TY - JOUR
T1 - Affective networked space
T2 - polymedia affordances and transnational digital communication among the Rohingya diaspora
AU - Aziz, Abdul
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 (Abdul Aziz). Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives (by-nc-nd). Available at http://ijoc.org.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - This study explores the intersection of affect, affordance, and agency of the Rohingya diaspora in maintaining the everyday transnational digital communication in a context of prolonged displacement and genocide. Drawing on a qualitative multi-sited research approach, I interviewed 25 Rohingya diaspora living in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps in Bangladesh and in Brisbane, Australia. The findings show how affordances of technologies have facilitated affective practice that underpins the digital spaces to negotiate protracted experiences of sufferings. I develop the idea of “affective networked space” to unpack how the participatory digital connections have created a new avenue that acts as an alternative space to compensate the absence of Rohingya script and physical presence and play affective roles from disseminating (re)sources of information to everyday transnational communication. I argue that although transnational connectivity is formed with affordance of digital (poly)media, “affective networked space” is not only infused with pain, love, and intimacy, but also imbued with the affective politics of collective sufferings, solidarity, and identity negotiation.
AB - This study explores the intersection of affect, affordance, and agency of the Rohingya diaspora in maintaining the everyday transnational digital communication in a context of prolonged displacement and genocide. Drawing on a qualitative multi-sited research approach, I interviewed 25 Rohingya diaspora living in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps in Bangladesh and in Brisbane, Australia. The findings show how affordances of technologies have facilitated affective practice that underpins the digital spaces to negotiate protracted experiences of sufferings. I develop the idea of “affective networked space” to unpack how the participatory digital connections have created a new avenue that acts as an alternative space to compensate the absence of Rohingya script and physical presence and play affective roles from disseminating (re)sources of information to everyday transnational communication. I argue that although transnational connectivity is formed with affordance of digital (poly)media, “affective networked space” is not only infused with pain, love, and intimacy, but also imbued with the affective politics of collective sufferings, solidarity, and identity negotiation.
KW - Affective networked space
KW - Affordance
KW - Digital media
KW - Forced migration
KW - Refugee camp
KW - Rohingya diaspora
KW - Statelessness
KW - Transnational connectivity
KW - Whatsapp
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85140581706&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85140581706
SN - 1932-8036
VL - 16
SP - 4073
EP - 4094
JO - International Journal of Communication
JF - International Journal of Communication
ER -