IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/teinso/v70y2022ics0160791x22001981.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Digital divides,the Internet and social media uses among Afghans in Iran

Author

Listed:
  • Jauhiainen, Jussi S.
  • Eyvazlu, Davood
  • Junnila, Johanna
  • Virnes, Ada

Abstract

The studies on forced migrants' digitally mediated communication and transnational practices have not sufficiently addressed contexts in which migrants are imposed with strong regulations on their physical mobility and information and communication technology (ICT), Internet, and social media uses. This article studied Internet and social media uses, digital divides (access, use, and the impact of Internet and social media), and digital transnational practices among Afghans in Iran. More than three million Afghans live in different legal, economic, and social positions in Iran. The analysis was based on surveys with 2003 Afghan refugees, other legally authorized Afghan immigrants, and undocumented Afghan migrants in Iran. National authorities limited Afghans' physical mobility within, from, and to Iran as well as constrained Afghans' possession of ICT devices and their capability to use the Internet, including social media. To overcome physical immobility, Afghans developed transnational digital practices. Those Afghans who considered Europe as their potential outmigration destination were much more actively digitally connected than those interested in migrating to Afghanistan or remaining in Iran. Digital divides exist among Afghans in Iran, but these narrowed during Afghans’ stay in Iran.

Suggested Citation

  • Jauhiainen, Jussi S. & Eyvazlu, Davood & Junnila, Johanna & Virnes, Ada, 2022. "Digital divides,the Internet and social media uses among Afghans in Iran," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:70:y:2022:i:c:s0160791x22001981
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2022.102057
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X22001981
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techsoc.2022.102057?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Menzie D. Chinn & Robert W. Fairlie, 2007. "The determinants of the global digital divide: a cross-country analysis of computer and internet penetration," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 59(1), pages 16-44, January.
    2. Vicente, María Rosalía & López, Ana Jesús, 2011. "Assessing the regional digital divide across the European Union-27," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 220-237, April.
    3. Hanafizadeh, Mohammad Reza & Saghaei, Abbas & Hanafizadeh, Payam, 2009. "An index for cross-country analysis of ICT infrastructure and access," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(7), pages 385-405, August.
    4. Maria Merisalo & Jussi S. Jauhiainen, 2020. "Digital Divides among Asylum‐Related Migrants: Comparing Internet Use and Smartphone Ownership," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 111(5), pages 689-704, December.
    5. Tewathia, Nidhi & Kamath, Anant & Ilavarasan, P. Vigneswara, 2020. "Social inequalities, fundamental inequities, and recurring of the digital divide: Insights from India," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    6. Tirado-Morueta, Ramón & Aguaded-Gómez, José Ignacio & Hernando-Gómez, Ángel, 2018. "The socio-demographic divide in Internet usage moderated by digital literacy support," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 47-55.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ali Hosseini & Brandon Marc Finn & Seyed Aliakbar Sajjadi & Tahereh Mosavei, 2023. "Urban Disparities and Quality of Life Among Afghan Refugees Living in Informal Settlements in Mashhad, Iran," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(2), pages 1073-1097, April.
    2. Meng Qi & Bei Zhang & Junjie Li & Bangfan Liu, 2023. "The Three-Dimensional Analytical and Governance Logic of China’s Digital Divide Bridging Policy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-24, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Grishchenko, Natalia, 2020. "The gap not only closes: Resistance and reverse shifts in the digital divide in Russia," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(8).
    2. Szeles, Monica Răileanu, 2018. "New insights from a multilevel approach to the regional digital divide in the European Union," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(6), pages 452-463.
    3. Olimpia NEAGU, 2019. "Digital Divide Gap Convergence Across European Union: The Role Of Urbanisation," Contemporary Economy Journal, Constantin Brancoveanu University, vol. 4(1), pages 43-48.
    4. Ventura, Eva & Satorra, Albert, 2015. "A multiple indicator model for panel data: an application to ICT area-level variation," 26th European Regional ITS Conference, Madrid 2015 127191, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    5. Frederico Cruz-Jesus & Tiago Oliveira & Fernando Bacao & Zahir Irani, 2017. "Assessing the pattern between economic and digital development of countries," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 835-854, August.
    6. Lopez-Sintas, Jordi & Lamberti, Giuseppe & Sukphan, Jakkapong, 2020. "The social structuring of the digital gap in a developing country. The impact of computer and internet access opportunities on internet use in Thailand," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    7. Jung, Juan, 2014. "Regional inequalities in the impact of broadband on productivity: Evidence from Brazil," MPRA Paper 56177, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Wang, Shangrui & Cao, Anran & Wang, Guohua & Xiao, Yiming, 2022. "The Impact of energy poverty on the digital divide: The mediating effect of depression and Internet perception," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    9. Mona Badran, 2014. "Young people and the digital divide in Egypt: an empirical study," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 4(2), pages 223-250, December.
    10. Margarita Billon & Fernando Lera-Lopez & Rocio Marco, 2016. "ICT use by households and firms in the EU: links and determinants from a multivariate perspective," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 152(4), pages 629-654, November.
    11. Frederico Cruz-Jesus & Tiago Oliveira & Fernando Bacao & Zahir Irani, 0. "Assessing the pattern between economic and digital development of countries," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-20.
    12. Neokosmidis, Ioannis & Avaritsiotis, Nikolaos & Ventoura, Zoe & Varoutas, Dimitris, 2015. "Assessment of the gap and (non-)Internet users evolution based on population biology dynamics," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 14-37.
    13. Ventura, Eva & Satorra, Albert, 2015. "A multiple indicator model for panel data: An application to ICT area-level variation," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 830-847.
    14. Eva Ventura & Albert Satorra, 2014. "A multiple indicator model for panel data: an application to ICT area-level variation," Economics Working Papers 1419, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    15. Zhouying Song & Tao Song & Yu Yang & Zhenbo Wang, 2019. "RETRACTED: Spatial–Temporal Characteristics and Determinants of Digital Divide in China: A Multivariate Spatial Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1, August.
    16. P. Guerrieri & M. Luciani & V. Meliciani, 2011. "The determinants of investment in information and communication technologies," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(4), pages 387-403.
    17. Charles Amo Yartey, 2006. "Financial Development, the Structure of Capital Markets, and the Global Digital Divide," IMF Working Papers 2006/258, International Monetary Fund.
    18. Zhang, Xiaoqun, 2013. "Income disparity and digital divide: The Internet Consumption Model and cross-country empirical research," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 515-529.
    19. Jun Wen & Hadi Hussain & Renai Jiang & Junaid Waheed, 2023. "Overcoming the Digital Divide With ICT Diffusion: Multivariate and Spatial Analysis at China’s Provincial Level," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440231, March.
    20. Yun, Na, 2024. "Resources curse via natural resources utilization: Linking digitalization and resources markets for economy perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:70:y:2022:i:c:s0160791x22001981. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/technology-in-society .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.