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Diaspora, Community and Communication: Internet Use in Transnational Haiti
Author(s) -
Parham Angel Adams
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
global networks
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.685
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1471-0374
pISSN - 1470-2266
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0374.2004.00087.x
Subject(s) - diaspora , public sphere , deliberation , solidarity , the internet , sociology , public relations , identity (music) , work (physics) , ethnic group , interpersonal ties , public space , space (punctuation) , political science , media studies , gender studies , social science , law , anthropology , world wide web , mechanical engineering , philosophy , computer science , engineering , physics , acoustics , architectural engineering , politics , linguistics
With its capacity to link many people interactively across great distances, the Internet seems to be the ultimate tool for dispersed ethnic groups wishing to sustain identity in an ‘alien’ land and work in solidarity with those facing challenges at ‘home’. Some theorists speak of the creation of diasporic public spheres arising from creative use of Internet technologies. Nevertheless, scholars working in this area rarely embed their analyses within existing work on the public sphere. In the present study I use insights from public sphere theory to evaluate participants' use of a Haiti Global Village forum. After examining Haiti Global Village, I conclude that such forums offer needed space for civic deliberation and provide a valuable infrastructure for networking. Participants' difficulty in translating these assets into an off‐line project, however, highlights the importance of place‐based social ties. Consideration of the experience of other Haitian forums reinforces the importance of such ties.