Mobility and the mobile: A study of adolescent migrants and their use of the mobile phone

In this article, we explore the day-to-day importance of digital media, specifically the use of mobile phones in the lives of migrant minors—also known as unaccompanied foreign minors—in juvenile residential centres. For this study, we employed a general ethnographic methodology and, in particular,...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Mendoza Pérez, Karmele, Morgade Salgado, Marta
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2020
País:España
Institución:Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Repositorio:Biblos-e Archivo. Repositorio Institucional de la UAM
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.uam.es:10486/717768
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10486/717768
https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2050157918824626
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:adolescence
experimental ethnography
family
identity
mobile phones
transnationalism
unaccompanied foreign minors
Psicología
Descripción
Sumario:In this article, we explore the day-to-day importance of digital media, specifically the use of mobile phones in the lives of migrant minors—also known as unaccompanied foreign minors—in juvenile residential centres. For this study, we employed a general ethnographic methodology and, in particular, a workshop based on different artistic techniques that encouraged the young people involved to become active participants, committed from the start in the generation of the material to be used for the analysis of their daily practices. This approach emerged from the recognition of the importance for these young people to feel included and connected. Migrant adolescents take refuge in their mobile devices to participate in the youth microculture, both locally and globally. In addition, they are able to access different social networks that allow them to play out the personas they wish to adopt. Finally, we recognise the importance of digital media in allowing them to maintain close and affective relationships with their relatives, fellow citizens, and communities in their country of origin