If you are a foreigner in a foreign country, you stick together’: Technologically mediated communication and acculturation of migrant students | Culture and communication in digital worlds

Author(s): Sun S. Lim, Becky Pham

Year of publication: 2016

Keywords: Acculturation, Discrimination, Intercultural communicative competence, Media deprivation, Migrants

Methodology/Sample: Multimethods (diary, interviews)/60 students

Reference: Lim, S. S., & Pham, B. (2016). ‘If you are a foreigner in a foreign country, you stick together’: technologically mediated communication and acculturation of migrant students. New Media & Society, 18(10), 2171-2188. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444816655612

Abstract

As migrant students cope with relocation challenges, communication with left-behind family and friends can enhance their well-being, while interactions with co-national and local students can facilitate their acculturation to the host country. This article studies Indonesian and Vietnamese university students in Singapore to understand the role that technologically mediated communication plays in facilitating migrant students’ adaptation and acculturation. Through a media deprivation exercise, it finds that communication with left-behind family and friends offers support but can monopolise the students’ free time and impede their interaction with locals. Social media communication also exacerbates the development of cultural silos that comprise only co-nationals. On the positive side, migrant students used the online realm as an acculturative space to better understand the host country’s attitudes towards foreigners, thereby better equipping them for interactions with locals. Migrant students must strike a balance between exploiting mediated communication links to their home identities and exploring host cultures.

> Summary

The paper examines how communication with left-behind family and friends enhances migrant students’ well-being during relocation challenges.
It highlights the role of social media in facilitating adaptation and acculturation for Indonesian and Vietnamese students in Singapore.
The study finds that while communication offers support, it can also hinder interactions with local communities.
It emphasizes the need for a balance between maintaining home connections and engaging with host cultures.
The research suggests improvements for university orientation programs to better support migrant students’ acculturation efforts.

> Problem statement

The paper discusses the challenges migrant students face in adapting to potentially hostile environments while pursuing education abroad.
It highlights the impact of communication with family on students’ well-being and adaptation processes.
The study addresses the issue of cultural silos formed by migrant students primarily interacting with co-nationals.
It emphasizes the need for better orientation programs to support migrant students’ acculturation efforts.
The paper notes that rising xenophobia complicates the integration of migrant students into local communities.

> Methods used

The study involved 60 undergraduate migrant students from Indonesia and Vietnam at a Singapore university.
Participants were recruited via Facebook, mobile phone, and email.
A multi-method approach included media diaries, deprivation exercises, and semi-structured interviews.
Participants completed media diaries for two weeks, documenting their ICT use.
A media deprivation exercise required participants to cease all ICT communication for one week.
Focus groups with Indonesian and Vietnamese students further explored their social networks and acculturation.
Interviews lasted 20 to 60 minutes, conducted in English or Vietnamese.
Thematic analysis was performed using NVivo to identify dominant themes.
The study aimed to understand the role of mediated communication in migrant students’ adaptation.

> Practical implications

The findings suggest that university orientation programs should consider the role of technologically mediated communication for migrant students’ well-being.
A systematic review of existing programs is recommended to ensure students are informed about communication impacts on their adaptation.
Left-behind family and friends should moderate interactions to support students’ acclimatization to the host country.
Understanding migrant students’ unique circumstances can enhance orientation and mentorship programs, aiding their acculturation efforts.
The study highlights the need for strategic use of communication tools to balance home connections and local interactions.