Bound by Exile: Exploring Kinship Dynamics and Role Perceptions among Diaspora Journalists

Journalism Studies, pp. 1–20

Abstract

The escalating dangers journalists face globally have led to a marked increase in media professionals seeking safety away from their home countries. As a result, journalists are increasingly forced to choose between silence and survival, with many opting for the latter in the form of diaspora relocation. This article investigates the role of kinship in community building among diaspora journalists, highlighting how these networks impact their collaboration and resource mobilisation. Drawing from interviews (n = 12) with reporters and editors from Latin America, Hong Kong, and the Middle East, this article examines diaspora journalists’ changing roles and proactive measures in establishing inclusive information and educational infrastructures, enhancing advocacy and empowerment for their communities. Findings demonstrate how journalists leverage kinship to connect with their audiences and guide their journalistic practices, editorial choices, and technological adoption. Findings further revealed that the role of diaspora journalists is evolving into one characterised by what this article terms “civic information workers.” These civic information workers are not only reporters but also intermediaries who provide vital data and insights that facilitate the everyday life and integration of diaspora communities into new societies, thus using journalism as a tool for civic empowerment.

Authors 3

1. Tomás Dodds corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University Centre for Linguistics (LUCL), Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands

2. Rana Khaled Arafat

   City, University of London · City St George's, University of London

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Journalism, City University of London, London, UK

3. Wang Ngai Yeung

   University of Oxford

   Affiliation as printed

   Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK