How Refugees in South Africa Use Mobile Phones for Social Connectedness

Abstract

Background: Refugees find it difficult to integrate and assimilate in their host country because of a myriad of challenges. Mobile phones have become one of the main tools for promoting their wellbeing and supporting the integration of refugee communities on the margins of society. Mobile phones can contribute towards reducing isolation and loneliness, and assist in improving interpersonal relations and fostering processes of assimilation. The purpose of the research:The main objective of this study was to examine how the use of mobile phones by refugees in South Africa contributes to their social connectedness. To this end, the study discusses the role of mobile phones in the process of acculturation, in creating a sense of belonging, and in maintaining relationships.Design/methodology/approach: This research employed a qualitative method and an interpretivist epistemological perspective. A conceptual framework was developed on the basis of a literature review. Data was collected from semi-structured interviews and WhatsApp group chats, and analysed using thematic analysis. The interviewees comprised 27 refugees living in South Africa, and the WhatsApp group had 15 members. Findings:The findings demonstrate that the refugees face a multitude of obstacles, including language and culture barriers, the challenge of obtaining legal status, physical separation from their friends and family, and feelings of being judged, insecure, and excluded. Mobile phone usage offers refugees several benefits, especially through their affordances that include accessing information, pursuing economic and institutional opportunities, enabling communication, and developing linguistic and cultural knowledge of the host country. At the same time, mobile phones enable refugees to maintain connection with their country of origin. Refugees nevertheless considered it difficult to develop a sense of belonging through their use of mobile phones. Research contribution:This study adds to perspectives on utilising mobile phones to achieve social connectedness for two categories of refugees: newcomers and old-timers. The study contributes to theory by proposing a framework for understanding and analysing the relationship between social connectedness and mobile phones. The study contributes to knowledge through the investigative approach of using WhatsApp group chat to collect data. The findings can contribute to enabling non-profit organisations and UNHCR to develop strategies and processes for providing interventions for refugees.

Feminisation of Migration

“…Recent studies address issues concerning women-centric professions and livelihoods. For instance, the concerns related to women migrants' survival in the face of gender-based violence and their legal or illegal status in the host country have been addressed in studies by (Kwakwa et al 2021;Pande 2021;Vuningoma, Lorini, & Chigona 2021). Kwakwa et al (2021) argue that the political history of South Africa makes the country inhospitable to migrants.…”

The Design and Use of Digital Technologies in the Context of South–South Migration

“…There is an overwhelming focus in the literature on the positive aspects of mobile phone use in most acculturation studies, despite Aricat's (2015) warnings about the need to include analysis of their negative impacts. Mobile phone use is usually credited with helping migrants navigate new societies through the support of applications available for moving around, learning a language, understanding local cultures and customs, as well as for developing new social ties within the host society (Vuningoma et al, 2021). This can in turn enable migrants' acculturation strategies and the creation of a hybrid transnational space (Aricat et al, 2015).…”

“…The literature discusses the benefits associated with the possibilities offered by digital tech for sharing information, developing new skills, starting new business activities (Ritchie, 2022), finding jobs (Grant et al, 2013;Thomas & Lim, 2010) and developing income generation activities (Hussain & Lee, 2021). At the same time, studies point to systemic political and cultural biases in the host countries (Vuningoma et al, 2021) and the potential reinforcement or creation of social divisions through digital tech (Ritchie, 2022) as often restricting migrants from using digital technologies to seek out employment opportunities.…”

The effect of mobile‐assisted learning in real language attainment: A systematic review

“…Once settled however, newcomers face time‐consuming pressures to survive, such as finding and maintaining employment, which often prevents them from consistently attending on‐site language classes (Castrillo & Sedano, 2021; McLellan et al, 2021). Hence, MALL offers immigrants and refugees the opportunity to better learn the local language and may thus lead to quicker overall adjustment in the host country (Netto et al, 2022; Tanrıkulu, 2021; Tobin & Hieker, 2021; Vuningoma et al, 2021). Additionally, MALL is serving as a rapid learning method for foreign language learners with no immigration status.…”