Different Histories, Different Narratives: ICT Uses As “Habitus”?

Abstract

History forms narratives, narratives form media uses? The present paper formulates a theoretical proposal, that of considering the uses of information and communication technologies (ICT), particularly social media, as “habitus”, inspired by Pierre Bourdieu’s Field Theory. My thesis draws on research conducted on the professional network LinkedIn. It examines the way two discussion groups, held by Greek and French migrants respectively, use this platform. The comparative approach raises the question of habitus as praxis related to situated and ideologically charged socio-historical representations of migration. The online discursive practices of each group suggest the existence of an illusio common to their members regarding the relevance and the objective of the discussions. Different forms (eidos) of illusio seem to operate as different symbolic capitals that shape the groups. Following Pierre Bourdieu’s theory, my ultimate assumption is that these divergences are related to the positions that Greece and France hold within the international migration field.

Keywords

• habitus
• social media
• migrants on line
• Greek diaspora
• French diaspora
• migration field
• narratives
• history
• field theory