An objective analysis of Amanda Alenc’s study findings reviewed in, “Refugee integration and social media: a local and experiential perspective compiled”

One of the most exciting factors of working as a professional in the communications field is that it continues to be at the forefront of societal progression. Through these most recent decades, social media has opened new pathways for people to stay connected with friends and family, as well as make new connections. Social media users are now enabled to integrate into new communities, interact with diverse social groups, and have access to resources that enable their changing lifestyles. It is vital for the success of communication industry leaders to understand why and how social media is used by the audiences they aim to connect with.
Amanda Alenc is a researcher with Erasmus Research Center for Media in Rotterdam, Netherlands and is dedicated to understanding more about social media trends. In 2017, she conducted an experiential study that compared the use of social media as a critical tool for the integration of refugees into a new host society. She wanted to understand if these tools are beneficial to displaced populations that seek integration into an unfamiliar environment and how their integration is interpreted for themselves, and for the host population.
When this study was conducted, many European countries were experiencing an influx of migrants from Arab nations that was deemed to be the 2015 refugee crisis. More than 911,000 refugees migrated northward into Europe in hopes of seeking asylum from the violent turmoil that was occurring in their home nations (Spindler, 2015).

This study was conducted in the Netherlands and was claimed to be more successful at refugee integration than neighborning countries. Alenc claimed that their success was attributed to strict policies of societal conditioning, as well as the incorporation of social media as communication and information tools. They required that immigrants learn their language and demonstrate an understanding of the host culture prior to their acceptance for citizenship.
Additionally, they worked to integrate the culture of their society into the culture of incoming displaced people. The government’s goal was to provide digitally accessible resources to this population to assist with their requirements and ultimately enable seamless integration.
Alenc’s study analyzed the effectiveness of these tools and how displaced populations use them for integration, based on the government’s four markers of success: Means and markers, social-connection networks, language and knowledge of host culture, and political engagement.
Her findings were remarkable because they identified gaps in use and opportunities for necessary alterations to the tools that could increase usability. Her study went into detail to summarize the social implication of refugees entering a new society; however, the focus of this analysis will be on digital tools and their usability. As communicators, we often forget that usability and perception are not as important as messaging, but this study proves that all three categories are equally important to the success of any social media campaign. This analysis will also provide a balanced perspective on Alenc’s data collection with alternative solutions that the Dutch government should have employed.

The Attempt to Connect
The means and markers of this society were valued based on an individual’s employment, education, housing, and health. Upon arrival to the Netherlands, immigrants were given basic resources to get acquainted and settled. The Dutch government developed tools on social networks that were built to inform these people of the programs that would assist them to support themselves and grow their means and markers. It was discovered that these tools were not utilized because they were confusing and did not match the cultural norms and functionalities that this group was accustomed to. Instead, they turned to social groups on Facebook where peers could support and enable each other in ways that made sense to them.
It was no surprise that social connections were one of the most successful markers that did well through social media tools. It was imperative to the psychological wellbeing of this population that they could maintain connection to their support groups back home, during the transition to their new homes. Not only could the immigrant group stay in touch with their family and friends from their home countries, but they were successful at making connections with new peer groups in the Netherlands. These online groups were helpful to connect the refugees to jobs, housing, and other basic means.
Critics of this study feel that it is more important for new connections to be made in-person, as the physical presence of other people is more personal; however, the comments that were reported by most of this surveyed population reflected otherwise. Participants reported that social opportunities online provided a layer of comfort and acceptance.
Legalities that outline immigration procedures were highlighted in some Facebook groups, but the links directed users to a complicated governmental webpage. Refugees did not feel comfortable accessing the information in this manner and alternative, easy to use tools should have been supplied.

Alternative Solutions
While this study did note positive attributes of the Dutch government efforts, they could have been more successful had they adjusted their campaign to utilize these social groups to spread useful information. They should have interviewed a sampling of immigrants to see how and where they felt comfortable obtaining resources so that the tools would be built to fit to their needs.
This need was apparent on an international scale. After this study was conducted a collection of UN groups collaborated to form the first Global Refugee Forum, that was guided by the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR, n.d.). This forum was organized to provide more effective communication tools that could connect refugees to their host societies. Groups shared best practices, new digital tools, and online support platforms. A digital resources toolkit is available on the UNHCR website, if you would like to learn more about this program.
Since it was imperative to the Dutch government that newcomers learn to be knowledgeable of the language and culture of their host country, social tools should have included translation tools to aid in early adaptation. International organizations such as the United Nations Refugee Agency and Mercy Corp have developed digital translation tools for this purpose with the help of corporate developers Google and ThoughtWorks. (Drew, 2016) One such app, called “Translation Cards” offered users pre-recorded translation phrases to spoken cues so that they could connect with locals and interact with society online, as well as in-person. There are also a handful of voice-recognition and translation apps that are available on mobile phones. The most recent app that has gained popularity with its ease of use and functionality is called Tarjimly. These resources were not mentioned in the study and would have added value to the incoming population.
Moving Forward
While Alenc’s study was published prior to the development of some of these resources, her efforts where an important first step. Every professional communicator must recognize the value of digital media testing so that adjustments can be made, and utility can increase. It’s important to remember that the best messages and efforts can be quickly lost if the means of communication do not fit your audience.
If you would like to learn more about the information and resources provided in this review, I have provided a series of links and resources below. Additionally, here is a video with a quick review of how the latest translation app called Tarjimly works, if it is a tool that could be useful for you.
Global Refugee Toolkit: https://globalcompactrefugees.org/resources-toolkit
Sources:
Alencar, A. (2018). Refugee integration and social media: a local and experiential perspective. Information, Communication & Societ,21:11,1588-
1603,DOI: 10.1080/1369118X.2017.1340500. Retrieved on July 3, 2022, at:
Drew, K. (2016, April 19). Making sure refugees aren’t lost in translation – with one simple app. UNHCR. Retrieved on July 6, 2022, from
GCR. (n.d.). Global Compact on Refugees: Global Refugee Forum. The UN Refugee Agency. Retrieved on July 5, 2022, from:
Spindler, W. (2015, December 8). 2015: The year of Europe’s refugee crisis. The UN Refugee Agency. Retrieved on July 5, 2022, from:
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