements require transformations in the role and functions of political parties. They have to arrange their programs and structures according to participative understanding of democracy and new technologies. Social media usage is seen as a requirement for political parties and party leaders for adaptation to these developments, and it is also seen as a device with its potential for realizing participation, communication, and interaction to adapt to the changes in the understanding of politics.

Relationship between Social Media and Political Parties

2015 ◽  
pp. 1196-1225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamil Demirhan
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Social Actors ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Communicative Functions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Information And Communication

This chapter analyzes the capacity of social media usage and the social media strategies of political parties that became the members of Turkish Parliament after 2011 election. The social media usage increases in parallel to the improvements in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and it becomes an important tool with its communicative functions to realize activities in social, political, and economic fields. In the globalization process, developments in ICTs and changes in the meaning of democracy have been realized parallel to each other. Politics has become more open to interaction and the participation of different actors. ICTs have created new opportunities to interaction and participation of social actors. These improvements require transformations in the role and functions of political parties. They have to arrange their programs and structures according to participative understanding of democracy and new technologies. Social media usage is seen as a requirement for political parties and party leaders for adaptation to these developments, and it is also seen as a device with its potential for realizing participation, communication, and interaction to adapt to the changes in the understanding of politics.

‘Everybody needs friends’: Emotions, social networks and digital media in the friendships of international students

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 674-691
Author(s):  
Jolynna Sinanan ◽  
Catherine Gomes
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Transnational Migration ◽  
Transnational Families ◽  
Cultural Perspectives ◽  
Kin Relations ◽  
Perspective Drawing ◽  
Emotional Aspects ◽  
Networks Of Support

The importance of kin relations and neighbourhoods has received considerable attention in research on transnational migration. Further, research in transnational families and digital media highlights the strategies for maintaining family relationships By contrast, research on friendship is currently limited and, more so, the centrality of the emotional aspects of friendships as intimacy as well as networks of support has received less attention, particularly from a culturally comparative perspective. Drawing on qualitative research in Melbourne ( n = 59) and Singapore ( n = 61), this article examines the ways in which international students invest in developing friendships with other international students based on shared circumstances in the cities in which they are living and studying. The article contributes to fields of literature in transnational migration and cross-cultural perspectives towards friendship and argues that the kinds of friendship forged by the experiences of international students are significant for capturing an aspect of the diversity of migrant relationships.

Floating narratives: transnational families and digital storytelling

2018 ◽  
pp. 201-218
Author(s):  
Catalina Arango Patiño
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Digital Storytelling ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Transnational Families ◽  
Family Storytelling ◽  
Migrant Families ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Technological Affordances

This chapter examines the effects of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on storytelling as a practice of communication among transnational families. It describes three technological affordances that are linked to digital storytelling practices of six Colombian migrant families residing in Montreal, Canada: presence, interactivity, and multimodality. After providing an overview of the methodological approach employed in the research study and the techniques used to collect and analyse the data, the chapter discusses the findings with regard to the views of the participant families about the dynamics of their post-migration storytelling experiences. More specifically, it considers the Colombian families' perspectives about being present during their digital interactions. An important finding is that digital mediation seems to be altering family storytelling. For some families, ICTs catalyse storytelling in situations where presence and multimodality take place; for others, ICTs constrain family storytelling when the illusion of nonmediation is not experienced.

Family and Family-Like Relations for Transnational Migrants: Ideals of Care Informed by Kin, Non-Family, and Religion

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 344-362
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Bingham Thomas ◽  
Carolyn Smith-Morris
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Family Formation ◽  
Family Care ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Transnational Families ◽  
Church Members ◽  
Transnational Family ◽  
Transnational Migrants ◽  
Care Relationships ◽  
The U.S

Studies of transnational family formation and care relationships suggest that, while family forms and care values are idealized, they are also negotiated, enacted, and fluid constructs. Strategies of resilience and mechanisms of flexible care achieved by transnational families are fine-tuned under multiple influences. Among these influences are well-known sources such as social networks, as well as less well-understood sources such as religious teachings. We report findings of a 4-month, ethnographic study among Latinx immigrants to the U.S. whose ( n = 14) narratives of family “care” reflect their ideals and simultaneously work to linguistically produce role continuity. Thematic results address three key strategies for achieving this continuity: (1) valuations of flexibility; (2) family-like care by non-family and church members; and (3) commitments to and reliance on new networks, particularly through church relations. We conclude by suggesting how family-like care, such as that from church relations, informs the flexible relational obligations, resources, resiliencies, and values of transnational migrants.

scholarly journals THE IMPACTS OF FIRM CHARACTERISTICS ON SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE OF SMEs: EVIDENCE FROM THE CZECH REPUBLIC

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-113
Author(s):  
Jan Žufan ◽  
Mehmet Civelek ◽  
Iveta Hamarneh ◽  
Ľubomír Kmeco
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Lower Amount ◽  
Firm Characteristics ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Statistical Program ◽  
Media Channels ◽  
The Cost

Comparing to larger businesses, SMEs face more barriers in their marketing operations since they have a lower amount of financial resources and assets. But the emergence of social media platforms has provided many chances for them to overcome these barriers by enabling them to do marketing and promotion activities. Although these social media channels are easy to access by each of their users, awareness, perceptions, capabilities of SMEs might differ when using these platforms. In this regard, this research aims to analyze and find out whether social media usage differs among SMEs regarding their age and size.  In parallel with this purpose, the researchers used an online questionnaire to collect data from 454 Czech SMEs. These SMEs were selected by applying a random sampling method and then an online questionnaire was directed to the respondents who were owners and managers of these enterprises. To analyze the data, the researchers performed an Independent T-test in SPSS statistical program. According to the results, social media usage does not differ between smaller-larger and younger-older SMEs. The reasons for these similarities among SMEs might stem from the industry that they operate, the cost of social media usage, and the age of younger firms’ executives. Nonexistence of the differences among analyzed Czech SMEs makes this paper differ from other studies. Some policy implementations are also offered by the researchers to increase awareness, skills, and usage of social media platforms by SMEs.

Skype Mothers and Facebook Children

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Francisco-Menchavez
Keyword(s):  
Family Members ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Patterns Of Care ◽  
Care Work ◽  
Transnational Families ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Transnational Family ◽  
Technological Platforms

Chapter two examines care work and intimacy between transnational family members shaped by the advancement in communication technologies, specifically, Skype and Facebook. New care providers, patterns of care work and forms of care emerge through these particular technological platforms. Although, technology brings new possibilities of supporting relationships over long distances, it also sometimes hinders relationships through its “all seeing eye” character. Transnational family members are impressive in their ability to stay connected through technology and yet, these strategies are only possible in fact because they are necessary in a world where families are forced to be separated to sustain their livelihoods. The chapter examines multidirectional care through technology’s role in transforming the relationships in transnational families and, importantly, assessing that possibilities and challenges of this development of care under the neoliberal condition they are transformed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document