One might assume that migrants stand a better chance of integrating into their host society if they immerse themselves in it fully.  Research from the University of Gothenburg begs to differ, however, and shows that migrants in Iceland integrated more effectively when they had access to digital communication tools that allowed them both to stay in contact with their homeland and also engage with Icelandic media.

This does have a caveat, however, as the integration appears to be limited to online, with offline activities showing less integration.  Digital tools have made it easier for all of us to maintain bonds with various people and communities, and this is certainly no different for migrants.  The authors believe that these tools have fundamentally changed the migrant experience, however.

“This study is important because increasing use of social and other media have changed migration experiences. We show that migrants can be integrated in local online communities, even when they are less involved in terms of offline activities. This has implications for our understanding of how digital connectivity shapes migrants’ experiences of integration in the receiving society,” they explain.

Successful integration

The study finds that migrants are generally pretty satisfied with their lives in Iceland, with social media generally playing a helpful role in their integration and overall experience of life in the country.  For instance, it reveals that migrants who are regularly in online contact with their homeland were especially connected to the media and of Iceland and participate more in online activities.

This doesn’t seem to translate into offline integration, however, as migrants were found to be less likely to participate in clubs or be invited into the homes of Icelanders.  It’s a case of something the researchers refer to as “digital biculturalism.”

“This has implications for policy-making because it shows that digital communities are an important area of integration,” the researchers explain. “They can thus be used to reach out to new inhabitants of foreign origin.”

It is nonetheless important for policymakers to distinguish between offline and online integration.  There were also differences in the use of media by gender, with women far more likely to be in contact with their homeland via social media, but also less likely to consume news and current affairs content from there.

“The gender aspect can be explained by different preferences for media use or different types of migration, with men being more likely to move for work and women for family reasons,” the authors conclude.