A Hurricane Lamp in a Dark Night: Exploring Smartphone Use for Acculturation by Refugees

Abstract

Refugees arriving in Europe face numerous socio-cultural challenges towards being integrated members of their host society. While acculturation strategies and ICT use of refugees have been studied separately, we investigate refugees’ smartphone use for acculturation by conducting qualitative interviews with 30 refugees. We contribute five practices related to acculturation that express refugees’ intercultural exchange within the host society while preserving their original culture: seek information online; communicate with family and friends abroad; meet locals; meet peers and counteract boredom. Tied to these practices, we find the five consequences empowerment, connection to host society, distraction, sense of belonging and connection to origin, which give an account of the various acculturation issues and how refugees use smartphones in support thereof.