1. Objectifs

Intentions :
«Drawing from ethnographic data [….] with refugees and service providers, this thesis explores the role of ICT [Information and Communications Technology] in refugee support networks of Montréal.» (p. 3)

Questions/Hypothèses :
The author proposes the following research questions: «What is the use of ICT by refugees in Montreal? How do they perceive these tools in the context of their displacement and resettlement? […] What is the use of ICT by service providers working for governmental and nongovernmental organizations in Montreal? How do they adapt their work to the omnipresence of digital tools? […] In what ways does ICT use impact the process of social inclusion for refugees and service providers particularly in re-structuring social support networks?» (p. 25)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
The sample was constituted of «ten participants in the Greater Montréal area. […] Six of these participants were service providers in governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) geared towards assisting newcomers settle in the City of Montréal. Four participants were forcibly displaced persons living in Montréal. At the time of the interviews, two of them were refugee claimants and two had refugee status in Canada. One of these participants has since moved to another province, and another has received a positive decision towards their asylum application. Among refugee participants, there were one woman and three men aged 22 to 34 years old. Service provider participants were four women and two men, aged 25 to 60 years old.» (p. 29)

Instruments :
Guide d’entretien semi-directif

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

«Refugee participants reported using ICT to stay connected with their family abroad while developing a locally-situated network. Similarly, ICT facilitated service providers’ work and increased the engagement of the local community. However, ICT use did not only yield positive outcomes: participants expressed concern about the problematic spread of misinformation online, and about privacy and traceability issues. Results therefore indicate that ICT can be exploited to promote social inclusion in a context of forced displacement, but also exacerbates refugees’ exposure to certain threats.» (p. 3) Thus, «ICT-based co-presence is a useful concept to examine these digital practices and understand how transnational families can maintain a sense of “being there” for each other through ICT. This has important implications for refugee families. The unpredictable and involuntary nature of their relocation emphasizes the need to stay connected. Forced displacement entails reduced mobility and legal situations which may take months or sometimes years to resolve. Refugees’ families, whether back home, in transit or displaced in another country, may be equally immobilized and difficult to reach through traditional communication means (e.g. landline telephones, mail). Most of the time, for a plethora of reasons, visits are unlikely. Refugees and their families often face prolonged separation. Digital spaces become their primary alternative for co-presence.» (p. 46-47)