Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: McGregor, Elaine
Author-Email: mcgregor@merit.unu.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: UNU-MERIT / MGSoG
Author-Name: Siegel, Melissa
Author-Email: siegel@merit.unu.edu
Author-Workplace-Name: UNU-MERIT / MGSoG
Title: Social Media and Migration Research
Abstract: The use of internet technologies in daily life has risen dramatically in 
	 recent years, increasing researchers' interest in how social media such 
	 as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are changing social realities and 
	 potentially facilitating innovative research methodologies. As 
	 technology and migration are considered prominent drivers of the 
	 globalization processes, the increasing interest of migration 
	 researchers is unsurprising. Nevertheless, given the relative youth of 
	 research in this field, approaches to the topic differ. By taking a step 
	 back and viewing the literature from a wide range of disciplines, this 
	 paper provides a broad overview of the current state of research on 
	 migration and social media in four key areas: 1) the use of social media 
	 to trigger and facilitate migration in both positive (networks) and 
	 negative ways (human trafficking); 2) the role of social media and 
	 migrant integration; 3) the use of social media in diaspora engagement; 
	 and 4) the use of social media in conducting migration research. This 
	 paper adds to the literature by being the first systematic review of the 
	 topic.
Classification-JEL: F22, O15, O33, L86, L82, Q55
Keywords: Social Media, Migration Research, Social Networking Sites, Diaspora
	 Engagement, Integration, Facilitation of Migration
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 20131231
Number: 068
File-URL: http://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/wppdf/2013/wp2013-068.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2013068