![]() ![]() Second, as we obtained the personal phone number or WeChat ID of key informants in Shanghai, almost all other communications were held online. First, it helps researchers to create an informal environment where they can have frequent and real-time feedback that facilitates communication. On the basis of these studies, we analyze the benefits of using WeChat as a research tool. This tool was key in recruiting interviewees and creating relationship with local key informants, who were representatives of associations of Italians abroad or spokespersons for Italian cultural centers in Shanghai. WeChat is the leading internet communication system in China, offering traditional messaging, multimedia sharing, and represents a key element in the everyday life both for Chinese people and for the immigrant population in China. We used WeChat as the main tool for conducting our research and carry out interviews. Our studies on the Italian immigrants in Shanghai began in 2018 as a qualitative investigation in the overall research project of the Documentation Center on New Migrations of the University of Salerno (Ce.Do.M.-UNISA). This paper presents a methodological reflection based on our studies on the Italian community in Shanghai and focuses on the potential and limitations of using WeChat as an investigation tool for qualitative research. ![]() In our case, this strategy allowed us to emphasize that WeChat represents a digital migratory space which played a crucial role in understanding and making of the Italian digital diaspora in China. The paper highlights the benefits that researchers may have from employing the same technology that the studied community uses in their daily life as a research tool, and advocates for a flexible approach to research that adapts its tools and methods to the specific requirements and characteristics of the fieldwork. Building upon our research on Italian migration to Shanghai, we discuss in detail the methodological choice of using WeChat for teamwork, remote sampling strategies, and conducting interviews. In this paper, we explore the limits and potentials of using messaging and social media apps as tools for qualitative research. The widespread use of digital communication technologies has created new opportunities for social research. 2Department of Culture, Politics and Society, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.1Department of Political and Social Studies, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |