Afghan Diaspora in the Digital Age: A Grounded Theory
Transnational studies and the term transnational diaspora offer new insight into the interrelation between a specific minority ethnic group and the Internet. By focusing on Afghan refugees, this thesis investigates how the Internet shapes their behaviour both during the migration journey and upon arrival in the destination country, the United Kingdom. Although the engagement with the Internet was examined only after the accommodation in the host country, three causes of cyberspace isolation throughout a migration journey were investigated: financial issues, limited access, and unplanned migration. This research contributes to the existing literature by arguing that the occurrence of immoral content on social media has played a crucial role in the utilisation of the Internet and that the motivation of having a modern lifestyle weakens the potent cultural bond. A qualitative approach was adopted, using the constructivist grounded theory methodology to explore Afghan refugees’ experiences with the Internet and generating a model of Internet factors shaping refugees’ behaviour based on participant’s accounts. Fifteen interviews were conducted with refugees in London and two virtual interviews were conducted with organisational representatives. The model developed three theoretical codes: utilisation of the Internet, moral uncertainty, and behavioural factors. This study developed a substantive theory contributing to diaspora and transnational studies.
