Language, networks, and virtual transnationalism: The case of Russian speakers from Estonia living in Finland

Abstract

Expanding globalization, widely spread information and communication technologies (ICT), and inexpensive transportation facilitate easy, fast, and necessary connections across borders. Many immigrants maintain transnational connections while gaining local exposure to the national social field. This article studies immigrants' language and social media uses in transnational and national networks.

How Social Media Affordances Mediate the Digital Diaspora: Latinx Perspectives

“…Many Latinx immigrants remain connected, in various ways, to their country of origin despite the economic and political strife they may have left behind. Vorobeva et al (2022) confirm that "immigrants use digital communication means to reconnect and maintain their former sociocultural networks in the countries of origin and to adjust to the current place of living" (p.…”

“…Many individuals report that connecting with family is a significant factor in their use of social media (Schelenz, 2023;Whiting & Williams, 2013). Similarly, Russian-speaking immigrants in Finland maintained connections with their homeland via social media (Khvorostianov et al, 2012;Mallapragada, 2006;Mitra, 2001;Vorobeva et al, 2022). Some scholars have termed this convergence of immigration and internet-facilitated communication the "digital diaspora" (Alonso & Oiarzabal, 2010;Gittinger, 2015;Ponzanesi, 2020).…”