Abstract
Focusing on migrant social networks, this paper draws upon the sociology of time to incorporate complex notions of temporality into the research process. In so doing, we consider firstly, the challenge of going ‘beyond the snapshot’ in data collection to capture dynamism through time. Secondly, we apply the concepts of timescapes to explore ways of addressing the wider context and the interplay between spatiality, temporality and relationality in migration research. We argue that integrating a mixed methods approach to SNA, crucially including visualisation, can provide a useful methodological and analytical framework to understand dynamics.SNA can also be helpful in bridging the personal and structural dimensions in migration research, by providing a meso level of analysis. However, it is also important to connect the investigation of local and transnational networks with an analysis of the broader social, economic and political contexts in which these take shape; in other words, connecting the micro and the meso with the wider macro level. Drawing upon reflections from our migration research studies, we argue that different combinations of quantitative, qualitative and visual methods do not just provide richer sets of data and insights, but can allow us to better connect conceptualisations – and ontologies – of social networks with specific methodological frameworks.
Highlights
Migrants are constantly building new ties in new places as well as negotiating existing long distance ties (Lubbers et al, 2010; Bilecen and Sienkiewicz, 2015)
In our own research (D’Angelo and Ryan, 2015, Tubaro et al, forthcoming), we found that a mixed methods approach to SNA can be helpful in addressing temporality
In her comprehensive review of ‘Mixed Method Approaches to Social Network Analysis’, Edwards (2010) argues that SNA represents a specific opportunity to mix methods because
Summary
Migrants are constantly building new ties in new places as well as negotiating existing long distance ties (Lubbers et al, 2010; Bilecen and Sienkiewicz, 2015). Adam’s approach strikes us as appropriate for analysing migration processes and migrants’ social lives, allowing researchers to bring together the global social, political and economic drivers of migration (macro), the lived experiences and actions of individual migrants (micro), and the societal and community contexts and dynamics where migration takes place (meso). The interconnections between these levels allow us to understand change and the factors driving change; as well as how the passing of time is experienced, internalised and presented by migrants and migrant groups. The section discusses the challenges and – at the same time – the importance of incorporating temporality when analysing social networks, and migrants’ networks
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