The Role of Mobile Telephony in Multicultural Australia: a Case Study of Thai, Hmong and Rohingya Communities
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The Role of Mobile Telephony in Multicultural Australia: A Case Study of Thai, Hmong and Rohingya Communities Author Krisneepaiboon, Natcha Published 2017 Thesis Type Thesis (PhD Doctorate) School School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science DOI https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/1627 Copyright Statement The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise. Downloaded from http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367724 Griffith Research Online https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au The role of mobile telephony in multicultural Australia: A case study of Thai, Hmong and Rohingya communities NATCHA KRISNEEPAIBOON M.A. (Hons) A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences Griffith University, Australia September 2016 ii All yours Sopis and Sopon Youkongpun The role of mobile telephony in multicultural Australia: A case study of Thai, Hmong and Rohingya communities iii ABSTRACT Title of document: The role of mobile telephony in multicultural Australia: A case study of Thai, Hmong and Rohingya communities Doctoral candidate: Natcha Krisneepaiboon Supervisors: Assoc. Prof. Susan Forde Assoc. Prof. Halim Rane This research analyses the role of mobile phones in advancing the quality of diasporic minorities’ lives in Australia. Three ethnic communities in Australia, namely Thai, Hmong and Rohingya, are chosen as case studies. In becoming a part of Australia’s multicultural society, members of ethnic minorities not only need to develop their social integration in their host country, they also need to sustain their cultural connections across boundaries as well as reinvent their social solidarity in the country of residence. In the digital era, the mobile phone has become one of the most common ways through which minority people are empowered to interact with others in their network, and to engage with wider social and global contexts. Therefore, I apply a ‘mixed method approach’ which sees the integration of qualitative and quantitative methodology to explore the ways in which ethnic minorities in the three communities use their phones. I also investigate the possible impact of cultural dimensions on mobile phone usage. The uses are categorised into eight uses and gratifications themes: social interaction, information seeking, pass time, entertainment, relaxation communicatory utility, convenient utility and fashion and social status. In analysing the results, this study demonstrates that the level of acknowledgment of the use of mobile phones based on these eight themes is noticeably different in the three communities due to the impact of particular cultural dimensions. This research suggests that mobile phones play three major roles in enhancing the lives of Australian migrant people. Those three roles are connecting with remembered and/or imagined homelands, places and communities; developing restoration of independence and integrating in the new country of residence; and constructing and managing their own identity. The findings also highlight the ways in which the three ethnic communities use mobile phones differently from settled Australian people. Keywords: Mobile telephony, Multiculturalism, Minorities The role of mobile telephony in multicultural Australia: A case study of Thai, Hmong and Rohingya communities iv Project summary Ethnic minorities migrated to Australia for many different reasons. [Multicultural Australia] Not just participating in the Australia sphere, they also want to create their own spaces and re-establish the atmosphere of their homeland in Australia. [The concept of the public sphere] [The concept of ‘imagined communities’] A variety of media has been adopted in order to gratify needs. Even though mobile phones were not initially designed for personal use, the diasporic people are able to adjust the use of mobile phones to achieve gratification. [Mobile telephony] [The network technology and the network society] [Migrants and the network technology] [The uses and gratification theory] Considering influential factors on mobile phone use — particularly cultural and historical factors — this research could identify eight uses and gratifications themes (Whiting & Williams 2013) that guide how Thai, Hmong and Rohingya people use their mobile phones. 1. Social interaction 2. Information seeking 3. Pass time 4. Entertainment 5. Relaxation 6. Communicatory utility 7. Convenient utility 8. Fashion and social status By understanding the use of mobile phones within those eight uses and gratifications themes, I explore three important roles of mobile phones in advancing the lives of ethnic minority people. 1. Connecting with remembered and/or imagined homelands, places and communities 2. Developing restoration of independence and integrating in the new country of residence 3. Constructing and managing their own identity The role of mobile telephony in multicultural Australia: A case study of Thai, Hmong and Rohingya communities v STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY I, Natcha Krisneepaiboon acknowledge that the work contained in this thesis has never been previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my knowledge and belief, this thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference has been made within the body of the thesis. Signed…………………………………………………………………………………….. Natcha KRISNEEPAIBOON Griffith University, Nathan, Australia The role of mobile telephony in multicultural Australia: A case study of Thai, Hmong and Rohingya communities vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ......................................................................................................................... iii Project summary ............................................................................................................ iv Statement of originality ................................................................................................... v Table of contents ........................................................................................................... vi List of figures ............................................................................................................... xii Acknowledgement ....................................................................................................... xiii Chapter I .......................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction Importance of the study: why mobile phones and minorities ......................................... 1 The theme of the study ................................................................................................... 5 Definitions of terms: mobile phones, cell phones, feature phones, smartphones ........... 8 Central research questions and objectives ....................................................................... 9 Theoretical and conceptual frameworks ....................................................................... 11 Scope of the thesis and research approach .................................................................... 13 Organisation of the study .............................................................................................. 17 Chapter II ....................................................................................................................... 20 Establishing the focus of the thesis: understanding the Thai, Hmong and Rohingya communities in Australia Thai community Historical background of Australian-Thai people ......................................................... 21 Thai national culture and identity ................................................................................. 25 Hmong community The role of mobile telephony in multicultural Australia: A case study of Thai, Hmong and Rohingya communities vii Historical background of Australian-Hmong people .................................................... 30 The exodus of the Hmong to Thai refugee camps ........................................................ 35 Hmong in Australia ....................................................................................................... 36 Hmong culture and identity ........................................................................................... 38 Hmong social organisation .................................................................................. 40 Rohingya community Historical background of Australian-Rohingya people ................................................. 43 The exodus of the Rohingya ......................................................................................... 47 The presence of Rohingya people in Australia ............................................................. 50 Rohingya culture and identity ....................................................................................... 53 Language ............................................................................................................. 53 Islamic religious practice ..................................................................................... 54 The narrative of being protractedly stateless ....................................................... 55 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 56 Chapter III ....................................................................................................................