Information seeking and communication during forced migration: An empirical analysis of refugees’ digital media use and its effects on their perceptions of Germany as their target country

Martin Emmer,Carola Richter,Marlene Kunst

doi:10.1177/1742766520921905

Martin Emmer, Carola Richter + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/1742766520921905

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Abstract

There is a common perception that ‘every refugee carries a smartphone’, but research on this phenomenon is limited. We conducted a representative survey of 400 refugees to Germany which provides insight into their use of digital media in preparation for and during forced migration. We also asked whether digital media shaped images of and expectations about the refugees’ target country Germany. The data show that refugees are not a homogeneous group and that usage patterns depend on regional origins. Internet use also contributed to a positively biased perception of Germany, but the effect of traditional media use was stronger.

Highlights

In 2015, Europe became the target destination for more than a million refugees fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria and Iraq (Eurostat, 2017; UNHCR, 2017)
Through a survey of a representative sample of refugees who arrived in Germany in late 2015 and early 2016, this study provides answers to fundamental questions about media use during such exceptional circumstances: Which particular digital services do the refugees turn to? How important are mobile phones compared with other sources of information? Do refugees look for the experiences of other refugees in social media, and do they share their own? we assume that digital communication technologies serve as vital information sources in advance of their departure
We found that refugees are not a homogeneous group, but that communication behaviour is partly dependent on regional backgrounds

Summary

Introduction

In 2015, Europe became the target destination for more than a million refugees fleeing war-torn countries such as Syria and Iraq (Eurostat, 2017; UNHCR, 2017). In news articles, refugees explained how valuable smartphones had been during their journey as a compass in transit (Haverkus and Schmitt, 2015) or after they had arrived at their destination country as ‘a link to an old life’ (Worley, 2016). Even though many journalists have shown interest in this rather new and multifaceted phenomenon, only a few scholars have approached the issue from a scientific perspective. Against this backdrop, this study contributes to filling the academic gap by highlighting the role digital media played in the recent refugee movements to Europe

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