Diasporic information environments: Reframing immigrant-focused information research

Abstract

Studies of immigrant information behavior need to be situated within the dynamic contexts of globalization and diaspora. Most immigrant-focused information-science research has focused on distinctly local, place-based scenarios, while diasporic research on information behavior, in contrast, focuses mainly on issues of transnational identity online. This article suggests a methodology that mediates between these two poles, by recognizing the place-based, lived realities of immigrant communities while also acknowledging the existence of complex, globalized diasporic information environments. We refer to this methodology as the Diasporic Information Environment Model (DIEM), and argue that local information-science research can be extended to address the globalized experiences of immigrant communities