Building Virtual Bridges to Home: The Use of the Internet by Transnational Communities of Immigrants

Abstract

For decades transnational communities of immigrants have used various forms of communication to maintain ties with their places of origin. Transnational communities of immigrants are creating and enhancing virtual spaces for (re)creating and maintaining a SOC across national borders. This paper explores the concept of sense of virtual community in transnational groups of immigrants. We review research from different disciplines to understand how the Internet is shaping the ability of dispersed national groups to create, preserve and extend their SOC in virtual spaces. The theory of SOC applied to virtual communities provides the frame of reference in which this phenomenon is analysed. Based on our analysis of the literature we argue that the unique characteristics of communities of immigrants - such as shared histories, cultural values, experiences, common country of origin, and offline interaction - shape the nature and dynamics of their interactions online. Social, political and economic implications of the offline/online interaction are also addressed for the host and home society.

Keywords: Transnational communities, virtual communities, Internet, sense of community