Digital Games in Terms of Migrants' Transnational Relations and Social Cohesion: A Study on Turkish Immigrants

Abstract

For individuals, the migration process brings about significant changes, encompassing both physical and social dimensions. Immigrants, who are born and live far from their native land, tend to maintain their relations with their homeland while trying to adapt to the community to which they migrated. It is known that new technological phenomena, such as the Internet or social media, play an important role in aiding migrants both maintain their transnational relations with their homeland and adapt to their new communities. One of these new technological devices is digital gaming. While digital games are increasingly becoming a part of people's lives, very few studies have been conducted to understand migrants' experiences of digital games. This study focuses on understanding migrants' experience in playing digital games and examines the potential of digital games in promoting transnational relations and aiding social adaptation in their new countries. Employing qualitative methods, this study interviews 10 participants who are citizens of the Republic of Turkey. These participants have lived abroad for at least one year or are still living abroad and are keenly interested in digital games. The findings of this study show that digital games could help migrants both maintain social relations before migration and build new relations beyond borders, while also making their social adaptation easier.