Saudi Ph.D. Sojourners’ Construction of Identities on Twitter: An Online-Ethnographic Study in the United Kingdom

Abstract

This paper reports on a descriptive, inductive study that aimed to contribute to the knowledge of the creation of online identities among international students. It draws on online ethnographic observation of Saudi Ph.D. sojourners in the U.K. on Twitter, one of the most popular social media platforms, from May 2019 to January 2020, followed by Twitter interviews. Social media platforms have become part and parcel of the daily lives of many people. For international students, such platforms are perhaps even more essential as they are used for educational and social purposes, as well as staying in contact with family and friends at home. The study addresses three questions examining the identities Saudi Ph.D. students construct on Twitter and how and when. Previous studies of international students have focused mainly on the pedagogical use of technology or intercultural competence. This research explores how, when, and why the participants constructed and developed their different identities on Twitter. Thematic analysis of the data was employed, informed by the grounded theory approach. The findings showed that the development of identities on Twitter is complex. The participants constructed various identities comprising many dimensions and involving complex perceptions of capital, power, and social identity. The construction of their identities entailed idioms of practice, using linguistic and non-linguistic cues, and forming communities of practice through audience design.